The meters to centimeters conversion factor
One meter equals exactly 100 centimeters, so to convert meters to centimeters you multiply by 100: cm = m × 100. For example, 2 m × 100 = 200 centimeters. To go the other way, use the centimeters to meters calculator.
Because the metric system is built on powers of ten, this conversion is simply a decimal shift: move the point two places to the right. 0.05 m becomes 5 cm and 12.4 m becomes 1,240 cm, with no rounding involved at any point.
How to convert meters to centimeters
Enter a length in meters and the calculator multiplies by 100 to return centimeters. This is handy for height, sewing, and DIY measurements. Decimal meters such as 1.75 are supported and convert to 175 cm.
Worked example: a person listed as 1.82 m tall is 182 cm, the figure clothing size charts and medical forms usually ask for. A curtain drop given as 2.3 m is 230 cm, and a 0.9 m doorway is 90 cm wide.
The mistake to watch for is dropping a trailing digit: 1.8 m is 180 cm, not 18 cm, and 1.08 m is 108 cm. Reading the metre value aloud with two decimal places before converting - one point zero eight - makes the slip much harder to make.
Once that is settled, the meters to feet calculator takes care of the next part.
Meters to centimeters reference table
| Meters | Centimeters |
|---|---|
| 1 m | 100 cm |
| 2 m | 200 cm |
| 5 m | 500 cm |
| 10 m | 1000 cm |
For reference in the other direction, 1 cm is 0.01 m, 10 mm make 1 cm, and 1,000 m make a kilometre. Anything measured with a tape marked in centimetres can therefore be converted by eye once you know which way the decimal point moves.
For the same task from a slightly different angle, try the cm to inches calculator.
Frequently asked questions
- How many centimeters is 2 meters?
- 2 meters equals 200 centimeters (2 × 100).
- What is the meters to centimeters formula?
- cm = meters × 100, since 1 meter is exactly 100 cm.
- How many centimeters are in a meter?
- There are exactly 100 centimeters in one meter.
- How do I convert centimeters back to meters?
- Divide centimeters by 100, or use the centimeters to meters calculator.
- How do I get millimetres instead of centimetres?
- Multiply metres by 1,000 rather than 100, since one centimetre contains 10 millimetres. So 1.75 m is 175 cm or 1,750 mm - and if you already have centimetres, just multiply those by 10.