hectometer

The hectometer is a unit of length in the metric system. It represents 100 meters and is denoted by the symbol hm. The name combines the prefix hecto-, meaning 100, with the base unit meter.

Although it is a valid derived unit within the metric framework, the hectometer is not commonly used in everyday measurement. In most contexts, people rely on meters for small distances and kilometers for longer ones. The hectometer can be convenient for expressing distances on the order of a few hundred meters, but more often kilometers or meters are preferred.

Conversions involving the hectometer are straightforward: 1 hm = 100 m, and 1 km = 10 hm. Consequently, 1 m = 0.01 hm and 1 km = 10 hm. As with other metric units, the hectometer follows the SI naming convention, and the prefix h (hecto) is the official SI prefix for 100.

Etymology and usage context: the term derives from Greek hekaton, meaning hundred, combined with metron, meaning measure. While the SI base unit is the meter, prefixes such as hecto- are used to form larger or smaller units, including the hectometer. In practice, the hectometer is encountered mainly in technical documents or specific planning scenarios, rather than in routine measurements.

See also: metric prefixes, meter, kilometer, decameter.