How to Convert Square Meters to Square Feet

The International System of Units (SI) defines a square meter as the unit of area. However, square feet for area measurements are used in United State and some other countries. In 1959, U.S. National Bureau of Standards defined that 1 foot is 1,200/3,937 meter. It allows finding the formula to convert square meters into feet. As an example, convert an area of 27 square meters to square feet.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Calculator

1. Calculate a coefficient between 1 foot and 1 meter in the decimal form.
   1 foot = 1,200/3,937 meter = 0.3048 meter.

2. Obtain the formula to convert meters to feet using the proportion:
   1 foot corresponds to meter x 0.3048
   X feet correspond to Y meters.
   
   The solution of the proportion gives the formula:
   Feet=Meters/0.3048.

3. Obtain the formula to convert Square meters to Square feet.
   Square feet=Feet x Feet. Use the formula from Step 2 to get:
   Square feet=Square meters/ (0.3048x0.3048)= Square meters/0.09290304= 10.7639 x Square meters.

4. Apply the formula from Step 3 to convert your value in square meters to square feet.
   In our example,
   Area=10.7639 x 27 square meters =290.625 square feet.

References

• "Refinement of values for the yard and the pound," A.V. Astin & H.A. Karo, National Bureau of Standards, Washington DC, Jun. 30, 1959.