Length/Distance Converter
Convert between units of length and distance including metres, kilometres, miles, yards, feet, and inches. Essential for travel, engineering, construction, and international communication.
Convert Length Units
Convert between different length measurement systems:
1 m = 3.281 ft • 1 km = 0.621 mi • 1 in = 2.54 cm • 1 yd = 0.914 m
Understanding Length and Distance Measurement
Length and distance measurements are fundamental in science, engineering, construction, and daily life. Different regions and professions use different units: metric system (meters, kilometers), imperial system (feet, miles), and specialized units for navigation and astronomy. Understanding these conversions is essential for accurate measurements across different contexts.
Measurement Systems
🌍 Metric System
Kilometers (km) and meters (m)
Centimeters (cm) and millimeters (mm)
Micrometers (µm) and nanometers (nm)
Universal scientific standard
Decimal-based conversions
🇺🇸 Imperial/US Customary
Miles (mi) and yards (yd)
Feet (ft) and inches (in)
Traditional American measurements
Common in US construction
Fractional measurements
🧭 Nautical & Astronomical
Nautical miles (nmi) for navigation
Light years (ly) for astronomy
Astronomical units (au) for solar system
Parsecs (pc) for galactic distances
Specialized professional units
Complete Length Conversion Table
| Unit | Symbol | Meters | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kilometer | km | 1,000 | Long distances, geography |
| Meter | m | 1 | SI base unit for length |
| Centimeter | cm | 0.01 | Small measurements |
| Millimeter | mm | 0.001 | Precision measurements |
| Micrometer | µm | 0.000001 | Microscopic measurements |
| Nanometer | nm | 0.000000001 | Nanotechnology |
| Mile | mi | 1,609.34 | Road distances |
| Yard | yd | 0.9144 | Sports, textiles |
| Foot | ft | 0.3048 | Construction, height |
| Inch | in | 0.0254 | Detailed measurements |
| Nautical mile | nmi | 1,852 | Maritime navigation |
| Light year | ly | 9.46 × 10¹⁵ | Astronomical distances |
| Astronomical unit | au | 1.50 × 10¹¹ | Earth-Sun distance |
| Parsec | pc | 3.09 × 10¹⁶ | Stellar distances |
Common Length Comparisons
🏠 Everyday Objects
Credit card: 85.6 mm
Sheet of paper: 297 mm
Door height: 2.1 m
School bus: 12 m
Football field: 91.4 m
Empire State Building: 443 m
🏃♂️ Sports Distances
100m sprint: 100 m
Marathon: 42.2 km
Soccer field: 105 m
Tennis court: 23.8 m
Golf hole: 400 m
Olympic pool: 50 m
🗺️ Geographic Scales
City block: 100-200 m
Highway mile: 1.6 km
Country size: 100-1000 km
Earth circumference: 40,075 km
Moon distance: 384,400 km
Light year: 9.46 × 10¹⁵ m
Professional Applications
🏗️ Construction
Building dimensions
Material measurements
Blueprint scaling
Site surveying
Quality control
Safety clearances
🗺️ Travel & Navigation
Trip planning
GPS coordinates
Mileage tracking
Route optimization
Aviation distances
Maritime navigation
🔬 Science & Engineering
Precision measurements
Laboratory equipment
Material properties
Instrumentation
Research data
Quality standards
Measurement Precision
🛠️ Engineering Precision
±0.1 mm for machining
±0.01 mm for precision work
±1 µm for microscopy
±0.001 mm for nanotechnology
Calibration standards
Measurement uncertainty
📏 Construction Tolerances
±3 mm for general construction
±1 mm for finished surfaces
±0.5 mm for precision work
±0.1 mm for critical dimensions
Building codes
Quality standards
🧪 Laboratory Standards
±0.001 g for analytical balances
±0.0001 g for microbalances
±0.00001 g for ultramicrobalances
Calibration requirements
Traceability standards
Measurement uncertainty
📏 Measurement Tip: Remember that precision matters in different contexts. Construction might tolerate ±3mm, but precision engineering requires ±0.01mm or better. Always use the appropriate measuring tool and consider the required accuracy for your specific application.