Conversion formula

The conversion factor from decimeters to centimeters is 10, which means that 1 decimeter is equal to 10 centimeters:

1 dm = 10 cm

To convert 42 decimeters into centimeters we have to multiply 42 by the conversion factor in order to get the length amount from decimeters to centimeters. We can also form a simple proportion to calculate the result:

1 dm → 10 cm

42 dm → L_(cm)

Solve the above proportion to obtain the length L in centimeters:

L_(cm) = 42 dm × 10 cm

L_(cm) = 420 cm

The final result is:

42 dm → 420 cm

We conclude that 42 decimeters is equivalent to 420 centimeters:

42 decimeters = 420 centimeters

Alternative conversion

We can also convert by utilizing the inverse value of the conversion factor. In this case 1 centimeter is equal to 0.0023809523809524 × 42 decimeters.

Another way is saying that 42 decimeters is equal to 1 ÷ 0.0023809523809524 centimeters.

Approximate result

For practical purposes we can round our final result to an approximate numerical value. We can say that forty-two decimeters is approximately four hundred twenty centimeters:

42 dm ≅ 420 cm

An alternative is also that one centimeter is approximately zero point zero zero two times forty-two decimeters.

Conversion table

decimeters to centimeters chart

For quick reference purposes, below is the conversion table you can use to convert from decimeters to centimeters