
Introduction
Inches and feet are both units of measurement for length or distance. The inch is a unit of measurement in the imperial and United States customary systems of measurement. It is represented by the symbol “in” or “”. The foot is a unit of measurement in the imperial and United States customary systems of measurement. It is represented by the symbol “ft” or “‘.
In everyday life, inches are used to measure small distances or sizes, such as the width of a book or the length of a screw. Feet are used to measure larger distances or sizes, such as the height of a building or the length of a room. However, in some fields such as construction, engineering, or architecture, both inch and feet are used to measure the same types of distances or sizes.
In this article, we will explore the history of the inch and foot, learn how to convert inch to feet and feet to inch, and see some examples of conversions.
History of the Inch and Foot

The history of the inch and foot can be traced back to ancient civilizations. The ancient Egyptians, for example, used a unit of measurement called the “cubit,” which was approximately equal to the length of a person’s forearm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger.
In ancient Rome, the “pes” or “foot” was used as a unit of measurement. It was based on the length of the human foot and was approximately equivalent to 11.6 inches.
During the Middle Ages, the inch was standardized as 1/12 of a foot in the Anglo-Saxon system of measurement. This system was widely used in England and eventually spread to the American colonies.
In the 18th century, the United States adopted the international system of units (SI) which defines the foot as 0.3048 meters. However, the inch and foot are still widely used in the US and other parts of the world, especially in the construction and engineering fields.
In 1959, the international yard and pound agreement defined the exact conversion rate between the inch and foot and the SI units, ensuring that measurements are accurate and consistent across different systems of measurement.
Converting Inches to Feet
Unit Converter
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Simple mathematical formula: To convert inch to feet, the number of inch is divided by 12.
Example: 12 inches is equal to 1 foot (12 inches / 12 = 1)
Examples of conversions:
- 36” is equal to 3′ (36 inches / 12 = 3)
- 60” is equal to 5′ (60 inches / 12 = 5)
- 72” is equal to 6′ (72 inches / 12 = 6)
Note that when converting in to ft, the remainder, if any, will be in inches. For example, if you convert 15 inch to feet, the result will be 1 foot and 3 inch.
Converting inch to feet is useful when working with measurements in both units. For example, a room that is measured to be 12 feet long, can also be measured as 144 inch long. So if you want to know how many inches are in a certain number of feet, you can just multiply the number of feet by 12. This can be useful when working with building plans or other technical documents that may use both units.
Simple mathematical formula of Inches to feet
The formula for converting inch to feet is as follows:
1 inch = 1/12 feet
or
x inch = x/12 feet
where x is the number of inch you want to convert to feet.
For example, if you want to convert 12 inches to feet, you would use the formula as follows:
12 inch = 12/12 feet = 1 foot
So, 12 inches is equivalent to 1 foot.
Alternatively, you can also use the conversion factor of 1 inch = 0.083333 feet, which means that you can convert inch to ft by multiplying the number of inch by 0.083333.
For example: 12 inches * 0.083333 = 1 foot
Examples of conversions
Here are a few examples of converting inches to feet:
- 36 inch = 36/12 feet = 3 feet
- 60 inch = 60/12 feet = 5 feet
- 72 inch = 72/12 feet = 6 feet
- 96 inch = 96/12 feet = 8 feet
- 120 inch = 120/12 feet = 10 feet
Alternatively, you can also use the conversion factor of 1 inch = 0.083333 feet to convert inches to feet.
- 36 inch = 36 * 0.083333 = 3 feet
- 60 inch = 60 * 0.083333 = 5 feet
- 72 inch = 72 * 0.083333 = 6 feet
- 96 inch = 96 * 0.083333 = 8 feet
- 120 inch = 120 * 0.083333 = 10 feet
Please note that the above examples are rounded off to the nearest whole number.
Converting Feet to Inches
Converting feet to inch is a common task in various fields such as construction, engineering, and design. The conversion of feet to inch is used to measure length or distance. One foot is equivalent to 12 inch, so to convert feet to inch, you simply multiply the number of feet by 12. This simple conversion formula is easy to use and provides a quick and accurate way to convert feet to inches. Additionally, you can also use a conversion factor of 1 foot = 12 inches, for this conversion.
Simple mathematical formula of feet to inches
The formula for converting feet to inches is:
1 foot = 12 inches
or
x feet = x * 12 inches
Where x is the number of feet you want to convert to inches.
For example, if you want to convert 5 feet to inches, you would use the formula as follows:
5 ft’ = 5 * 12 in” = 60 inches
So, 5 ft is equivalent to 60 inches.
Alternatively, you can also use the conversion factor of 1 foot = 12 inches, which means that you can convert feet to inch by multiplying the number of feet by 12.
For example: 5 feet * 12 inches = 60 inches
Examples of conversions
Here are a few examples of converting feet to inches:
- 3 feet = 3 * 12 inch = 36”
- 5 feet = 5 * 12 inch = 60”
- 6 feet = 6 * 12 inch = 72”
- 8 feet = 8 * 12 inch = 96”
- 10 feet = 10 * 12 inch = 120”
Alternatively, you can also use the conversion factor of 1 foot = 12 inches to convert feet to inches.
- 3 feet = 3 * 12 inch = 36 inch
- 5 feet = 5 * 12 inch = 60 inch
- 6 feet = 6 * 12 inch = 72 inch
- 8 feet = 8 * 12 inch = 96 inch
- 10 feet = 10 * 12 inch = 120 inch
Conclusion
In conclusion, converting ft to inches is a simple task that is commonly used in various fields such as construction, engineering, and design. The mathematical formula for converting feet to inches is 1 foot = 12 inches or x ft = x * 12 inches, where x is the number of feet you want to convert to inches. This formula is easy to use and provides a quick and accurate way to convert feet to inches. Additionally, you can also use the conversion factor of 1 foot = 12 inches, to convert feet to inches by multiplying the number of ft by 12. With the help of these methods, converting feet to inches can be easily done and is a useful tool for measuring length or distance.
References
References for the conversion of inches to feet can vary depending on the context and the source of information. Some possible references for inches-to-feet conversion include:
- The International System of Units (SI) – The SI, also known as the metric system, defines the base units for length as the meter and the sub-unit as the millimeter. It also includes conversion factors for other units of length, including inches and ft.
- Mathematical handbooks or conversion tables – These resources provide a wide range of mathematical formulas and conversion factors for various units of measurement, including inches and ft.
- Online conversion calculators – There are many online calculators that can be used to convert inches to ft and vice versa. These calculators are easy to use and provide quick and accurate results.
- Standards organizations – Organizations such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) provide standards and guidelines for measurement and units of length, including inches and feet.
- Textbooks, articles, and research papers – These sources may provide more detailed information about the history and usage of inches and feet in various fields and industries.
Please note that this list is not exhaustive and there are many other sources you can use to find information about inches to feet conversion.