How Long is 5 Meters (Compared to an Object)

5 meters is the equivalent of 16.4042 feet, which is about 196.85 inches and 5.46807 yards.

Generally speaking, the greater the distance you want to measure without the use of a tape or laser measure, the more challenging it can be. However, using everyday objects as distance references can be a good idea, especially if your project doesn’t require 100% accuracy.

In this guide, I’ll show you 9 common items that you can use as references for measuring close to 5 meters.

2 Stop Sign Poles

Believe it or not, there is actually a lot of planning that goes into where a stop sign can be placed and how high it must be. For instance, according to the MUTCD, in business, commercial, or residential areas, the pole must measure at least 7 feet from the ground to the bottom of the stop sign. The stop sign itself can measure anywhere from 18 to 36 inches tall.

So, if we consider the length of the pole, two of them would get us to 14 feet long, which is just 2 feet shy of the 5-meter mark. Considering some stop signs measure 24 inches wide, making up for the lost 2 feet might not be so difficult.

5.5 Door Widths

A homeowner can request a doorframe of any size, so it’s possible to have a doorframe that’s only 1 foot wide or even 10 feet wide. However, in the United States, homes are commonly fitted with doors that measure 36 inches horizontally.

Measuring 5 meters using doors as your reference, you only have to envision placing 5.5 of them next to each other. Technically, 5.4 36-inch-wide doors will get you to 5 meters.

6.5 to 7.5 Footsteps

The average distance covered in a single footstep is about 30 inches for men and 26 inches for women. However, the actual distance you can cover in a single footstep will depend on how tall you are, how old you are, and whether or not you have a long-lasting or permanent physical injury to your legs.

If we use the average footstep distances, a man would need to take about 6.5 footsteps to travel 5 meters, whereas a woman would need to take 1 extra step to reach the same distance.

2.5 Treadmills

If you like to maintain your physique during the wintertime, then you should probably consider getting a treadmill, especially if you don’t want to risk slipping on black ice when jogging outdoors. While there are several factors that can affect how long the treadmill is, the average treadmill will measure about 81 inches long.

Using 81-inch-long treadmills as a reference, you would need to envision placing 2.5 of them in a lengthwise line to get the full 5 meters. If you only have a 64-inch-long treadmill at home, you would need just about 3 of them to get to the 5-meter mark.

2.2 Seat Golf Carts

Here’s something that the avid golf players might know. If you’ve ever ridden or rented a golf cart before, then you should know that they come in a variety of sizes and with a different number of seats. The average 2-seater golf cart is about 92 inches from bumper to bumper, meaning that 2 of them would get you just about a foot shy of 5 meters.

However, a 4-seater golf cart will typically measure 144 inches from end to end, leaving just about 4 feet of empty space, which is just about the length of a golf club.

Type B School Bus

If you’ve ever taken a yellow school bus to school before, then you’re probably aware that school buses vary in length. School buses can be categorized by the number of people they can seat and how much weight they can carry.

While Type B school buses aren’t the most widely used school bus in the United States, it measures between 3.29 and 6.61 meters in length. So, the average Type B school bus should measure about 5 meters in length, give or take a few centimeters.

2.5 Queen-Size Mattresses

Queen-size mattresses can sleep 2 people with plenty of wiggle room for each. In the US, a queen-size mattress is 80 inches long, which is roughly the same as 2 meters. That means you would need almost exactly 2.5 queen-size mattresses to reach 5 meters in length.

Did you know the difference between king and queen-size mattresses is their widths, not their lengths? King-size mattresses are 76 inches wide, which is 16 inches wider than their queen counterpart. However, mattress sizes between the US and other countries can differ, as well.

1 Canoe

If you’ve never ridden in a canoe before, there are lots of activities you can do in one. For instance, you can paddle to the middle of a lake and fish, or you can even participate in canoe races that span 30 kilometers and beyond.

While canoes can vary in length, the most widely used canoes measure 16 to 17 feet long. That means a single canoe can get you to the 5-meter mark or slightly beyond it. If you were to use canoe oars as your size reference, you’d only need about 4 of them since an oar is about 50 inches long.

7 Tennis Rackets

Tennis rackets vary in size, which allows people of different heights to play the sport comfortably. The average length of a tennis racket is about 27 inches, though regulation rackets cannot measure longer than 29 inches. In either case, about 7 tennis rackets would get you to the 5-meter point.

Conclusion

Using the 9 items listed above, measuring 5 meters isn’t that difficult. However, you will have to consider length variations, such as the length of a tennis racket or footstep, but in general, reaching 5 meters using the objects I mentioned can be a breeze.

If you found this article helpful, I’d be grateful if you could share it on social media. Please feel free to drop a comment and let me know what other objects measure 5 meters in length or height.