The short answer: 142 centimeters comes to 4 ft 7.9 in. That is 142 multiplied by 0.03280839895, the factor fixed by definition, carried to full precision before anything is rounded for display.
At 142 cm — 1.42 m — a BMI of 18.5 to 25, the band the WHO calls healthy, runs from 37.3 to 50.4 kg (82.2 to 111 lb). BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared, so those figures come straight from the height on this page rather than from a chart.
Plenty of people do this in their head: divide by 30 instead of using the exact factor 0.03280839895. At 142 that shortcut gives 4.7333333 feet, off by 0.07454 feet or about 1.60%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
The formula
142 cm- The quantity being converted
0.03280839895- Exact feet in one centimeter
4.658792651 ft- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Start with 142 centimeters.
- Multiply by 0.03280839895, the exact number of feet in one centimeter.
- Result: 4.65879265092 feet — 4 ft 7.9 in.
- Going the other way, divide rather than multiply — 4.658792651 ft ÷ 0.03280839895 brings you back to 142 cm.
Worked examples
The calculation
Because this is a straight proportion, 142 cm × 0.03280839895 = 4.65879265092 ft (4 ft 7.9 in) — no offset, no second term, nothing else to account for.
The sanity check
Run it in reverse — 4.658792651 ft ÷ 0.03280839895 = 142 cm. Matching the input you started from is the proof the direction is right.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
What is 142 centimeters in feet and inches?
142 centimeters is exactly 4 ft 7.9 in. Carried to full precision that is 4.65879265092 feet.
How do you convert centimeters to feet?
Use the factor 0.03280839895 as a multiplier — 142 × 0.03280839895 gives 4.658792651 feet. The same factor works at any scale because the relationship is linear.
What is 4.658792651 feet back in centimeters?
Divide by 0.03280839895, or multiply by 30.48 — either returns 142 centimeters.
What does 142 cm actually look like?
At 142 cm — 1.42 m — a BMI of 18.5 to 25, the band the WHO calls healthy, runs from 37.3 to 50.4 kg (82.2 to 111 lb). BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared, so those figures come straight from the height on this page rather than from a chart. Compare it against the surrounding values in the table below.
What is a centimeter?
One hundredth of a metre, and the everyday metric unit for body measurements and paper sizes.
What is a foot?
Twelve inches, or exactly 0.3048 metres — still standard for human height and aviation altitude in the US.
142 cm in feet — nearby values
| Centimeters | Feet | Unrounded |
|---|---|---|
| 136 cm | 4 ft 5.5 in | 4.461942257 |
| 137 cm | 4 ft 5.9 in | 4.494750656 |
| 138 cm | 4 ft 6.3 in | 4.527559055 |
| 139 cm | 4 ft 6.7 in | 4.560367454 |
| 140 cm | 4 ft 7.1 in | 4.593175853 |
| 141 cm | 4 ft 7.5 in | 4.625984252 |
| 142 cm | 4 ft 7.9 in | 4.658792651 |
| 143 cm | 4 ft 8.3 in | 4.69160105 |
| 144 cm | 4 ft 8.7 in | 4.724409449 |
| 145 cm | 4 ft 9.1 in | 4.757217848 |
| 146 cm | 4 ft 9.5 in | 4.790026247 |
| 147 cm | 4 ft 9.9 in | 4.822834646 |
| 148 cm | 4 ft 10.3 in | 4.855643045 |
Exact factor: 1 centimeter = 0.0328083989501 feet. The row for 142 cm is the value this page is about.