Indicating centimeters in Spanish

Question

When indicating centimeters in Spanish and the last number after the decimal is a zero, (203,20 cm) do you include the zero or do you leave it blank (203,2). Also, do you add a period after every cm (cm.) like we do when we indicate inches as in. ?

Answer 1

That last zero doesn't mean anything so leave it out. The next sub-unit, millimeter, is only a tenth of a centimeter anyway. I think most people don't add that final "." but if there's a rule about it I could be wrong.

Of course another answer is the official British usage (decreed by parliament no less) and use millimetres. That way you get rid of the "damned dots" (Duke of Wellington's words for them).

Answer 2

When I went to school we were taught to always put two numbers after the decimal point, most probably for clarity.