Convert Feet per Second to Meters per Second
Feet per second to meters per second is the conversion you reach for when a speed from a US physics problem, radar gun, or ball-speed reading needs to line up with the metric units used almost everywhere else in science. One foot per second is exactly 0.3048 meters per second, so the number always gets smaller when you switch from ft/s to m/s.
Feet per second to Meters per second conversion table
| Feet per second (ft/s) | Meters per second (m/s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.3048 |
| 2 | 0.6096 |
| 3 | 0.9144 |
| 5 | 1.524 |
| 10 | 3.048 |
| 20 | 6.096 |
| 50 | 15.24 |
| 100 | 30.48 |
| 500 | 152.4 |
| 1,000 | 304.8 |
The formula
To convert feet per second to meters per second, multiply the speed in feet per second by 0.3048:
meters per second = feet per second × 0.3048
A worked example
A 90 mph fastball is often quoted as about 132 feet per second. Converting that to meters per second:
132 × 0.3048 = 40.23 m/s
That matches the figure you'd see in a sports-science article, since pitch speeds are usually reported in metric outside the US.
Why the number is exact
The foot and the metre are tied together by a precise international definition: one foot equals exactly 0.3048 metres, with no rounding involved. Because feet per second and meters per second are both just that same distance unit divided by one second, the conversion factor carries the exactness straight through — 0.3048 is a fixed number, not an estimate.
When you'll use it
Converting US physics or engineering problems into metric for international comparison, translating radar-gun readings of pitch or ball speed into the units used in sports science, and checking projectile or free-fall speed calculations against metric reference values.
Frequently asked questions
How many meters per second are in a foot per second?
Exactly 0.3048 meters per second. This is an exact value, not a rounded approximation, because it comes straight from the international definition of the foot.
Is the feet-per-second to meters-per-second conversion exact?
Yes. One foot has been defined as exactly 0.3048 metres since 1959, so multiplying a feet-per-second speed by 0.3048 gives an exact meters-per-second value, with no rounding in the underlying math.
What's a quick way to estimate feet per second in meters per second?
Roughly divide by 3. 100 ft/s is close to 30 m/s. For lab work or anything precise, use the exact factor 0.3048.