Area is a measure of the size of a two-dimensional object or surface. In different systems of measurement, various units of area are used to express area. In order to perform measurements and calculations, it is essential to understand the relationships between these units.

SI Unit

In the International System of Units (SI), the base unit of area is the square meter (m²). It is defined as the area of a square with sides of length 1 meter.

Square Kilometer, Square Meter, and Square Centimeter

For convenience, other SI units of area are also used:

• Square kilometer (km²): 1 km² = 1000000 m²
• Square meter (m²): the base unit of area
• Square centimeter (cm²): 1 cm² = 1/100 m²

Non-SI Units

Outside the SI system, various non-SI units of area are also used, including:

• Hectare (ha): 1 ha = 10000 m²
• Acre (acre): 1 acre = 4046.86 m²
• Square foot (ft²): 1 ft² = 0.092903 m²
• Square inch (in²): 1 in² = 0.00064516 m²

Unit Conversions

Area can be converted from one unit to another using the following formula:

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Area (in converted unit) = Area (in initial unit) × Conversion factor

For example, to convert 1 square kilometer to square meters, use the following conversion factor:

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1 km² × 1000000 m²/km² = 1000000 m²

Conversion Table

The following table shows the conversion factors between common units of area:

Applications

Area unit conversions are essential in various applications, including:

• Land surveying
• Architectural planning
• Physics and engineering calculations

By understanding and correctly applying these conversions, one can ensure the accuracy and consistency of measurements and calculations.