Unit Conversion Toolkit
Sometimes I find myself wanting to convert things like temperature, length, speed, or currency. So I made this simple tool to help me out. Feel free to use it too!
I also thought about to explain what it means, how it is converted, and how to do it mentally.
Height Converter: Feet & Inches to Centimeters
Common Height Examples
| Feet & Inches |
Centimeters |
| 5' 0" |
152.4 cm |
| 5' 6" |
167.6 cm |
| 6' 0" |
182.9 cm |
Some interesting facts
Speeds and Reaction Times in Cars
Typical Reaction Times
- Average human reaction time: 0.2 to 0.3 seconds (for a simple stimulus like a brake light). So, for example, if 70km/h is approximately 20m/s, then you would have run 0.3s * 20m/s = 6 m. Just noticing!
- Under stress or distraction: 1 to 1.5 seconds (common for drivers).
Braking Distance
- Watch: 36 meters (120 feet) at 50 km/h (31 mph).
- Formula: Braking distance increases with the square of speed. Double the speed = 4x the braking distance.
Example at 100 km/h (62 mph):
- Reaction distance (1.5 seconds): 42 meters.
- Braking distance (dry road): 96 meters.
- Total stopping distance: 138 meters.
Field Sizes (for visualizing distances)
Football (Soccer) Field:
- Length: 100-110 meters (110-120 yards).
- Width: 64-75 meters (70-80 yards).
American Football Field:
- Length: 91.44 meters (100 yards) + end zones (9.14 meters each).
- Width: 48.8 meters (53.3 yards).
Football 7 (7-a-side Soccer):
- Length: 50-65 meters.
- Width: 35-45 meters.
Futsal Field:
- Length: 38-42 meters.
- Width: 20-25 meters.
Tennis Court:
- Length: 23.77 meters (78 feet).
- Width: 8.23 meters (27 feet) for singles, 10.97 meters (36 feet) for doubles.
Speeds of Animals and Humans
I find this one specially interesting. Have you ever wondered if you can outran any animal? So here are some information to figure it out. Also with the bike! So yeah, I hate to brake it to you, but it is very possible that you will not outrun a dog.
Humans:
- Average walking speed: 1.4 m/s (5 km/h or 3 mph).
- Average running speed: 3-4 m/s (10-14 km/h or 6-9 mph).
- Usain Bolt's top speed: 12.4 m/s (44.7 km/h or 27.8 mph).
Animals:
- Leopard: 18 m/s (65 km/h or 40 mph).
- Bear: 12 m/s (43 km/h or 27 mph).
- Dog (Greyhound): 18 m/s (65 km/h or 40 mph).
- Elephant: 7 m/s (25 km/h or 15 mph).
- Bird (Peregrine Falcon in dive): 89 m/s (320 km/h or 200 mph).
Bicycle:
- Average cyclist: 5.5 m/s (20 km/h or 12 mph).
- Professional speed: 20-25 m/s (72-90 km/h or 45-56 mph).
Visualizing Speeds
- 1 m/s: A slow walk.
- 5 m/s: A brisk run or cycling speed.
- 10 m/s: A fast sprint or car in a residential area.
- 30 m/s: A cheetah running or a car on the highway.
- 100 m/s: A high-speed train or a peregrine falcon diving.
Practical Examples
Car at 50 km/h (13.9 m/s):
- Covers 13.9 meters every second.
- Reaction distance (1.5 seconds): 20.8 meters.
- Braking distance (dry road): 24 meters.
- Total stopping distance: 44.8 meters (about half a soccer field).
Human Running at 10 km/h (2.8 m/s):
- Covers 2.8 meters every second.
- Takes 3.6 seconds to run the length of a soccer field.
How to Use This Information
- For your website include a table or interactive tool where users can input a speed and see how far they travel in a second, how long it takes to cross a football field, or how their speed compares to animals or vehicles.
- Visual aids: Use diagrams of fields or tracks to show distances.
- Comparisons: Add fun facts like "At 100 km/h, your car covers the length of a soccer field in 3.6 seconds—faster than a cheetah!"
How to Use This Information
Speed Comparisons
| Entity |
Speed (km/h) |
Speed (mph) |
Fun Fact |
| Cheetah |
110 |
68 |
Fastest land animal |
| Average Car |
60 |
37 |
Urban speed limit |
| Professional Cyclist |
50 |
31 |
Tour de France downhill |
Height Measurement: Feet and Inches
Basic Units
- 1 foot (ft) = 12 inches (in)
Format
- Spoken as: "Five feet eight inches" or "Five eight."
Conversion to Inches
- To convert feet to inches, multiply the number of feet by 12 and add the remaining inches.
- Example: 5'8" = (5 * 12) + 8 = 68 inches.
- 1 inch = 2.54 cm
- Example: 5'8" = 68 inches = 68 * 2.54 = 172.72 cm.
Why Use Feet and Inches for Height?
- Cultural Tradition: The imperial system is deeply ingrained in countries like the U.S.
- Everyday Use: People are familiar with visualizing heights in feet and inches.
- Precision: Inches allow for finer measurements than feet alone.
Common Height Examples
| Feet & Inches |
Inches |
Centimeters |
Description |
| 5'0" | 60 in | 152.4 cm | Average height for some women |
| 5'6" | 66 in | 167.6 cm | Average height for many women |
| 5'10" | 70 in | 177.8 cm | Average height for many men |
| 6'0" | 72 in | 182.9 cm | Tall height for men |
| 6'4" | 76 in | 193.0 cm | Very tall height for men |
How to Measure Height in Feet and Inches
Using a Tape Measure or Ruler:
- Stand against a wall and mark the top of your head.
- Measure from the floor to the mark in feet and inches.
Using a Height Chart:
- Many height charts display both feet/inches and centimeters.
Conversion Tools:
- Use online calculators or apps to convert between feet/inches and centimeters.
How to Visualize Height
- 5'0" (152 cm): Slightly below average height for women.
- 5'6" (167 cm): Average height for women in many countries.
- 5'10" (178 cm): Average height for men in many countries.
- 6'0" (183 cm): Considered tall for men.
- 6'4" (193 cm): Very tall, often seen in athletes like basketball players.
Comparison to Metric System
- Metric System (Centimeters):
- Used globally for height measurements.
- Easier to calculate and convert (base-10 system).
- Example: 172 cm is straightforward, whereas 5'8" requires conversion.
- Imperial System (Feet & Inches):
- More intuitive for those familiar with the system.
- Allows for finer measurements using inches.