This KnowAnt manual is for anyone who needs how to write height so a form, a CV extra line, or a biodata page does not contradict itself.
Height looks simple until units mix. The US line 5'8" is not the same string as India’s 5 ft 8 in or a passport-style 173 cm. At KnowAnt, we treat measurements like any other precise writing: one system per field, numbers a stranger can retype. If the same packet includes a job file, keep height off a modern resume unless the employer asked.
You will get US vs India vs metric, a practical table, biodata lines, form traps, and three original examples.
Table of Contents
- Pick One System Per Field
- US: Feet and Inches (5'8")
- India: 5 ft 8 in and Biodata
- Metric: How to Write Height in cm
- Practical Conversion Table
- Three Original Examples
- Forms and “Height of a Person”
- Common Height-Writing Mistakes
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Pick One System Per Field
How to write height in numbers means: do not write 5.8 ft when you mean 5 feet 8 inches. In decimal feet, 5.8 ft is about 5 ft 10 in. That error shows up on sports forms and medical portals constantly.
Rule: if the box says cm, use cm. If it says feet/inches, use two integers. If it is a sentence, name the unit in words once.
US: Feet and Inches (5'8")
How to write height in feet and inches in US copy:
- Prime and double-prime:
5'8"or5' 8"(space optional). - Words in prose: five feet eight inches.
- Avoid
5-8(looks like a date or a score).
The apostrophe on a phone keyboard is usually a straight quote. That is fine on forms. Do not write 5'8' with two apostrophes; the second mark should be inches (").
India: 5 ft 8 in and Biodata
How to write height in biodata (India): families and some match-profile sites still expect imperial in words plus metric in brackets.
Clean pattern: 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Also acceptable: 5' 8" (173 cm) if the site is informal. Avoid 5.8 and avoid 168 cms if you already listed 5'8" — pick one measured value.
Height on biodata is a social convention, not a medical chart. Still write it as if a clerk will copy it. Do not list a range (5.6–5.8) unless you truly do not know.
A corporate resume in 2026 usually should not include height, religion, or marital status. Biodata is a different document.
Metric: How to Write Height in cm
How to write height in cm: whole centimetres for people (173 cm). Use cms only if a local form’s label already does; cm is enough in English.
Hospital and visa forms often want centimetres only. Convert once, write once. 1 inch = 2.54 cm. 5 ft 8 in = 68 in = 172.72 cm, typically rounded to 173 cm.
Practical Conversion Table
| Feet and inches | Inches total | Typical cm (rounded) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 0 in | 60 | 152 cm |
| 5 ft 2 in | 62 | 157 cm |
| 5 ft 4 in | 64 | 163 cm |
| 5 ft 6 in | 66 | 168 cm |
| 5 ft 8 in | 68 | 173 cm |
| 5 ft 10 in | 70 | 178 cm |
| 6 ft 0 in | 72 | 183 cm |
| 6 ft 2 in | 74 | 188 cm |
Round to the nearest centimetre unless a lab form asks for a decimal. Do not mix 5'8" in one box and 168 cm in the next because a website auto-filled the wrong field.
Three Original Examples
1. US patient portal
Height: 5 ft 8 in — not 5.8.
2. India biodata line
Height: 5 ft 8 in (173 cm).
3. School sports form (metric)
Height: 173 cm. If they also ask feet, write 5 ft 8 in, same person, same day.
If you draft a paragraph that mentions height (a character description, a letter), keep units consistent. KnowAnt’s grammar checker will not catch a 5.8-vs-5'8" unit bug; you have to. The paraphrasing tool can smooth a sentence like She is 5 ft 8 in tall into She stands 5 feet 8 inches — then confirm the number did not drift.
Forms and “Height of a Person”
How to write height of a person on a form: copy the label. Dual fields (ft + in) need two numbers, not a decimal in the feet box. If the form is one box, follow the placeholder (cm vs ft).
Never convert in your head under time pressure. Use the table, then re-read both fields.
Common Height-Writing Mistakes
5.8 for 5'8". Listing 5'6" and 173 cm together. Using feet on a cm-only visa PDF. Putting height on a US resume. Changing the number between biodata and passport.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you write height in feet?
Either 5 ft 8 in or 5'8". In a sentence, 5 feet 8 inches. Not 5.8 feet for that height.
How do you write height in cm?
173 cm for a person, rounded unless a clinic asks otherwise.
What is the biodata format in India?
Imperial plus metric is common: 5 ft 8 in (173 cm). Match the site’s fields if they split units.
Why do US and India look different?
Same measurement, different typing habits. The US likes primes. Many Indian forms like ft / in and a cm backup.
Conclusion
In KnowAnt’s view, how to write height is a unit-discipline problem. US 5'8", India 5 ft 8 in (173 cm), metric 173 cm can describe one person if you convert once and stop improvising.
Use the table, match the form label, keep biodata consistent, and leave height off job papers that did not ask. Precise numbers are part of clear writing on KnowAnt — the same standard as grammar, just easier to get spectacularly wrong.