How High Is 12 Meters? (9 Common Examples)

Knowing that 12 meters is equal to 39.3701 feet and 13 yards is useful, but it may not help you understand how far it really is. To better understand the distance of 12 meters, you can try to remember the heights of things around you, like buildings and trees, so you can compare and visualize the distance better. By doing this, you can improve your understanding of measurements and their importance in the world.

In this article, I will share with you some everyday objects that you can use as references to measure a distance close to or precisely 12 meters, without needing a tape measure or extra assistance.

1. Depth of 3 Olympic Swimming Pools

To adhere to the guidelines set by the International Swimming Federation (FINA), an Olympic-size swimming pool must be constructed to specific dimensions. These dimensions require that the pool be 50 feet in length and 25 feet in width, providing ample space for competitive swimming events. 

However, while the length and width remain constant, the depth of an Olympic swimming pool can differ based on the intended use. Some Olympic pools are built with a shallow end that measures 3 meters deep. So you can get an idea of 12 meters by imagining 4 the combined depth of 4 pools.

2. Diving Board Olympic Standard

In addition to meeting specific length, width, and depth requirements, Olympic swimming pools must also adhere to strict guidelines for the diving board. The diving board must be a flat, firm surface, and it must tower over the water at a height of 10 meters. Which is just 2 meters shy of 12 meters.

If you’re looking for a more manageable way to measure 12 meters, you may want to consider using the height or length of an Olympic-standard springboard. The height of a springboard is 3 meters above the surface of the water, making it an excellent reference point for measuring distances. By stacking four springboards on top of each other, you’ll reach the full length of 12 meters, providing an easy and creative way to gauge larger distances.

3. Four Basketball Hoops

In the game of basketball, height plays a crucial role in various aspects, from shooting and rebounding to blocking and defending. If you’re looking to measure a distance of 12 meters using basketball hoops as your reference, you’ll need to visualize stacking four hoops on top of each other in an upright position. When combined, these four hoops will reach a total height of 40 feet, which is just a small distance beyond the 12-meter mark. 

4. Six and A Half Refrigerators

When it comes to measuring height, it can be helpful to use common household objects as reference points. For example, the typical top-freezer refrigerator, commonly found in many homes, stands at a height between 62 and 72 inches (1.57 and 1.83 meters). By doing a little math we can easily reach a height of 12 meters, it would only require placing 6.5 refrigerators on top of each other.

​​If you don’t have access to full-sized refrigerators, don’t worry! You can use mini-fridges as an alternative reference point. We can observe that the typical height of a mini fridge is around 21 inches. If we were to place approximately 22.5 of these compact refrigerators on top of each other, it would give us a total height of 12 meters.

Related: Things That Are 10 Meters Long

5. 7 Adult Person

Measuring long distances can be a challenge, but using people as a reference point is a simple and effective solution. While everyone’s height varies, the average height of a person can be determined by sampling over 47,000 men and women over the age of 20. According to this data, the average height of a person is 5 feet 9 inches, which is equivalent to 1.7526 meters.

In this case, using the average height of a person (5 feet 9 inches or 1.7526 meters), it would take around 7 people standing on top of each other to reach a height of 12 meters. 

6. Field Goal Post

The goalpost in American football is very tall, about 45 feet or 13.72 meters. If you know this, you can estimate a distance of 12 meters by subtracting about 2 golf club lengths. Each club is about 1 meter long.

Even if you can’t use a professional football goalpost, you can still measure 12 meters with a high school football goalpost. Just double the height of the goal post (which is at least 6.71 meters) to get to 12 meters.

7. Weeping Willow Tree

The weeping willow tree is interesting because it looks sad with its branches and leaves hanging down like they’re crying. It’s easy to spot because of its weeping shape. When it has the right conditions, this special tree can grow up to 40 feet tall and show its strength and loveliness to people who see it.

If you find yourself in a neighborhood where only crabapple trees are in sight, don’t worry, you can still measure distances with them! To do so, you’ll need to take the average minimum height of a crabapple tree, which is about 15 feet, and multiply it by 3. But wait, there’s a catch. You’ll need to subtract 5 feet, to arrive at the desired 12-meter distance. 

8. Eight Bathroom Stall Panels

The height of stall panels in public restrooms may differ depending on the location, but the recommended average height is 5 feet or 60 inches. To convert this measurement to the metric system, one can multiply the panel height by 8 to arrive at 12 meters. Alternatively, multiplying the height of a standing lamp, a Holstein cow, or a broom handle by 8 would result in a height of 40 feet.

Related: How High Is 15 Meters?

9. Four School Buses

The “How Much Does A School Bus Weigh” article has lots of information about school buses. Did you know there are different kinds of school buses with different sizes and numbers of seats? Each kind of bus is different and can do different things.

Despite their different shapes and sizes, there is one feature that unites most school buses – their height. On average, school buses are about 10.3 feet or 3.14 meters tall, which is roughly the same as stacking four of them on top of each other to surpass the 12-meter mark. 

FAQs