Area conversion is the process of changing a measurement from one unit of area to another. The metric system uses square meters as its base unit, while the imperial system uses square feet and acres. This is particularly useful in real estate, construction, and land measurement.

Common Area Units

• Metric: Square millimeter (mm²), Square centimeter (cm²), Square meter (m²), Hectare (ha), Square kilometer (km²)
• Imperial/US: Square inch (in²), Square foot (ft²), Square yard (yd²), Acre (ac), Square mile (mi²)
• Other: Are (a), Barn (b), Township

Conversion Formulas

• 1 square meter = 10.7639 square feet
• 1 acre = 4046.86 square meters
• 1 hectare = 2.47105 acres
• 1 square kilometer = 100 hectares
• 1 square mile = 640 acres

Historical Context

Area measurements have been essential throughout human history, from ancient land surveying to modern real estate. The acre was originally defined as the area a team of oxen could plow in one day. The hectare, introduced during the French Revolution, was designed to be a square 100 meters on each side. The square mile, used in the US, was historically based on the Roman mile and became a standard unit for land measurement in the United States.