142 cm at a glance
- Feet and inches
- 4 ft 7.91 in
- Nearest inch
- 4′8″
- Nearest ¼ inch
- 4′8″
- Total inches
- 55.906 in
- Decimal feet
- 4.659 ft
- Meters
- 1.42 m
How to convert 142 cm to feet and inches
55.9055 in ÷ 12 = 4 ft, remainder 7.9055 in
An inch is exactly 2.54 cm, so dividing by 2.54 gives inches; whole groups of 12 inches become feet. How you round the leftover 7.91 in depends on the use:
| Rounded to | Feet & inches | Error |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest inch | 4′8″ | 0.24 cm |
| Nearest ½ inch | 4′8″ | 0.24 cm |
| Nearest ¼ inch | 4′8″ | 0.24 cm |
| Nearest ⅛ inch | 4′7 7/8″ | 0.08 cm |
Is 142 cm tall? How it compares with US adults
For a man, 142 cm is very short (below the 5th percentile). A normal-curve estimate puts it rarer than 1 in 10,000. For a woman it is very short (below the 5th percentile). A normal-curve estimate puts it at roughly 1 in 390.
| Group | Where 142 cm falls | Median height | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men 20 and over | below the 5th percentile | 175.4 cm | −33.4 cm (−13.1 in) |
| Women 20 and over | below the 5th percentile | 161.3 cm | −19.3 cm (−7.6 in) |
| Men 20–29 | below the 5th percentile | 176.0 cm | −34.0 cm (−13.4 in) |
| Women 20–29 | below the 5th percentile | 162.8 cm | −20.8 cm (−8.2 in) |
Put another way, fewer than 5 of every 100 US men are this short, and fewer than 5 of every 100 US women are this short. 142 cm is closer to the typical woman’s height than the typical man’s; younger adults (20–29) run slightly taller than the all-ages figures, which include older adults who have lost some height.
Healthy weight range for 142 cm
Adult BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 is the range the CDC labels healthy weight. At 142 cm (1.42 m), that works out to 37.3–50.2 kg, or 82–111 lb.
| BMI | Category | Weight (kg) | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18.5 | Healthy weight starts | 37.3 | 82 |
| 22.0 | Middle of healthy range | 44.4 | 98 |
| 25.0 | Overweight starts | 50.4 | 111 |
| 30.0 | Obesity starts | 60.5 | 133 |
BMI is a screening number, not a diagnosis: it does not separate muscle from fat and is not meant for children. Check a specific weight with the BMI calculator or compare formulas in the ideal weight calculator.
142 cm in everyday terms
- Children’s growth. 142 cm is close to the median height of US 10-year-old boys (141.1 cm) and 10-year-old girls (142.3 cm) in the same CDC survey.
- Car seats. NHTSA advises keeping children in a booster seat until the adult belt fits properly, typically at about 4′9″ (57 in, 144.8 cm). 142 cm is 1.1 in below that mark.
- Filling in a US form? Round to the nearest inch and write 4′8″ — driver’s licenses and many forms use a compact style such as 4-08. Rounding 142 cm that way is off by 0.2 cm.
Heights near 142 cm
| Centimeters | Feet & inches | Inches |
|---|---|---|
| 140 cm | 4′7″ | 55.1 |
| 141 cm | 4′8″ | 55.5 |
| 142 cm | 4′8″ | 55.9 |
| 143 cm | 4′8″ | 56.3 |
| 144 cm | 4′9″ | 56.7 |
| 145 cm | 4′9″ | 57.1 |
| 146 cm | 4′9″ | 57.5 |
| 147 cm | 4′10″ | 57.9 |
Going the other way: 4′8″ in centimeters is 142.24 cm.
Frequently asked questions
How tall is 142 cm in feet?
142 cm is 4 feet 7.9 inches, which most people round to 4′8″. As a decimal it is 4.66 feet.
Is 142 cm tall for a man?
Among US men aged 20 and over, 142 cm is below the 5th percentile, so it is very short. The median man is 175.4 cm (CDC NHANES 2015–2018).
Is 142 cm tall for a woman?
Among US women aged 20 and over, 142 cm is below the 5th percentile, so it is very short. The median woman is 161.3 cm (CDC NHANES 2015–2018).
What is 142 cm in inches?
142 cm ÷ 2.54 = 55.91 inches.