Feet to yards:
divide by 3
Convert feet to yards for rooms, fences and sports pitches, with a chart, worked examples and the usual slips to avoid.
Calcylator Editorial Team
Updated · 6 min read
How many yards are in a foot?
One foot is one third of a yard, or about 0.3333 yards. A yard is exactly 3 feet, so the conversion is the simplest in the imperial length system: divide the feet by 3.
Because 3 does not divide every number evenly, many answers are repeating decimals. 10 feet is 3.3333 yards, which people usually read as 3 yards and 1 foot.
The feet to yards formula
- yards:
- length in yards
- feet:
- length in feet
- 3:
- feet in one yard (exact)
Room width
12 feet
Divide
12 ÷ 3
Width in yards
4 yd
Three feet make one yard, so 12 feet make four.
A second example that does not divide evenly: a 50-foot garden hose is 50 ÷ 3 = 16.6667 yards, or 16 yards and 2 feet. Keep extra decimals in a calculation and round only at the end.
- Write the length in feet.
- Divide by 3, or multiply by 0.3333333.
- Express any remainder as feet if you want yards and feet.
- Check by multiplying your yards by 3 to return to the original feet.
Feet to yards chart
Values are rounded to four decimal places.
| Feet | Yards |
|---|---|
| 1 ft | 0.3333 yd |
| 2 ft | 0.6667 yd |
| 5 ft | 1.6667 yd |
| 10 ft | 3.3333 yd |
| 25 ft | 8.3333 yd |
| 50 ft | 16.6667 yd |
| 100 ft | 33.3333 yd |
| 250 ft | 83.3333 yd |
| 500 ft | 166.6667 yd |
| 1,000 ft | 333.3333 yd |
Multiples of 3 feet land on whole yards: 3 ft is 1 yd, 6 ft is 2 yd, 9 ft is 3 yd and 30 ft is 10 yd.
Where you convert feet to yards
American football is a good memory aid. The field is 100 yards between the goal lines, which is 300 feet. Measurements on the field are called in yards, while a groundskeeper marking it with a tape measure may work in feet.
In construction and gardening, a plan may list a fence run in feet while turf, gravel or soil is sold by the cubic yard or per square yard. Before ordering, a landscaper converts a 45-foot border to 15 yards to compare it with the supplier's price list. Fabric, carpet and rope sellers do the same thing.
Common mistakes when converting feet to yards
- Multiplying by 3 instead of dividing. A yard is longer than a foot, so the yard figure must be smaller.
- Reading 3.3 yards as 3 yards and 3 inches. The decimal .3333 is a third of a yard, which is 1 foot or 12 inches.
- Confusing yards with square yards. Area units follow different factors, so do not reuse 3 for area.
- Mixing up feet and yards in measurements of a single job, such as a fence given in feet and posts spaced in yards.
Common questions
How many yards is 1 foot?
One foot is one third of a yard, about 0.3333 yards. A yard is exactly three feet, so divide any number of feet by 3 to get the length in yards.
How do I convert feet to yards?
Divide the feet by 3. For example, 24 feet is 24 ÷ 3 = 8 yards. If the number does not divide evenly, the remainder is extra feet, so 25 feet is 8 yards and 1 foot.
How many yards is 100 feet?
100 feet is about 33.3333 yards, or 33 yards and 1 foot. Divide 100 by 3 to get the result. For comparison, an American football field is 100 yards between goal lines, which is 300 feet.
How do I convert yards to feet?
Multiply the yards by 3. A 15-yard length is 15 × 3 = 45 feet. The foot figure is always larger because the foot is the smaller unit of length.
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