Decimeter

The decimeter is a unit of length in the metric system. The symbol for the unit is dm. One decimeter equals one tenth of a meter (1 dm = 0.1 m). It is also equal to 10 centimeters or 100 millimeters. The decimeter is a derived SI unit, based on the prefix deci-, which denotes a factor of 0.1, appended to the unit meter.

In practical measurement, the decimeter is rarely used today; meters, centimeters, and millimeters cover most applications. When converting, 1 dm = 10 cm = 100 mm. Larger quantities are expressed in meters; for example, 2 dm = 0.2 m, and 0.3 m = 3 dm.

In area and volume, the decimeter forms square and cubic units: 1 square decimeter (dm^2) equals 100 square centimeters, and 1 cubic decimeter (dm^3) equals 1 liter. The liter is a common unit of volume, especially for liquids.

Historically, the decimeter was part of the original metric system introduced in the late 18th century and remains an accepted SI-derived unit; however, it is not standard for everyday use in many countries.

The decimeter is intended for length measurements at a scale larger than a centimeter but smaller than a meter, such as measuring the dimensions of household objects or in some technical drawings, though meters and centimeters are more common.