{"id":6676,"date":"2017-03-01T10:01:57","date_gmt":"2017-03-01T10:01:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mrsphysics.co.uk\/blog\/?p=388"},"modified":"2025-12-03T00:30:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T00:30:57","slug":"difference-between-square-metres-and-metres-squared","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mrsphysics.co.uk\/index.php\/2017\/03\/01\/difference-between-square-metres-and-metres-squared\/","title":{"rendered":"Difference between Square Metres and Metres Squared"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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This post is about the mispronounciation of the SI unit for area, (m\u00b2). This is said square metre. I am not wrong, I am not daft and I want the world to say it properly.<\/p>\n

or what’s the unit of area? How do I say that?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

Updated 04\/09\/2024 (thanks Tim)<\/h3>\n\n

This is what I’ve been missing to add in! You can’t now say this is wrong.<\/p>\n\n

4 m2<\/span><\/sup><\/h2>\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n

The diagram above shows four square metres or 4 m2<\/span><\/sup>. If you looked at the length of each side it would be 2 m long! QED!<\/p>\n\n

Updated 13\/05\/2023 (see below)<\/h3>\n\n
\"International<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

Metre<\/strong> is the unit of length<\/strong> in the SI system<\/strong> and square metre <\/strong>is the SI units <\/strong>for calculating area. \u00a0<\/strong>The confusion arises when we see square metre written or spoken. People cannot make out the difference between square metre<\/strong>\u00a0and metres squared<\/strong> and assume they are the same, which they are not!<\/p>\n\n

For example<\/p>\n\n

\"\"\n
The correct size of the room<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n

If a square room has a length of 2 metres and is 2 metres in breadth,\u00a0you can easily calculate its area with this formula.<\/p>\n\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n
Area= Length x Breadth<\/strong><\/td>\nA=l \u00d7 b<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2 metres x 2 metres<\/strong><\/td>\nA = 2 m \u00d7 2 m<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4 square metres<\/u><\/strong><\/td>\nA = 4 m2<\/span><\/sup><\/u><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n

The room has an area of 4 square metres, 4 m2<\/span><\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n

If you say that this is 4 metres squared what you mean is an area which has the length of 4 metres and you are multiplying it by a breadth of 4 metres which would give you an area of 16 square metres.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

\"\"\n
Overestimating the size of the room by giving the wrong units.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
An Area = 4 metres squared<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4 metres x 4 metres<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16 square metres m2<\/u><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n

So if someone asks you the correct area of the room mentioned originally, you should say that the area is 4 square metres<\/strong>\u00a0 or 2 metres square both of which are correct answers, but the 4 m2<\/span><\/sup>, 4 square metres is standard.<\/p>\n\n