What is centimetre?
A centimetre is a metric unit of length equal to one hundredth of a metre. It is commonly used for everyday measurements such as clothing sizes, body height, and small object dimensions.
Real-world uses
Centimetres are widely used in clothing measurements, body height in medical records (outside the US), screen sizes in some markets, and school rulers. Tailors and dressmakers rely on centimetre tape measures for precise garment fitting.
History
The centimetre was established as part of the original metric system in the 1790s. It served as the base length unit in the now-superseded CGS (centimetre-gram-second) system used extensively in physics until the mid-20th century.
Common mistakes
Forgetting that there are 2.54 cm in one inch, not 2.5. Also, confusing cm² (area) with cm (length) when specifying material dimensions.
What is metre?
The metre is the SI base unit of length. It is used globally in science, engineering, geography, and everyday measurement as the standard reference for distance.
Real-world uses
The metre is the standard unit for everyday measurements worldwide, from room dimensions and furniture sizes to athletic track events like the 100 m sprint. Engineers, architects, and scientists use it as the fundamental length reference in the SI system.
History
Originally defined in 1793 during the French Revolution as one ten-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the equator along a meridian through Paris. Since 1983, it is defined by the speed of light in vacuum.
Common mistakes
Confusing "meter" (the measuring device) with "metre" (the unit of length) in British English. Also, people sometimes incorrectly assume 1 metre equals exactly 3 feet; it is actually about 3.281 feet.
When is this conversion used?
This conversion is frequently needed in construction, architecture, and real estate where building codes may specify dimensions in one system while materials are sold in another. Screen sizes, paper dimensions, and clothing measurements often require converting between centimetres and inches, especially when shopping internationally.
Worked examples
1 centimetre = 0.01 metre
1 metre = 1 metre
How to convert centimetre to metre
To convert centimetre to metre, multiply the value by 0.01.
To convert metre back to centimetre, multiply by 100.
Measurement standards
The metre is one of seven SI base units, maintained by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM). Since 2019, it is defined by fixing the numerical value of the speed of light in vacuum to exactly 299,792,458 metres per second.
Did you know?
A human hair is roughly 70 micrometres wide, while a single gold atom measures about 0.144 nanometres in diameter — meaning you could line up nearly half a million atoms across the width of one hair.
Quick reference: centimetre to metre
| centimetre | metre |
|---|---|
| 0.1 | 0.001 |
| 0.5 | 0.005 |
| 1 | 0.01 |
| 2 | 0.02 |
| 5 | 0.05 |
| 10 | 0.1 |
| 25 | 0.25 |
| 50 | 0.5 |
| 100 | 1 |
| 250 | 2.5 |
| 500 | 5 |
| 1,000 | 10 |
Common values
| centimetre | metre | |
|---|---|---|
| Height of a door | 210 centimetre | 2.1 metre |
| Basketball court length | 2,800 centimetre | 28 metre |
| Football field (soccer) | 10,500 centimetre | 105 metre |
| Marathon distance | 4,219,500 centimetre | 42,195 metre |
| Altitude of a cruising airplane | 1,066,800 centimetre | 10,668 metre |