# Metric to Imperial Converter

Created by Davide Borchia
Reviewed by Anna Szczepanek, PhD
Last updated: Nov 04, 2022

If you don't remember how to convert metric to imperial length, temperature, mass, and so on, Omni got your back! Choose your quantity, and convert between metric and imperial in the blink of an eye.

• The impossible conversions from metric to imperial;
• Specific conversion:
• The length conversion from metric to imperial;
• Celsius and Fahrenheit: learn how to convert temperature from metric to imperial;
• How to use our metric to imperial converter.

## Metric vs imperial: measurements fight

In real life and on the Internet, there's a never-ending conflict between the two measurement systems used worldwide, the metric and the imperial systems. Which one is better? Why do Americans use feet? There are no specific answers!

You will develop your position — unless you already have one. We are here only to teach you the differences between the two and how to effortlessly convert from metric to imperial!

#### The metric system

Most of the world uses the metric system: one of the results of the enlightenment era, around the time of the French revolution. Back then, there was a strong push to rationalize human knowledge, and trust us; the measurement systems were in dire need of some rules. Across Europe —and not only — there was a plethora of very specific units, mostly used only by the populations of the relative countries. Even worse, there were units used only in certain geographical regions. It was a mess.

The decision to make units a common language across countries saw the first results in the creation of the meter. Defined as one ten-millionth of the length of a quadrant of the Paris meridian, the meter was one of the first units rooted in science, and not men (the size of Earth, and not the foot of a king!). What came next was pure logic. Since our math is in base 10, it made sense to divide the meter in tenth, thus obtaining the decimeter, and multiply it by ten, obtaining the decameter. Other multiplications and divisions by ten gave the multiples and submultiples of the meter.

Multiply a meter by a meter, and you get a square meter, and so on! The metric units' simplicity and relatively easy reproducibility were the keys to its unstoppable diffusion.

Wait. Did we say unstoppable?

#### The imperial system

The metric never arrived in the US. You don't need to know precisely why; we'd just like to tell you that the story involves pirates. Anyway, the US stuck to a developed version of the British system of measurement units, and even though metrication is on the table, it won't change anytime soon.

Our brains are not very good at switching between units. If you grew up with feet, you will likely always find it challenging to think in meters, and vice-versa. Unluckily for Americans, science and technology are primarily metric, and an extra effort is required from them to understand these conversions.

Omni can help with that. Follow us on our short trip in the most common metric to imperial conversions!

## Convert length from metric to imperial

Learning how to convert length from metric to imperial is likely the most helpful conversion you will need in this tool.

Sadly, length is one of the units with little correspondence between the two measurement systems; you can easily see it in our chart for the metric to imperial conversion of length.

We've got to choose a particular unit in both systems to start the conversion with. Let's go for meter and foot. The conversion is:

$\footnotesize 1\ \mathrm{m} = 3.281\ \mathrm{ft}$

Ugh! The opposite conversion is no better:

$\footnotesize 1\ \mathrm{ft} = 0.3048\ \mathrm{m}$

Among the same system, there's a bit more order:

$\footnotesize \ \mathrm{m} \!=\! 10\ \mathrm{dm} \!=\! 100\ \mathrm{cm} \!=\! 1000\ \mathrm{mm}$

And similarly:

$\footnotesize 1\ \mathrm{m} \!=\! 0.1\ \mathrm{dam} \!=\! 0.01\ \mathrm{hm} \!=\!0.001\ \mathrm{km}$

For the imperial system, we find:

$\footnotesize 1\ \mathrm{ft} = 12\ \mathrm{in}$

And

$\footnotesize 1\ \mathrm{ft} = 0.333333\ \mathrm{yd}$

In the following table, you will see the remaining conversions between metric and imperial units of length.

inches [$\mathrm{in}$]

feet [$\mathrm{ft}$]

yards [$\mathrm{yd}$]

miles [$\mathrm{mi}$]

1 millimeter [$\mathrm{mm}$]

$=0.03937$

$=0.003281$

$=0.0010936$

$=0.0000006214$

1 centimeter [$\mathrm{cm}$]

$=0.3937$

$=0.03281$

$=0.010936$

$=0.000006214$

1 meter [$\mathrm{m}$]

$=39.37$

$=3.281$

$=1.0936$

$=0.0006214$

1 kilometer [$\mathrm{km}$]

$=39370$

$=3281$

$=1093.6$

$=0.6214$

## Temperature converter from metric to imperial

It's always a shock for Europeans to come to the US and discover that at $100$ degrees, people are only sweating and not boiling alive. Why? You will learn it with our converter from metric temperature to imperial.

The metric measurement units for temperature fixes two points to two easily reproducible phenomena: the freezing (set at $0\ \degree\mathrm{C}$) and the boiling (at $100\ \degree\mathrm{C}$) of pure water at $1\ \mathrm{atm}$ of atmospheric pressure.

The interval between the points is divided into hundreds, thus defining the Celsius degree.

The imperial system uses the Fahrenheit scale for temperature. In this case, the phenomena associated with the scale are not that straightforward. $0\ \degree\mathrm{F}$ corresponds to the temperature of a mixture of water and a salt. The second point required to define the scale was fixed to... the body temperature of a human, and it was fixed at $96\ \degree\mathrm{F}$. Confusing? We know!

So, how do we convert from metric to imperial temperature? Let's check a couple of points first. Take a look at our Omni thermometer!

The relationship for the conversion from metric to imperial temperature, Celsius to Fahrenheit, is:

$T\ [\mathrm{\degree F}] = 1.8\times T\ [\mathrm{\degree C}] + 32$

See that constant? Be careful during your calculations!

## Other conversions from metric to imperial system

#### Converting mass from the metric to the imperial system

Mass has, luckily, few commonly used units: we can get over this quantity by learning just one conversion. In the metric system, we use the kilogram. Recently the definition of this unit changed from a very empirical one (a cylinder of an alloy) to a very physical one connected to quantum physics. We gladly gloss over the definition! In the imperial system, we measure mass in pounds that, for mysterious reasons, has symbol $\mathrm{lb}$. We're joking: the symbol comes from the Latin name for a similar unit, the libra. The conversion between the two is the following:

$1\ \mathrm{kg} = 2.2046\ \mathrm{lb}$

If you accept an error of about $10\%$, the mass conversion from metric to imperial is approximated by dividing the mass in kilograms by $4$ and multiplying by $10$.

#### Surface and volume conversions

These conversions are straightforward and depend on how we convert length from metric to imperial. Simply take the square or the cube of the conversion factor, and you'll find the desired conversion factors.

## Omni's measurement systems conversion tools

To use this metric to imperial converter, choose the quantity you want to convert, and input the desired values in the proper fields. You can change units to check different conversions too!

We created a set of useful conversion tools:

• The conversion calculator;
• The imperial to metric conversion;
• The metric converter;
• The metric to standard converter;
• The imperial converter;
• The metric to SAE converter; and
• The measurement converter.

## FAQ

### How do I convert temperature from metric to imperial?

To convert a temperature in the metric system (in Celsius) to the Fahrenheit scale, you have to perform two simple mathematical operations:

1. Take the metric temperature and multiply by 1.8:
T [°C] × 1.8
2. Add 32 to the result.
3. The conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit is:
T [°F] = T [°C] × 1.8 + 32

### How much is 1 meter in feet?

A meter is slightly more than 3 feet. The exact conversion is:
1 m = 3.281 ft
The opposite conversion is:
1 ft = 0.3048 m
You can see that dividing and multiplying by three gives acceptable results (if you don't need extreme accuracy)!

### How much is 30 °C in Fahrenheit?

30°C correspond to 86°F. To calculate this value, use the conversion between metric and imperial temperature scales:

1. Multiply the Celsius temperature by 1.8:
30 × 1.8 = 54
2. Add 32:
54 + 32 = 86
3. This is your result: 30°C = 86°F!

### How many much is a kilogram in the imperial system?

A kilogram is almost two pounds and a half. The conversion between these two measurement units is the following:
1 kg = 2.2046 lb.
In a pound, you can fit 16 ounces. Thus the kilogram becomes:
1 kg = 2.2046 lb ×16 = 35.274 oz.
A short ton is more than 900 kilograms, a rather unwieldy unit. The exact conversion rule is:
1 kg = 0.0011023 US ton
But you can easily write: 1 kg = 1/900 US ton.

Davide Borchia
Type of conversion
Length
Length — Metric
m
Length — Imperial
ft
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