Drafting/Conversion Table of English Linear Measurements into Metric

The metric is now the official system of measurements for sizes and weights in the Philippines. At this writing, however, lumber, shoes, paper, and machine parts are still measured by the English system. Since it will take time to metricize all existing English measurements, the conversion table is provided below to help students adjust themselves to the transition.

The metric equivalent of the English linear measurements are printed in decimal figures and are mostly in fractions of a meter. To read these fractional measurements which are given in decimal figures, it is suggested that the following simple rule be followed:

All numbers at the left side of the decimal point are in meters; the first two numbers to the right of the decimal point are in centimeters; the third number to the right of that is in millimeters; and the rest of the numbers to the right of the third number are a fraction of a millimeter.

For example, 1.016 reads: one meter, one centimeter, and 6 millimeters. Similarly, 5.55525 is read as 5 meters, 55 centimeters, and 5 1/4 millimeters. The last two numbers, or 25, is 1/4 of a millimeter.

To find the equivalent of 3 1/8", for instance, just add the fractional metric equivalent of 1/8" to the metric equivalent of 3 inches. In this case, we have

1/8" = 0.0032 3" = 0.0762 0.0794 which reads: seven centimeters, nine millimeters, and 4/10, or 2/5, of a millimeter

Table I Inches To Meter

Inch/Inches	Meter	Inches	Meter
1/32	0.0008	13	0.3202
1/16	0.0016	14	0.3556
1/8	0.0032	15	0.381
3/16	0.0047	16	0.4064
1/4	0.0063	17	0.4318
5/16	0.0079	18	0.4572
3/8	0.0095	19	0.4826
7/16	0.0112	20	0.508
1/2	0.0127	21	0.5334
9/16	0.0142	22	0.5588
5/8	0.0158	23	0.5842
11/16	0.0174	24(2'-0")	0.6096
3/4	0.019	25	0.635
13/16	0.0205	26	0.6604
7/8	0.022	27	0.6858
15/16	0.0237	28	0.7112
1	0.0254	29	0.7366
2	0.0508	30	0.762
3	0.0762	31	0.7874
4	0.1016	32	0.8128
5	0.127	33	0.8382
6	0.1524	34	0.8636
7	0.1778	35	0.889
8	0.2032	36(3'-0")	09144
9	0.2286	37	0.9398
10	0.254	38	0.9652
11	0.2794	39	0.9906
12(1'-0")	0.3048	40	1.016

Table II Feet To Meters

Feet	Meters	Feet	Meters
1	0.3048	14	4.2672
2	0.6096	15	4.5720
3	0.9144	16	4.8768
4	1.2192	17	5.1816
5	1.5240	18	5.4864
6	1.8288	19	5.7912
7	2.1336	20	6.0960
8	2.4384	21	6.40
9	2.7432	22	6.71
10	3.0480	23	7.01
11	3.3528	24	7.32
13	3.9624

Table III Inches To Millimeters

Inch/Inches	Millimeters	Inch/Inches	Millimeters
1/32	0.8	21/32	16.7
1/16	1.6	11/16	17.5
3/32	2.4	23/32	18.3
1/8	3.2	3/4	19.1
5/32	4.0	25/32	19.9
3/16	4.8	13/16	20.7
7/32	5.6	27/32	21.5
1/4	6.4	7/8	22.3
9/32	7.1	29/32	23.1
5/16	7.9	15/16	23.9
11/32	8.7	31/32	24.7
3/8	9.5	1	25.4
13/32	10.3	2	50.8
7/16	11.1	3	76.2
15/32	11.9	4	101.6
1/2	12.7	5	127.0
17/32	13.5	6	152.4
9/16	14.3	7	177.8
19/32	15.1	8	203.2
5/8	15.9	9	228.6
		10	254.0
		11	279.4
		12	304.8
		13	320.2
		14	355.6
		15	381
		16	406.4
		17	431.8
		18	457.2
		19	482.6
		20	508
		21	533.4
		22	558.8
		23	584.2
		24	609.6

Table IV Miscellaneous Lengths

English	Metric
1 mile	1.609 kilometers
1 yard(3 ft)	0.9144 meter
3.28 ft	1 meter
39.37 inches	1 meter
1 inch	2.54 centimeters