Square Meter (m²)
Definition
A square meter (symbol m²) is the SI derived unit of area equal to the area of a square whose sides measure one meter. It is the default area unit for engineering, real estate, and physical sciences worldwide.
History
The square meter has existed as a derived unit since the meter was defined in 1799, but it became formally part of the SI when the system was adopted in 1960. Larger and smaller multiples include the hectare (10,000 m²) and the square centimeter (0.0001 m²).
Today the square meter is the standard area unit on European and Australian real-estate listings, building permits, and engineering drawings, and it appears in virtually all national and international building codes outside the United States and parts of South Asia.
Standard reference
Defined by the BIPM SI Brochure as the SI derived unit of area: 1 m × 1 m. Listed in NIST Special Publication 811.
Common conversions
| 1 m² | = 10,000 cm² |
|---|---|
| = 10.7639 ft² | |
| = 1,550.00 in² | |
| = 0.000247105 ac |