This page converts points into decimeters using the factor 0.003527777778, and shows the reverse figure alongside it. Both units measure length, which is why one number does the whole job.
The DTP point: exactly 1/72 inch, the unit type size is set in. One tenth of a metre; rare in daily use but common in fluid and timber specifications.
The mil and the millimetre are not the same thing and are out by a factor of about forty. A mil is one thousandth of an inch — 0.0254 mm — and a spec sheet that quotes film thickness in mils means the small unit. British drawings write the same size as "thou". Two tables follow: rounded steps for quick lookup, and a set of real reference quantities converted into decimeters, which is usually more useful than the bare number.
The formula
points- The amount you are converting, in points
0.00352777777778- The exact number of decimeters in one point
decimeters- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in points.
- It is multiplied by 0.00352777777778, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in decimeters, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
An Olympic pool: 1.42e+05 pt in decimeters
An Olympic pool comes to about 1.42e+05 pt. Multiplying by the factor: 1.42e+05 × 0.00352778 = 500.944 dm. Dividing the answer back by 0.00352778 returns the figure you started with, which is the quickest way to check you have the factor the right way up.
A door height: 5760 pt in decimeters
A door height comes to about 5760 pt. Multiplying by the factor: 5760 × 0.00352778 = 20.32 dm. Dividing the answer back by 0.00352778 returns the figure you started with, which is the quickest way to check you have the factor the right way up.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many decimeters are in one point?
Exactly 0.00352777777778. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert points to decimeters?
decimeters = points × 0.00352777777778. Reversed, points = decimeters ÷ 0.00352777777778, which is the same as multiplying by 283.464566929.
Which is the bigger unit, the point or the decimeter?
The decimeter. One point is only 0.00352778 of a decimeter, so it takes 283.465 points to make one decimeter.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure length. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a point?
The DTP point: exactly 1/72 inch, the unit type size is set in.
What is a decimeter?
One tenth of a metre; rare in daily use but common in fluid and timber specifications.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Is there a quick way to do pt to dm in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: divide by 280 instead of using the exact factor 0.003527777778. At 100 that shortcut gives 0.35714286 decimeters, off by 0.004365 decimeters or about 1.24%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Points to decimeters reference tables
| Points | Decimeters |
|---|---|
| 0.5 pt | 0.00176389 dm |
| 1 pt | 0.00352778 dm |
| 2 pt | 0.00705556 dm |
| 3 pt | 0.0105833 dm |
| 5 pt | 0.0176389 dm |
| 10 pt | 0.0352778 dm |
| 20 pt | 0.0705556 dm |
| 25 pt | 0.0881944 dm |
| 50 pt | 0.176389 dm |
| 75 pt | 0.264583 dm |
| 100 pt | 0.352778 dm |
| 250 pt | 0.881944 dm |
| 500 pt | 1.76389 dm |
| 1000 pt | 3.52778 dm |
| 5000 pt | 17.6389 dm |
Exact factor: 1 point = 0.00352777777778 decimeters.
| Quantity | pt | dm |
|---|---|---|
| A credit card’s long edge | 242.6 pt | 0.856 dm |
| A door height | 5760 pt | 20.32 dm |
| An Olympic pool | 1.417e+05 pt | 500 dm |
| The Eiffel Tower | 9.354e+05 pt | 3300 dm |
| A marathon | 1.196e+08 pt | 4.22e+05 dm |
| Earth’s diameter | 3.612e+10 pt | 1.274e+08 dm |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.