5 inches in cm
5 in = 12.7 cm = 127 mm = 0.127 m
Working: 5 × 2.54 = 12.7
5 inches is 12.7 centimetres, or 127 millimetres.
The conversion is exact rather than approximate: since 1959 the international inch has been defined as precisely 2.54 centimetres, so multiplying by 2.54 gives an exact answer with no rounding error. 5 × 2.54 = 12.7 cm. To go back the other way, divide by 2.54; for millimetres, multiply the inches by 25.4 instead.
Metric trades work in millimetres rather than centimetres, and 5 inches is 127 mm — the figure a drawing or a parts list would actually carry. The nearest whole centimetre is 13, 0.3 cm away.
Five inches is roughly the diagonal of a small phone screen and a common width for decking boards. It converts to 12.7 centimetres, which is exactly half of 25.4 — a useful anchor, since half an inch is 1.27 cm and every fraction from there is easy to derive.
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Frequently asked questions
How many cm is 5 inches?
5 inches is 12.7 cm. Multiply the number of inches by 2.54 to convert to centimetres.
Is the inch to cm conversion exact?
Yes. The international inch has been defined as exactly 2.54 centimetres since 1959, so the conversion introduces no rounding error.
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