Convert Length from Foot to Decimeter (ft to dm)
Multiple conversions

Foot to Decimeter Conversion Formula

To convert from Foot (ft) to Decimeter (dm), use the following formula:

With $\frac{1}{3.28084}$ is the ratio between the base units Meter (m) and Foot (ft).

Example

Let's convert 5 Foot (ft) to Decimeter (dm).

Using the formula:

Therefore, 5 Foot (ft) is equal to $15.239999512320015606$ Decimeter (dm).

What is a Foot (ft)?

The foot (ft) is a standard unit of length in the Imperial and U.S. customary systems of measurement.

The plural form is feet.

How Many Inches Make a Foot?

There are exactly 12 inches in a foot.

This fundamental conversion is the cornerstone of the Imperial and U.S. customary systems. It's a standard used everywhere, from measuring personal height to completing construction projects.

Additionally, it's helpful to know that 3 feet make one yard.

The History of the Foot Measurement

The origin of the "foot" as a unit of measurement is quite literal—it was historically based on the average length of a human foot.

Ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, often used body parts as a basis for measurement.

Because the actual length of a person's foot could vary, so did the measurement. This led to many inconsistencies until the foot was officially standardized.

How Is the Foot Used Today?

Although most of the world uses the metric system, the foot is still an official unit of length in the United States.

It is also commonly used in countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada, particularly for measuring height, altitude, and property dimensions.

To establish a global standard, the international foot was defined in 1959 as being exactly 0.3048 meters.

This precise conversion is crucial for international science, trade, and engineering.

What is a Decimeter (dm)?

A decimeter (dm) is a unit of length in the metric system equal to one-tenth of a meter (0.1 m).

Its plural form is decimeters.

How Are Decimeters and Liters Related?

One of the most important uses of the decimeter is in measuring volume.

A cubic decimeter (dm³) is the volume of a cube with edges that are one decimeter long. This connection is beneficial, as one cubic decimeter is precisely equal to one liter (L).

This direct relationship (1 dm³ = 1 L) makes the decimeter a fundamental unit in chemistry and physics for calculating liquid volumes and densities.

How to Convert Decimeters (dm to m & cm)

The decimeter serves as a convenient intermediate unit between the meter (m) and the centimeter (cm). It provides a practical step in the metric system's base-10 structure.

Here are the key conversions:

• 1 meter = 10 decimeters
• 1 decimeter = 10 centimeters

While less common in everyday conversation, the decimeter is often used in specific fields, such as woodworking and shoemaking, for measurements that are too large for centimeters but too small for fractions of a meter.

What Does the Prefix "Deci-" Mean?

The name "decimeter" comes from the Latin word decimus, meaning "tenth."

The prefix "deci-" always signifies one-tenth (1/10 or 10⁻¹) of a base unit.

• A decimeter is one-tenth of a meter.
• A decigram is one-tenth of a gram.
• A deciliter is one-tenth of a liter.

Understanding this prefix makes it easy to convert between different metric units.

What is the imperial system?

What is the metric system?

Foot to Decimeter Conversion Table

Here are some quick reference conversions from Foot (ft) to Decimeter (dm):