When it comes to measuring space, two common units often pop up: Square Meters and Square Feet. Square meters, the metric unit, reign supreme in most of the world, including India, offering a logical and decimal-based system for quantifying area. It seamlessly integrates with the metric system, making calculations and comparisons straightforward. In contrast, square feet, predominantly used in the United States and a few other countries, stem from the imperial system. This blog post will go over the fundamentals of square meters and square feet and explore conversion methods, and share some exciting facts about these units.
Square Meter (m²)
The square meter, denoted as m², is an SI (International System of Units) derived unit of area. It is defined as the area of a square with side measures of one meter. One square meter is the area of a square with sides that are each one meter long. This unit finds its roots in the metric system, which originated in France during the late 18th century. The square meter, also known as the square metre, is commonly used to measure land areas, such as rooms, houses, and large plots of land.
1 m2 = 1 m × 1 m
The official international symbol for square meters, "m²," was established by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) in 1879.
Square Foot (ft²) Square feet, abbreviated as sq ft or ft², are a unit of area measurement commonly used in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. This unit of area is used in the imperial and US customary systems (UCS).
Feet | Millimeters | Meters | Kilometers |
0.033 | 10 | 0.01 | 0.001 |
0.328 | 100 | 0.1 | 0.01 |
3.281 | 1000 | 1 | 0.1 |
32.808 | 10000 | 10 | 1 One square foot is the area of a square with sides that are each one foot long. One square foot equals 144 square inches. The square foot is derived from the older |
One square foot is the area of a square with sides that are each one foot long. One square foot equals 144 square inches. The square foot is derived from the older English measurement system, where the length of a foot was standardized.
Length (in feet) x width (in feet) = area in sq. ft.
Significance of square meters and square feet Square meters and square feet are both units used to measure area, but they belong to different measurement systems. A square meter represents the area of a square with sides one meter long. It's the standard unit of area in the metric system, commonly used in most countries around the world. On the other hand, a square foot signifies the area of a square with sides one foot long. This unit finds its home in the imperial system, primarily used in the United States and a few other countries. These units hold significance in various contexts. Square meters are often used in architecture, construction, and real estate to describe the size of rooms, houses, and plots of land. Square feet, on the other hand, are commonly used in interior design, flooring sales, and everyday conversations about home sizes.
Conversion Between square meters to square feet Square meters (m²) and square feet (ft²) are both units used to measure area. While square meters are more commonly used in the metric system, square feet are often used in countries like the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. To convert from square feet to square meters, you can use the following formulas:
1 ft² = 0.09290304 m²
1 m² = 10.7639104167 ft²
Which can be:
Square feet (ft²)=Square meters (m²)×10.764 Example-
If you have an area of 50 square meters and want to know how many square feet it is, you would multiply 50 by 10.764:
Square feet = 50 × 10.764 = 538.2 So, 50 square meters is approximately 538.2 square feet.
Converting Square Feet to Square Meters Converting square feet to square meters follows a similar process. The formula is:
Example:
If you have an area of 600 square feet and want to find out its equivalent in square meters, you would divide 600 by 10.764:
Square meters= 600/ 10.764 = 55.742
Practical Example Let's say you're planning to lay new flooring in your living room, and the area measures 20 square meters. You're browsing through flooring options online, and you come across one that's priced per square foot. To make an informed decision, you decide to convert the area of your living room from square meters to square feet. Using the formula, you find:
Square feet = 20 × 10.764 = 215.28 So, your living room is approximately 215.28 square feet.
Do You Know? 1. 1 square meter is equal to 10.764 square feet. This means that a room that is 5 meters long and 4 meters wide would be 20 square meters, or 215.28 square feet.
(Dubai International Airport. Image Credit: static.propsearch.ae) 2. The largest building in the world by floor area is the Dubai International Airport. It has a total floor area of 1,320,000 square meters, or 14,200,000 square feet. 3. The smallest apartment in the world is located in London, England. It is only 1.39 square meters, or 15 square feet. 4. The average size of a house in the United States is 2,687 square feet. This is more than double the average size of a house in Japan, which is 1,168 square feet.
(Alt Image: ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS, is known as the world’s most expensive plot of land at 2 Murray Road in Hong Kong. Credit: guinnessworldrecords.com) 5. The most expensive piece of land ever sold was a plot in Hong Kong that sold for $2.8 billion in 2019. The plot is only 7,000 square feet, which means that it sold for over $400,000 per square foot.
6. The Great Pyramid of Giza covers an area of 13 acres, or 53,000 square meters. It is estimated that it took 2.3 million blocks of stone to build the pyramid, each of which weighed an average of 2.5 tons.
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FAQs 1. What is the origin of the square meter as a unit of measurement? The square meter finds its roots in the metric system, which originated in France during the late 18th century. 2. In which countries are square meters predominantly used? Square meters are widely utilized in countries that adhere to the metric system, such as most of Europe, Asia, and Africa. 3. What is the international symbol for square meters, and when was it established? The official international symbol for square meters is "m²," established by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) in 1879. 4. What is the significance of square feet as a unit of measurement? Square feet are predominantly used in countries that follow the imperial system of measurement, such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. 5. How can you convert square meters to square feet, and vice versa? To convert square meters to square feet, multiply the number of square meters by 10.764. To convert square feet to square meters, divide the number of square feet by 10.764. 6. How many square feet are in one square meter? There are approximately 10.764 square feet in one square meter. This conversion can be useful when dealing with measurements in different systems, such as converting a property's size from square meters to square feet. 7. What is the formula for converting square meters to square feet? To convert square meters to square feet, you can use the formula: Square Feet = Square Meters * 10.764. Multiply the number of square meters by 10.764 to get the equivalent in square feet. 8. Is it more common to use square meters or square feet in certain parts of the world? Square meters are more commonly used in most parts of the world, especially in countries that have adopted the metric system. Square feet, on the other hand, is predominantly used in the United States and a few other countries that still rely on imperial units of measurement.
