Convert mm to cm -
Convert cm to mm

Convert millimeter to centimeter and vice versa

Centimeter and Millimeter

Centimeters and millimeters are units of length in the metric system, which is used worldwide for scientific, educational, and everyday applications.

Centimeter

The word "centimeter" comes from the Latin "centum", meaning "hundred", and "metrum", a unit of measure. So a centimeter is one hundredth of a meter. Centimeters are often used in everyday applications such as measuring the length of clothing, the height of furniture, or the width of a book.

Millimeter

The term "millimeter" comes from the Latin "mille" meaning "thousand" and "metrum". So a millimeter is one thousandth of a meter. Millimeters are often used for more precise measurements, such as the thickness of an ID card, the diameter of a glasses lens, or the dimensions of a microchip in electronic devices.

Ratio between cm and mm

The important thing to remember is that 1 centimeter is equal to 10 millimeters. This is because the metric system is a decimal system, which means each unit is ten times larger than the next smaller unit. This simple ratio makes it easy to convert from one unit to another.

For example, if we have a length of 5 centimeters and we want to convert it to millimeters, we simply multiply by 10 to get 50 millimeters. Conversely, if we have a length of 50 millimeters and we want to convert it to centimeters, we divide by 10 to get 5 centimeters.

It is important to mention that although the centimeter and millimeter are widely used, the meter is the standard unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). This means that in scientific contexts, where accuracy is of great importance, measurements are usually expressed in meters and then converted to smaller units if necessary.