How long is a meter

From determining how far you have to drive to get to a destination, to guessing how long something is, measurements play an important role in our daily lives. And among the most important of such units of measure is the meter, the base unit of length in many metric systems, including the International System of Units SI units.

Our modern measurements had to be invented somewhere. And often, these units of measurement have evolved over time. The definition of a meter, for example, has changed throughout history. So just how long is a meter? And how is a meter defined? In approximately , after the fall of the Carolingian Empire , the standard measures of length throughout Europe differed from one another.

Within certain jurisdictions, measurements could be standardized, but jurisdictions were sometimes nothing more than a small market town. Within larger regions, units of measure varied widely. More often than not, units of measure at this time were used to determine taxes a piece of cloth, for example, would be taxed based on its length.

Many measurement units were dependent on who was ruling at the time, and they could change on a whim. After the French Revolution began in , and with Enlightenment ideals still popular, a greater emphasis was placed on standardizing units of measurement within the scientific community. At first, there was resistance to the change, but the meter was adopted in America and continental Europe in the mid th century.

We can use our arms with fingers extended and measures to the tips of the fingers. This is a freehand way to estimate meters, although there may be a small difference between actually measuring it with a scale and measuring it with your arm. Learn Practice Download. Definition of Meter 2. Conversions of Meters 3. Solved Examples 4. Practice Questions 5. Important Topics.

Measuring Length. Solved Examples. Example 1: The width of a door is 36 inches. Mike wants to know its width in meters.

Can you help him with the conversion? Solution: The width of the door is 36 inches. Example 2: Rooney is trying to convert 5 meter into feet. Can you help him with the answer? Solution: Rooney will be able to do the coversion when he has the knowledge of how long is a meter in feet. Example 3: Roy has to cover a distance of 5 km to reach school.

He wants to denote this distance in terms of meter. Imagining how it feels to stand next to a countertop can help you accurately estimate how tall 1 meter is. If you can picture going through a standard door frame, such as a front door or bedroom door, you can also accurately imagine how long 1 meter is. Most standard door frames are about 1 meter across, which allows for plenty of room for maneuverability.

Although smaller bats, which are usually used by children, are only about half a meter long, larger bats, such as the professional bats used in the major leagues, are only a little bit shorter than a full meter in length.

Baseball bats may not be exactly 1 meter in length, but picturing one can help you estimate with relative accuracy how long or tall a meter really is. Tables are available in a wide range of sizes and shapes, so saying that all tables are about 1 meter across would be inaccurate. However, most dining room or kitchen tables work around a standard size, and this standard size includes a width of about 1 meter. This specific width helps to ensure that everyone at the table has plenty of room but that no one is too far away from anyone else.