Convert meter to foot (US survey) Online | Free Length Converter

Switch units
   

Meter (m) as a Unit of Length

The meter, abbreviated as m, is the fundamental unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). It is widely used around the world for measuring distance, height, and length in both everyday life and scientific contexts. Unlike some other units that vary by country, the meter provides a universal standard that promotes consistency in measurement.

Originally, the meter was defined in the late 18th century as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole. However, over time, the definition has been refined. Today, the meter is defined as the distance that light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. This modern definition ties the unit to a fundamental constant of nature, making it extremely precise and reliable.

One meter is equal to 100 centimeters or 1,000 millimeters. In comparison to the imperial system, 1 meter is approximately 3.281 feet or about 39.37 inches. This makes it easy to convert for those familiar with feet and inches.

The meter is used in a wide range of applications, from measuring the height of a building to calculating distances on maps or within scientific experiments. In sports, track events like the 100-meter dash highlight the practical use of this unit in everyday life.

Since the metric system is based on powers of ten, using meters and its related units (millimeters, centimeters, kilometers) simplifies calculations and conversions. This ease of use is one of the main reasons the metric system, and the meter specifically, is preferred globally.







In summary, the meter is a universal and precise unit of length that plays a central role in science, industry, and daily life.


Foot (US Survey)


The US survey foot is a unit of length used historically in the United States for land surveying and mapping. It is defined as exactly 1200/3937 meters, which is approximately 0.3048006096 meters. This makes it very slightly longer than the international foot, which is exactly 0.3048 meters.


The US survey foot was established to maintain consistency with earlier land surveys and legal descriptions in the U.S. It was used extensively in the Public Land Survey System and other cadastral surveys.


Key points:



  • 1 US survey foot = 1200/3937 meters ≈ 0.3048006096 meters



  • Slightly longer than the international foot by about 0.0006 millimeters



  • Used primarily in land surveying and legal documents



  • As of recent years, the US has been phasing out the US survey foot in favor of the international foot for standardization.



Though nearly identical to the international foot, the US survey foot remains important for understanding older land records and measurements.



No conversions available for length.

Convert meter to Other Length Units