Put 159 centimeters into the exact factor of 0.03280839895 and you get 5 ft 2.6 in. Written out: 159 × 0.03280839895 = 5.21653543307 feet, with no rounding applied until the final display.
At 159 cm — 1.59 m — a BMI of 18.5 to 25, the band the WHO calls healthy, runs from 46.8 to 63.2 kg (103 to 139 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 159 that shortcut gives 5.3 feet, off by 0.08346 feet or about 1.60%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
The formula
159 cm- The quantity being converted
0.03280839895- Exact feet in one centimeter
5.216535433 ft- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Begin from the figure you have: 159 centimeters.
- Multiply by 0.03280839895, the exact number of feet in one centimeter.
- That gives 5.21653543307 feet, or 5 ft 2.6 in.
- The reverse works the same way with division: 5.216535433 ft ÷ 0.03280839895 = 159 cm.
Worked examples
Working it through
159 cm × 0.03280839895 = 5.21653543307 ft (5 ft 2.6 in). One multiplication, with no rounding until the value reaches the screen.
Verifying the result
Run it in reverse — 5.216535433 ft ÷ 0.03280839895 = 159 cm. Matching the input you started from is the proof the direction is right.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
What is 159 centimeters in feet and inches?
The answer is 5 ft 2.6 in — or 5.21653543307 feet before any rounding.
How do you convert centimeters to feet?
One step: multiply the centimeter figure by 0.03280839895. Here that is 159 × 0.03280839895 = 5.216535433 feet.
What is 5.216535433 feet back in centimeters?
Divide by 0.03280839895, or multiply by 30.48 — either returns 159 centimeters.
What does 159 cm actually look like?
At 159 cm — 1.59 m — a BMI of 18.5 to 25, the band the WHO calls healthy, runs from 46.8 to 63.2 kg (103 to 139 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. The table lower down places it beside its neighbours so you can see where it sits.
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.
159 cm in feet — nearby values
| Centimeters | Feet | Unrounded |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 164 cm | 5 ft 4.6 in | 5.380577428 |
| 165 cm | 5 ft 5 in | 5.413385827 |
Exact factor: 1 centimeter = 0.0328083989501 feet. The row for 159 cm is the value this page is about.