Length & distance

Just how long is 1 foot?

Up close

1 ft

1 foot

The quantity is exact as entered.

30.48 cmLength

A4 paper

A4 paper is an ISO 216 paper format commonly used internationally for letters, forms and printed documents.

29.7 cmLength

Both rulers start at the same zero and share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its original proportions. Horizontal rulers compare the selected spans; vertical brackets also identify height on the artwork. A ruler represents the selected distance or a measurement not visible in this view.

A little perspective

1 foot is about 1.03 times the length of a sheet of A4 paper.

Measurements, assumptions & sources +

1 foot

Length: 30.48 cm; definition.

The quantity is exact as entered. Comparisons use the clearly stated specimen, model or nominal measurement.

NIST — SI conversion factors

A4 paper

Length: 29.7 cm; standard.

A4 is 210 × 297 mm. Its 0.06237 m² area is calculated from those nominal sides. The marked span uses the exact measurement; the generated paper texture and outline are illustrative.

University of Cambridge — ISO paper sizes

The marked length is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.

Measurement details

Why these numbers?

Compare 1 foot with the length of a sheet of A4 paper. The notes below explain how each value was chosen.

1 foot

30.48 cm

Length · definition

The quantity is exact as entered. Comparisons use the clearly stated specimen, model or nominal measurement.

A4 paper

29.7 cm

Length · standard

A4 is 210 × 297 mm. Its 0.06237 m² area is calculated from those nominal sides. The marked span uses the exact measurement; the generated paper texture and outline are illustrative.

Comparing: Length ↔ Length
Relative size: 1 foot is about 1.03 times the length of a sheet of A4 paper. 1 foot is approximately 2.63% greater than the length of a sheet of A4 paper.