Square metre
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The square metre (symbol: m²) is the unit of area in the International System of Units (SI). It is the area of a square with sides of one metre each.
Area is calculated by multiplying two lengths together. The square metre is therefore the area of one metre multiplied by one metre. It is written as m², or sometimes in simplified form as 'm2' or 'sq m'.
Definition and calculation
A square with sides of 1 m has an area of 1 m². A rectangle's area is found by multiplying its length by its width. For example, a room 4 m long and 3 m wide has an area of 12 m². Other shapes—circles, triangles—have their own formulas, but the result is always expressed in square metres.
Related units
When converting from units of length, the area dimension becomes squared. One square metre equals 10,000 square centimetres, since 100 multiplied by 100 equals 10,000. One square kilometre likewise equals one million square metres. The hectare is 10,000 m² and is a standard unit for measuring land and agricultural areas.
Uses
The square metre is used to measure the size of buildings, land, construction materials, and surface area. It is also used to calculate pressure (newtons per square metre) and solar irradiance (watts per square metre).