Units of measure - AQAConverting units of area

Units of measurement let us describe and compare length, weight, area, volume, density and other values. Units can be imperial or metric and they can be converted using conversion factors.

Part ofMathsGeometry and measure

Converting units of area

The unit conversions for length can be used to calculate areas in different units.

The two squares have the same area.

Square 1: 1m x 1m Square 2: 100cm x 100cm

Square 1

Area = \(1~\text{m} \times 1~\text{m}\)

Area = 1 m2

Square 2

Area = \(100~\text{cm} \times 100~\text{cm}\)

Area = 10,000 cm2

Since Square 1 and Square 2 have the same area, \(1~m^2 = 10,000~cm^2\)

Use the same method to convert cm2 into mm2.

Square 1: 1cm x 1cm Square 2: 10mm x 10mm

Square 3

Area = \(1~\text{cm} \times 1~\text{cm}\)

Area = 1 cm2

Square 4

Area = \(10~\text{mm} \times 10~\text{mm}\)

Area = 100 mm2

Since Square 3 and Square 4 have the same area, \(1~cm^2 = 100~mm^2\)

Example

Convert 5.2 m2 into cm2.

1 m2 = 10,000 cm2

So, \(5.2~\text{m}^2 = 5.2 \times 10,000 = 52,000~\text{cm}^2\)