2 cm at a glance
- Inches
- 0.7874 in
- Nearest 1/16 in
- 13/16 in
- Nearest 1/8 in
- 3/4 in
- Feet & inches
- 0.79 in (under 1 ft)
- Millimeters
- 20 mm
- Meters
- 0.02 m
How to convert 2 cm to inches
2 ÷ 2.54 = 0.787402 in
The inch has been defined as exactly 2.54 cm since 1959, so dividing by 2.54 is exact; the long decimal is just what that division produces. Multiplying by 0.3937 gives the same answer to four places.
Quick estimate
Multiply by 4 and divide by 10: 2 × 0.4 = 0.8 in. That overshoots by 0.01 in (about 1.6%) — fine for a rough check.
Reading 2 cm on an inch tape measure
US rulers mark fractions of an inch rather than decimals. Here is 0.7874 in rounded to each common mark, with the error that rounding introduces:
| Precision | Tape-measure reading | Error |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 in | 1 in | +5.40 mm |
| 1/4 in | 3/4 in | −0.95 mm |
| 1/8 in | 3/4 in | −0.95 mm |
| 1/16 in | 13/16 in | +0.64 mm |
| 1/32 in | 25/32 in | −0.16 mm |
Things about 2 cm long
- 5% longer than the diameter of a US penny, 1.91 cm (0.75 in).
- 6% shorter than the diameter of a US nickel, 2.12 cm (0.84 in).
- 12% longer than the diameter of a US dime, 1.79 cm (0.71 in).
- Hardware and crafts. US bolts, drill bits and beads are sized in fractions of an inch, so 2 cm is shopped as roughly 13/16 in (20 mm on metric parts).
Centimeters near 2 cm
| Centimeters | Inches | Nearest 1/16 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cm | 0.3937 in | 3/8 in |
| 2 cm | 0.7874 in | 13/16 in |
| 3 cm | 1.1811 in | 1 3/16 in |
| 4 cm | 1.5748 in | 1 9/16 in |
| 5 cm | 1.9685 in | 1 15/16 in |
| 6 cm | 2.3622 in | 2 3/8 in |
| 7 cm | 2.7559 in | 2 3/4 in |
Going the other way: 1 inch to cm is exactly 2.54 cm.
Frequently asked questions
How many inches is 2 cm?
2 cm is 0.79 inches (0.7874 to four places), found by dividing 2 by 2.54.
What is 2 cm in inches as a fraction?
To the nearest sixteenth, 2 cm is 13/16 in; to the nearest eighth it is 3/4 in.
Is 2 cm bigger than an inch?
No. 2 cm is 0.787 in, less than one inch (2.54 cm).
How do I convert 2 cm to inches without a calculator?
Multiply by 0.4 for a quick estimate (0.8 in), then shave off about 1.6% to get close to the exact 0.79 in.