Is 1 cm and 1 inch the same?

1 inch to cm: 2.54 Centimeter, Confused, Let's Find out How?

Inch and centimetres are the two most popular units of measurement used on the daily basis. Both of them are used to measure lengths, however, they differ from each other in terms of applications & uses, and on various other grounds. Read on to know how to convert 1 inch to cm, how related they are, how they differ from each other, etc. 

Let’s start with the definition of an inch-

What is Inch?

Often represented by ″ or in, an inch is a unit of measurement of length used in the US customary systems of measurement as well as the imperial system. This specific unit is generally employed in the measurement of electronics devices such as the laptop, TV, and mobile phone display screen. 

The history of the inch started back in the 7th century. According to the very first definition of an inch, the size of three barleycorns equalled an inch. But that didn’t sound satisfactory enough, so, in 1930, it was redefined by the BSI (British Standards Institute) in the document “Metric Units in Engineering: Going SI”. 

Later while American Inch was about 25.400051 mm, the ASA (American Standards Association) was asked to decide on whether the same value should be adopted or not as the values were quite similar. Also, because the British had already confirmed and settled for the same, on March 13, 1933, the ASA approved of this value. 

Current Use of Inch

An inch is often utilised for the measurement in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, India, etc. Sometimes, Japan along with some other countries also used this unit for measuring the display screens of TV, mobile phones, laptops, etc. 

What is Centimeter?

A centimetre is a metric unit of measurement of length that is equal to one by a hundredth of a meter. The centimetre is represented by the symbol “cm” and is used in the International System of Units. This popular unit of measurement has a varied range of applications is popularly used to measure the length & height of the object. 

The term “centi” in centimetre is the SI prefix for a fraction 1/100. Earlier, it was used as the base unit of length in the currently despised system of units that is centimetre-gram-second (CGS). 

Unlike several other physical quantities, SI prefixes for the factor of 103 such as the milli and kilo that are usually preferred by technicians, the centimetre acts as a practical unit length for a range of everyday measurements. The size of a centimetre is roughly equal to the breadth of the nail of an average adult person’s finger. 

Current Use of Centimeter

The centimetre is used globally and for various purposes. It is used as an alternative for the use of meters whenever any small unit of measurement is required. Usually, height, in several countries except for the US, is measured in centimetres. 

Relation Between Inches and Centimetres

Inches and centimetres are related to each other in terms that they both are used to measure the length of the object. However, one is used to measure bigger lengths while the other is used for measuring smaller lengths. One is bigger than the other. 

The relationship between the two can best be described through the mathematical formula given below:

1 inch = 2.54 centimetres

From the above relation, one thing is evident that an inch is bigger than a centimetre in size. Now that you have contented with this, let’s move on to find out how to convert 1 in to cm. 

Inches to Centimeter Conversion Table

How to Convert 1 Inch to CM: Formula for Converting Inch to CM

With the help of the aforementioned relation, you can easily convert 1 inch to cm in scale. But before you sink into the conversion process, you must always remember that converting one unit from the other without any alteration in the relative amount of the furnished quality is pretty essential. 

To convert an inch into the cm and cm to inch, follow the formula given below:

1 inch = 2.54 centimeters

Or 1 centimeter = 0.393701 inches

Now, to convert an inch into cm, you need to multiply the provided inch by 2.54 centimetres. 

Inch to cm = (given inch) x 2.54 centimeters.

Similarly, for converting cm into inch, you need to multiply the given cm by 0.393701 inches. 

Cm to Inch = given cm x 0.393701 inches

Let us understand this conversion process with the help of a few examples:

Examples of Inch to Centimetres Conversion

Given below are some instances that will help you convert one unit into another with quite ease: 

Example 1: Convert 5 inches to cm

Sol: 5 inch to cm = 5 x 2.54 centimeters = 12.7 cm.

Example 2: Convert 6 inch to cm

Sol: 6 inches to cm = 6 x 2.54 cm = 15.24 cm. 

Example 3: Convert 1.25 inch to cm

Sol: 1.25 inch to cm = 1.25 x 2.54 cm = 3. 175 cm. 

Example 4: Convert 2 inches in cm

Sol: 2 inch in cm = 2 x 2.54 cm = 5.08 cm. 

Example 5: Convert 10 inches in cm

Sol: 10 inch in cm = 10 x 2.54 cm = 25.4 cm. 

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Difference Between Inches and Centimetres

Even though both the units are used for the measurement of length, both Inches and Centimeters have different approaches and differ from each other on various terms. Given below is the table where we have differentiated both the units on several grounds:

Popular Units Conversion :

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)