Square metre facts for kids
The square metre (symbol: m²) is the main way we measure area in the SI system. Think of it as the space inside a square shape where each side is exactly one metre long.
The metre itself is a basic unit of length. It's defined by how far light travels in a tiny fraction of a second in empty space. Because the square metre comes from the metre, it's called an "SI-derived unit."
When we add SI prefixes (like "kilo" or "centi") to the metre, they change a lot when you square them. For example, a kilometre is 1,000 times longer than a metre. But a square kilometre is 1,000,000 (one million) times bigger than a square metre! This is because you multiply the prefix by itself (1,000 x 1,000 = 1,000,000).
It's important to know the difference between "square metres" and "metres squared."
- If you have 4 square metres (4 m²), it means you have an area that covers the same space as four 1-metre by 1-metre squares. For example, a room that is 2 metres long and 2 metres wide has 4 square metres of area (2 m × 2 m = 4 m²).
- If something is 4 metres squared ((4 m)²), it means you have a square shape where each side is 4 metres long. This square would have an area of 16 square metres (4 m × 4 m = 16 m²).
Common Square Metre Units
The square metre can be used with many SI prefixes. Here are some of the most common ones you might hear about:
| How big it is | Name | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000,000 m² | square kilometre | km² |
| 10,000 m² | hectare (square hectometre) | ha (hm²) |
| 100 m² | are (square decametre) | a (dam²) |
| 1 m² | square metre | m² |
| 0.01 m² | square decimetre | dm² |
| 0.0001 m² | square centimetre | cm² |
| 0.000001 m² | square millimetre | mm² |
How to Convert Square Metres to Other Units
The square metre is a very useful unit, but sometimes you need to convert it to other units of area. Here are some common conversions:
- 0.000001 square kilometre (km²)
- 10,000 square centimetres (cm²)
- 0.0001 hectares (ha)
- 0.01 ares (a)
- 1 centiare (ca)
- About 0.000247 acres
- About 1.196 square yards
- About 10.764 square feet
- About 1,550 square inches
Related Information
- SI (The global system of measurement)
- SI prefix (Words added to units to show multiples or fractions)
- Converting units of area
