KM to Miles Converter
ConversionsChoose a direction and enter the distance. The converter uses the exact length of a mile, 1.609344 km, and also gives the result in meters or yards.
Step by step
10 / 1.609344 = 6.213712
- Divide by the length of a mile in kilometers: 10 / 1.609344 = 6.213712 miles.
- In yards (1 yard = 0.9144 m): 10 × 1,000 / 0.9144 = 10,936.13 yards.
Once every entry is valid, you’ll see each step of the calculation here.
Formula
- miles
- distance in international (statute) miles
- km
- distance in kilometers
- 1.609344
- kilometers per mile, exact (1,760 × 0.9144 m)
How it works
A mile is 1,760 yards, and since 1959 a yard has been exactly 0.9144 meters. That makes one mile exactly 1,609.344 meters or 1.609344 kilometers. To convert miles to km, multiply by 1.609344: 26.2 miles are 42.165 km. To convert km to miles, divide by 1.609344: 10 km are 6.214 miles.
Dividing by 1.609344 is the same as multiplying by 0.621371..., which is why people often say a kilometer is about 0.62 miles. For a mental estimate, multiply kilometers by 6 and divide by 10: 80 km are roughly 48 miles (exactly 49.7). The converter always divides by the exact factor, so long distances stay accurate.
Running races are the most common reason to convert. A 5K is 3.107 miles, a 10K 6.214 miles, a half marathon (21.0975 km) is 13.109 miles and a marathon (42.195 km) is 26.219 miles. Road signs in Canada and Mexico are in kilometers per hour, so for speed limits use the same factor; 100 km/h is about 62 mph. For heights and short lengths, the feet to cm converter does feet and inches.
The formula
The meters and yards shown alongside follow from the same definitions: 1 km is 1,000 m and 1 yard is 0.9144 m, so 1 km is 1,093.61 yards.
The nautical mile used at sea and in aviation is a different unit, exactly 1,852 meters. This converter uses the ordinary statute mile of road signs and running tracks.
Example
How many miles is a 5 km race?
- Divide by 1.609344: 5 / 1.609344 = 3.106856 miles.
- So a 5K is a little over 3.1 miles, which is why the 5K is also called a 3.1 mile run.
5 km are 3.106856 miles.
Load this example into the calculatorFrequently asked questions
How many miles is 5K?
5 kilometers are 3.107 miles (5 / 1.609344). A 10K is 6.214 miles, a 15K 9.321 miles and a 25K 15.534 miles.
How many kilometers are in a mile?
One mile is exactly 1.609344 kilometers. So 3 miles are 4.828 km, 10 miles 16.093 km and 100 miles 160.934 km.
Is it km to miles times 0.62?
Approximately. The exact factor is 0.621371..., because a kilometer is 1 / 1.609344 of a mile. Multiplying by 0.62 gives results about 0.2% too low, which is fine for a quick estimate but not for a race distance.
How long is a marathon in miles?
A marathon is 42.195 km, which is 26.219 miles, usually written as 26.2 miles. A half marathon is 21.0975 km or 13.109 miles, written as 13.1.
What is 100 km/h in mph?
About 62.1 mph, using the same factor: 100 / 1.609344 = 62.137. Speed limits of 80 km/h are 49.7 mph and 120 km/h are 74.6 mph.
- SI Units: Length (National Institute of Standards and Technology)
- NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B: Conversion Factors (National Institute of Standards and Technology)
- Mile (Wikipedia)