hectometres

The hectometre, symbol hm, is a unit of length in the metric system. It equals 100 metres, with the prefix hecto- signaling a factor of 100. Consequently, 1 hm = 100 m and 10 hm = 1 km; equivalently, 1 m = 0.01 hm and 1 km = 10 hm.

As part of the official SI prefix set, the hectometre is a valid unit that can be used with SI measurements, but it is rarely employed in everyday or scientific practice. Distances on the order of hundreds of metres are typically stated in metres or kilometres, making the hectometre uncommon outside didactic or historical contexts.

Usage and context: The hectometre might appear in educational materials illustrating metric prefixes or in historical surveying and mapping contexts. In modern technical fields, the kilometre and the metre generally dominate for expressing distances on Earth.

Conversions and examples: 5 hm equals 500 m, 0.5 km equals 5 hm, and 1 hm equals 0.1 km. These relationships can help convert between the common metric units without a calculator.

See also: Metre, Kilometre, Decametre (dam), SI prefixes, Hectare.