What Is Hectometer?
A hectometer is a unit for measuring length in the metric system. One hectometer is equal to 100 meters. It is bigger than a meter but smaller than a kilometer. People sometimes use it to measure medium sized distances, such as parts of roads or large open areas.
Definition
A hectometer is a standard metric unit of length. It is defined as exactly 100 meters.
You can write this as:
- 1 hectometer = 100 meters
- 1 hectometer = 0.1 kilometer
- 1 hectometer = 10 decameters
The metric system is based on tens, so the hectometer fits neatly between the meter and the kilometer.
History / Origin
The hectometer comes from the metric system, which was first created in France in the late 1700s. The goal was to have simple units based on powers of ten.
The word hectometer has two parts:
- hecto comes from the Greek word hekaton, which means 100
- meter comes from the Greek word metron, which means measure
So the name hectometer simply means 100 meters. While the unit has existed since the early days of the metric system, it is not as commonly used as the meter or kilometer.
Symbol & Abbreviation
The official symbol for hectometer is:
- hm
Important points about the symbol:
- It uses a small h and a small m
- There is no dot after the letters
- It is written right after the number, with or without a space, for example 3 hm
Current Use Around the World
The hectometer is part of the International System of Units, called SI, which is used in most countries. However, it is not a very common everyday unit.
Where it may appear:
- In some scientific writing and education to show how metric prefixes work
- In agriculture to describe lengths of fields or irrigation lines
- In some mapping or geography contexts
In daily life, people usually talk about meters for short distances and kilometers for long distances, so the hectometer is used less often.
Example Conversions
Here are some useful conversion facts:
- 1 hectometer = 100 meters
- 1 hectometer = 0.1 kilometer
- 1 hectometer = 10 000 centimeters
- 1 hectometer = 100 000 millimeters
- 1 hectometer is about 328.084 feet
- 1 hectometer is about 109.361 yards
- 1 hectometer is about 0.062137 miles
Example conversions from hectometers:
| Hectometers (hm) | Meters (m) | Kilometers (km) | Feet (ft) approx |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hm | 100 m | 0.1 km | 328.08 ft |
| 2 hm | 200 m | 0.2 km | 656.17 ft |
| 5 hm | 500 m | 0.5 km | 1640.42 ft |
| 10 hm | 1000 m | 1 km | 3280.84 ft |
Example conversions to hectometers:
- 300 meters = 3 hectometers
- 1 kilometer = 10 hectometers
- 50 meters = 0.5 hectometer
Related Units
The hectometer is related to other metric length units:
- Millimeter (mm) 1 000 000 mm in 1 hm
- Centimeter (cm) 100 000 cm in 1 hm
- Decimeter (dm) 10 000 dm in 1 hm
- Meter (m) 100 m in 1 hm
- Decameter (dam) 10 dam in 1 hm
- Kilometer (km) 0.1 km in 1 hm, or 10 hm in 1 km
Related non metric units include:
FAQs
What is a hectometer in simple words
A hectometer is a length equal to 100 meters. It is a medium sized distance between a meter and a kilometer.
How many meters are in 1 hectometer
There are exactly 100 meters in 1 hectometer.
How many hectometers are in a kilometer
There are 10 hectometers in 1 kilometer, because 1 kilometer is 1000 meters and 1 hectometer is 100 meters.
Why do we not hear about hectometers often
People usually use meters for short distances and kilometers for long distances. Because of this, the hectometer is less common in everyday talk.
What is the symbol for hectometer
The symbol for hectometer is hm. It uses a small h and a small m with no dot.
Is a hectometer bigger than a meter
Yes. One hectometer is 100 times bigger than one meter.
Is a hectometer bigger than a kilometer
No. A kilometer is bigger. One kilometer is equal to 10 hectometers.
Where might hectometers be used
Hectometers may be used in science classes, in some maps, and in farming or land planning to describe lengths of fields or canals.