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Decimeter (dm) - Unit Information & Conversion

Symbol:dm
Plural:decimeters
Category:Length

What is a Decimeter?

Definition

The decimeter (symbol: dm) is a unit of length in the metric system. It is defined as exactly one-tenth (1/10) of a meter, which is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). Therefore, 1 meter equals 10 decimeters.

History

The decimeter originates from the French Revolution era, when the metric system was developed and introduced in France in the 1790s. The system aimed to create a rational and universal standard of measurement based on decimal multiples and submultiples of base units. The prefix "deci-" signifies a factor of one-tenth (10⁻¹). While the meter became the standard, the decimeter was defined as a convenient subdivision.

Common Uses

Although less frequently used in everyday measurements compared to the meter, centimeter, or millimeter, the decimeter finds application in certain contexts:

  • Education: Often used in schools to teach the metric system and decimal relationships (10 dm = 1 m, 1 dm = 10 cm).
  • Crafts and Sewing: Sometimes used for measuring fabric or materials where increments of 10 centimeters are practical.
  • Scientific Fields: Occasionally used in specific scientific measurements or contexts where this scale is convenient.
  • Volume: The cubic decimeter (dm³) is a very common unit of volume, as it is exactly equal to one liter (L). This link makes the decimeter conceptually important in understanding metric volume.

Unit FAQs

How many decimeters are in a meter?

There are exactly 10 decimeters in 1 meter.

How many centimeters are in a decimeter?

There are exactly 10 centimeters in 1 decimeter.

How many millimeters are in a decimeter?

There are exactly 100 millimeters in 1 decimeter (since 1 dm = 10 cm and 1 cm = 10 mm).

How do you convert decimeters to inches?

To convert decimeters to inches, multiply the number of decimeters by approximately 3.93701. For example, 2 dm is about 2 * 3.93701 = 7.874 inches.

Is the decimeter commonly used?

The decimeter is not as commonly used in everyday language or general measurements as meters, centimeters, or even millimeters. However, it is a standard metric unit and is particularly important conceptually due to the cubic decimeter being equal to a liter.

What is a cubic decimeter?

A cubic decimeter (dm³) is a unit of volume equal to the volume of a cube with sides one decimeter (10 cm) long. It is exactly equivalent to 1 liter (L).

Decimeter Conversion Formulas

To Meter:

1 dm = 0.1 m
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.5 meters

To Kilometer:

1 dm = 0.0001 km
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.0005 kilometers

To Hectometer:

1 dm = 0.001 hm
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.005 hectometers

To Centimeter:

1 dm = 10 cm
Example: 5 decimeters = 50 centimeters

To Millimeter:

1 dm = 100 mm
Example: 5 decimeters = 500 millimeters

To Inch:

1 dm = 3.937008 in
Example: 5 decimeters = 19.685039 inches

To Foot:

1 dm = 0.328084 ft
Example: 5 decimeters = 1.64042 feet

To Yard:

1 dm = 0.109361 yd
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.546807 yards

To Mile:

1 dm = 0.000062 mi
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.000311 miles

To Nautical Mile:

1 dm = 0.000054 NM
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.00027 nautical miles

To Micrometer:

1 dm = 100000 μm
Example: 5 decimeters = 500000 micrometers

To Nanometer:

1 dm = 100000000 nm
Example: 5 decimeters = 500000000 nanometers

To Light Year:

1 dm = 1.0570e-17 ly
Example: 5 decimeters = 5.2849e-17 light years

To Astronomical Unit:

1 dm = 6.6845e-13 AU
Example: 5 decimeters = 3.3422e-12 astronomical units

To Parsec:

1 dm = 3.2408e-18 pc
Example: 5 decimeters = 1.6204e-17 parsecs

To Angstrom:

1 dm = 1000000000 Å
Example: 5 decimeters = 5000000000 angstroms

To Point (Typography):

1 dm = 283.464388 pt
Example: 5 decimeters = 1417.321942 points

To Mil/Thou:

1 dm = 3937.007874 mil
Example: 5 decimeters = 19685.03937 mils

To Fathom:

1 dm = 0.054681 fath
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.273403 fathoms

To Furlong:

1 dm = 0.000497 fur
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.002485 furlongs

To Link (Gunter's):

1 dm = 0.497097 li
Example: 5 decimeters = 2.485485 links

To Pace:

1 dm = 0.131234 pace
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.656168 paces

To Span:

1 dm = 0.437445 span
Example: 5 decimeters = 2.187227 spans

To Digit:

1 dm = 5.249344 digit
Example: 5 decimeters = 26.246719 digits

To Cable Length:

1 dm = 0.00054 cb
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.0027 cable lengths

To Ell:

1 dm = 0.087489 ell
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.437445 ells

To Finger:

1 dm = 0.874891 finger
Example: 5 decimeters = 4.374453 fingers

To Roman Mile:

1 dm = 0.000068 m.p.
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.000338 Roman miles

To Stadion:

1 dm = 0.000541 stadion
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.002703 stadia

To Chi (Chinese):

1 dm = 0.30003 chi
Example: 5 decimeters = 1.50015 chi

To Shaku (Japanese):

1 dm = 0.330033 shaku
Example: 5 decimeters = 1.650165 shaku

To Li (Chinese):

1 dm = 0.0002 li
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.001 li

To Toise:

1 dm = 0.051308 toise
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.256542 toise

To Bolt:

1 dm = 0.003281 bolt
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.016404 bolts

To Rope:

1 dm = 0.016404 rope
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.082021 ropes

To Smoot:

1 dm = 0.058761 smoot
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.293807 smoots

To Sajene:

1 dm = 0.046869 sajene
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.234346 sajenes

To Ken:

1 dm = 0.055006 ken
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.275028 ken

To Wa:

1 dm = 0.05 wa
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.25 wa

To Vara:

1 dm = 0.119303 vara
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.596516 varas

To Aln:

1 dm = 0.16835 aln
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.841751 alnar

To Cubit (Royal/Egyptian):

1 dm = 0.191205 cubit
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.956023 cubits

To Versta:

1 dm = 0.000094 versta
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.000469 versts

To Arpent:

1 dm = 0.00171 arpent
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.008551 arpents

To Ri (Japanese):

1 dm = 0.000025 ri
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.000127 ri

To Klafter:

1 dm = 0.052729 klafter
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.263644 klafter

To Yojana:

1 dm = 0.000007 yojana
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.000037 yojanas

To Skein:

1 dm = 0.000911 skein
Example: 5 decimeters = 0.004557 skeins

Convert Decimeter

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Decimeter Quick Info

dm
Symbol:dm
Category:Length
System:Metric (SI)
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