157 centimeters is 5 ft 1.8 in. The exact arithmetic is 157 × 0.03280839895 = 5.15091863517 feet, using the defined factor rather than a rounded one, so this matches what a calibrated instrument would give you.
At 157 cm — 1.57 m — a BMI of 18.5 to 25, the band the WHO calls healthy, runs from 45.6 to 61.6 kg (101 to 136 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 157 that shortcut gives 5.2333333 feet, off by 0.08241 feet or about 1.60%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
The formula
157 cm- The quantity being converted
0.03280839895- Exact feet in one centimeter
5.150918635 ft- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Take the centimeter value, 157.
- Multiply by 0.03280839895, the exact number of feet in one centimeter.
- That gives 5.15091863517 feet, or 5 ft 1.8 in.
- To reverse it, divide by 0.03280839895 instead: 5.150918635 ft ÷ 0.03280839895 returns 157 cm.
Worked examples
The calculation
Because this is a straight proportion, 157 cm × 0.03280839895 = 5.15091863517 ft (5 ft 1.8 in) — no offset, no second term, nothing else to account for.
Checking it backwards
Divide the answer back: 5.150918635 ft ÷ 0.03280839895 returns 157 cm. If a converter fails this test it has inverted the factor, which is the single most common conversion error there is.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
What is 157 centimeters in feet and inches?
It comes to 5 ft 1.8 in. The unrounded figure is 5.15091863517 feet, if you need to carry it forward.
How do you convert centimeters to feet?
Use the factor 0.03280839895 as a multiplier — 157 × 0.03280839895 gives 5.150918635 feet. The same factor works at any scale because the relationship is linear.
What is 5.150918635 feet back in centimeters?
157 centimeters. Dividing by 0.03280839895 undoes the conversion exactly.
How much is 157 cm in practice?
At 157 cm — 1.57 m — a BMI of 18.5 to 25, the band the WHO calls healthy, runs from 45.6 to 61.6 kg (101 to 136 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.
157 cm in feet — nearby values
| Centimeters | Feet | Unrounded |
|---|---|---|
| 151 cm | 4 ft 11.4 in | 4.954068241 |
| 152 cm | 4 ft 11.8 in | 4.98687664 |
| 153 cm | 5 ft 0.2 in | 5.019685039 |
| 154 cm | 5 ft 0.6 in | 5.052493438 |
| 155 cm | 5 ft 1 in | 5.085301837 |
| 156 cm | 5 ft 1.4 in | 5.118110236 |
| 157 cm | 5 ft 1.8 in | 5.150918635 |
| 158 cm | 5 ft 2.2 in | 5.183727034 |
| 159 cm | 5 ft 2.6 in | 5.216535433 |
| 160 cm | 5 ft 3 in | 5.249343832 |
| 161 cm | 5 ft 3.4 in | 5.282152231 |
| 162 cm | 5 ft 3.8 in | 5.31496063 |
| 163 cm | 5 ft 4.2 in | 5.347769029 |
Exact factor: 1 centimeter = 0.0328083989501 feet. The row for 157 cm is the value this page is about.