How many centimetres is 1 inch?
One inch is exactly 2.54 centimetres. The figure comes from the 1959 international agreement on the inch, so it is the same in 2026 and does not change from year to year.
Inches to cm: conversion and TV diagonals
One inch is exactly 2.54 centimetres, a definition fixed by international agreement in 1959 and unchanged in Latvia in 2026. A 55-inch TV diagonal is therefore 139.7 cm.
Length units
Convert length units between units, using exact SI factors.
2.54
Result
Rates from VID · verified 15/08/2026How this is calculated
- Result
- 2.54
Sources. BIPM — SI Brochure (9th edition) · 13 August 2026
How to convert inches to centimetres
One inch is exactly 2.54 centimetres. That is a definition rather than a measurement: in 1959 the English-speaking countries agreed on a single common inch, and the number has not changed since. It does not go stale — 2.54 is as correct in 2026 as it was in 1959 (international inch definition, 1959).
The formula is a single step: centimetres = inches × 2.54. For example, 5 inches × 2.54 = 12.7 cm, and 10 inches × 2.54 = 25.4 cm.
The other way round: inches = centimetres ÷ 2.54. So 100 cm is 39.37 inches and 140 cm is 55.12 inches.
Listings and spec sheets write the inch as a double prime after the number: 55" means 55 inches, or 139.7 cm.
TV diagonals in inches and centimetres
Most people searching for "55 inches in cm" or "32 inches in cm" are choosing a television. These are the common diagonals, converted at 2.54:
32 inches = 81.28 cm
40 inches = 101.6 cm
43 inches = 109.22 cm
50 inches = 127 cm
55 inches = 139.7 cm
65 inches = 165.1 cm
75 inches = 190.5 cm
These are exact conversions of the diagonal stated in the model name. Manufacturers often round that name, so the real panel diagonal can differ slightly — the exact figure is always in the manufacturer's specification.
A TV's inches are the diagonal, not the width
A television's size in inches is always the screen diagonal — corner to opposite corner — not the width. That is why a 55-inch TV does not need 139.7 cm of shelf space.
Modern televisions use a 16:9 aspect ratio, which gives width ≈ diagonal × 0.872 and height ≈ diagonal × 0.490. Approximate screen area:
32 inches: about 70.8 × 39.9 cm
43 inches: about 95.2 × 53.5 cm
50 inches: about 110.7 × 62.3 cm
55 inches: about 121.8 × 68.5 cm
65 inches: about 143.9 × 80.9 cm
75 inches: about 166.0 × 93.4 cm
The cabinet and bezel add a little to the screen itself, and feet or a stand can be wider or narrower than the cabinet. Before fitting a television into a furniture recess, compare the recess with the manufacturer's stated cabinet width, height and depth, not with the diagonal.
Other things measured in inches in Latvia
Inches turn up in Latvia well beyond the television aisle, and the conversion is the same — multiply by 2.54.
Monitors and laptops: 24 inches = 60.96 cm, 27 inches = 68.58 cm; here too the figure is the diagonal.
Smartphones: 6.1 inches = 15.49 cm measured diagonally.
Car wheel rims: 17 inches = 43.18 cm, 18 inches = 45.72 cm.
Bicycle wheels: 26 inches = 66.04 cm, 29 inches = 73.66 cm.
For water pipes the inch size is a nominal designation rather than a direct diameter measurement, so use the manufacturer's table when choosing a pipe instead of multiplying by 2.54.
Frequently asked questions
How many centimetres is 55 inches?
55 inches is 139.7 cm (55 × 2.54; the international inch definition has applied since 1959). On a television this is the diagonal: a 55-inch 16:9 screen is about 121.8 cm wide and 68.5 cm high, excluding the cabinet bezel.
How many centimetres is 32 inches?
32 inches is 81.28 cm (32 × 2.54; the international inch definition has applied since 1959). A 32-inch television screen in 16:9 is about 70.8 cm wide and 39.9 cm high.
Are a TV's inches the width or the diagonal?
It is always the diagonal — one corner of the screen to the opposite corner. For example, 65 inches means a 165.1 cm diagonal, but in 16:9 the screen is only about 143.9 cm wide, and the cabinet with its bezel is slightly larger.
How do I convert centimetres to inches?
Divide the centimetres by 2.54, because one inch is exactly 2.54 cm (the international inch definition, in force since 1959 and still in 2026). For example, 100 cm ÷ 2.54 = 39.37 inches and 140 cm ÷ 2.54 = 55.12 inches.
What size TV fits a 120 cm wide space?
A 50-inch screen (127 cm diagonal) is about 110.7 cm wide, so it usually fits a 120 cm space. A 55-inch screen (139.7 cm diagonal) is already about 121.8 cm wide and will not. Check the manufacturer's cabinet width, since the bezel adds a few more centimetres.
Is an inch always 2.54 cm, including in 2026?
Yes. Since the 1959 international agreement the inch has been defined as exactly 2.54 cm, and that definition has not changed — it holds in 2026 as well. Unlike tax rates, this figure does not need rechecking every year.
Sources
- NIST — International yard and pound agreement (1959) · 15/08/2026