Cm to mm Converter

Centimeters and millimeters

Centimeters and millimeters are metric measurement units for length, corresponding to two submultiples of the metric base unit for length: the meter. The conversions between these units and the meter are:

1 mm=1⋅10−3 m

1 mm=1⋅10−3

For the millimeter, and:

1 cm=1⋅10−2 m

1 cm=1⋅10−2

For the centimeter. Notice how the centimeter uses exponent −2

−2. In a scientific context, while still acceptable, using the centimeter is not advisable: the preferred subunits come with multiples of 3

3 as exponents.

Calculate the cm to mm conversion

To convert from centimeters to millimeters, we need to combine the exponents we've seen above. To do so, we calculate the ratio that would allow us to find a measure in millimeters starting from one in centimeters. This ratio will have centimeters at the denominator and millimeters at the numerator:

1, ⁣000 mm/m100 cm/m=10 mm/cm

100 cm/m

1,000 mm/m

=10 mm/cm

The formula above tells us that each centimeter corresponds to ten millimeters. This will be enough to find the conversion between the two units.

The conversion from cm to mm

As we said above, a centimeter corresponds to ten millimeters. In mathematical terms, we write:

1 cm=10 mm

To convert from cm to mm, we then have to multiply the measure in centimeters by 10: the conversion corresponds to a ten-fold increase in the magnitude of the measure.

To perform the inverse conversion, divide a measure in millimeters by 10

10 to find the corresponding measure in centimeters.

Convert centimeter to millimeter: worked examples

How many millimeters is a 1.5 cm pipe? Remember how many millimeters are in a centimeter to find the answer: the answer is ten. Since converting from centimeters to millimeters must correspond to an increase in the absolute value of the measure, multiply the measure by 10

10:

1.5 cm≡1.5 cm⋅10 mm/cm=15 mm

1.5 cm

≡1.5 cm⋅10 mm/cm

=15 mm

The inverse conversion may be slightly more bothering as it involves a division. It's an easy division, however! To how many centimeters does a 9 mm

9 mm length correspond? Divide the measure by 10

10 to find the answer.

9 mm≡9 mm10 mm/cm=0.9 cm

9 mm

≡10 mm/cm