Lesson 4: Referents - Common SI and Imperial Area Referents

   Constructing Knowledge

Referents can also be used to estimate the area when an exact measurement is not needed. Both the SI and imperial systems of measurement have some common area referents.

Common SI Referents
SI unit of measure Common Referents
square centimetre a small postage stamp,
square metre a standard bedroom window


Common Imperial Referents
Imperial unit of measure Common Referents
square inch a large postage stamp
square foot large binder cover, floor tile
square yard a standard bedroom window

Square yards and square metres are quite similar in size as a yard is just slightly smaller than a metre.

Referents for the really small or really large units of measurement (square millimetre, square mile, or square kilometre) have not been given here because they are not commonly used in a "hands-on" way. It does not mean they are not used. The area of a city or lake is commonly measured in square miles or square kilometres.


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