Meters To Feet

Whether you’re building something new, surveying your home for a renovation, or trying to find out how tall you are, there are times when a good measuring tape can really come in handy. Depending on what you’re measuring, you may also need to change meters into feet (or vice versa) so that you’re able to read all the instructions properly. 

In fact, when it comes to most types of measurements, accuracy is definitely a key factor, so read this if you’d like to learn how you can convert meters to feet in Canada. 

What Is A Meter? 

According to the International System of Units (SI), a meter is the base unit for length when using the metric system. On paper, meters are often abbreviated to “m”, which means 1 meter will often appear as “1 m” on measuring devices and instructions. If you want to break it down into smaller measurements for preciseness, 1 meter is equal to: 

• 1000 millimeters (mm)
• 100 centimeters (cm)
• 39.37 inches (in or ”)
• 3.28084 feet (ft or ’)  
• 3’ 3 ⅜” 

What Is A Foot (Unit)?

The foot (a.k.a the linear foot) is an imperial unit of length and part of the United States Customary System (USCS). As you can see, this type of measurement is commonly abbreviated to “ft”, the prime symbol (’) or the more convenient single-quote (‘). Since an international yard is defined as being exactly 0.9144 meters, one linear foot is equal to:         

• 304.8 mm
• 30.48 cm
• 12 in
• ⅓ of a yard
• 0.3048 m

How To Convert Meters To Feet

As mentioned, 1 meter is equal to 3.28084 linear feet. So, if you’ve never measured or constructed anything, it can be a bit confusing to change meters to feet but luckily, the process just requires simple math. 

Here’s a basic example to show you how to switch meters to feet:

• Let’s say you’re trying to convert 50 meters into linear feet
• To do so, multiply the total amount of meters by 3.28084 feet
• 50 m x 3.28084 ft = 164.042 feet 

How To Convert Feet To Meters 

Converting feet to meters involves a similar calculation process. Just divide the number of feet you’re measuring by 3.28084 m to obtain the results you want. Here’s an example of how you convert feet to meters:

• You’re attempting to convert 2,000 feet into meters 
• 2,000 ft / 3.28084 = 609.599 m 

What’s The Difference Between The Metric And Imperial Systems?

Around the world, different cultures use different systems of measurement, which can also make things confusing for amateur contractors and people moving to Canada from other countries. Two of the most widely used measurement systems are the:

• Metric System – Commonly referred to as the International System of Units (SI), the metric system is a decimal order of units that classes the meter as a unit of length and the kilogram (kg) as a unit of mass..       

• Imperial System – Liberia, Myanmar, and the US are the only three countries that have (for the most part) stuck to the imperial system. This system features units like the inch for measurement, the mile (M) for distance and the pound (lb) for weight. 

Does Canada Use The Metric Or Imperial System? 

Actually, Canadians use a combination of different units from the metric and imperial measurement systems, no matter which province or territory you’re living in. This can make things difficult for newcomers and people with less experience, so if you’re converting units, the system you should use depends on what you want to measure. 

For instance, here are some measurements you may use or encounter in Canada:

• Inside of a building or structure = imperial
• Size of a building or structure = metric or imperial
• Size of an apartment complex = imperial  
• Height and weight of a human = imperial
• Speed and distance a vehicle travels = metric
• Weight of food/beverages = imperial or metric
• Area and length of land = imperial or metric

Frequently Asked Questions