Convert Square Decimeter (dm²) to Square Rod (rod²) instantly.
About these units
Square Decimeter (dm²)
A square decimeter equals 100 square centimeters or 0.01 square meters. It is used in educational contexts, interior design, textiles, and packaging. Students often learn area concepts using dm² because it bridges the intuitive size of the square meter with the more granular cm². In design fields, dm² helps specify tile surfaces, patterns, laminates, and coverings. Industrial packaging may express surface areas (e.g., of labels or film wrapping) in dm² for regulatory or cost-calculation purposes. It offers a comfortable intermediate scale for everyday applications.
Square Rod (rod²)
A square rod, also known as a perch or pole in some traditions, equals the area of a square one rod on each side (1 rod = 16.5 feet). This results in 272.25 square feet. Square rods were widely used in medieval English farming and early American surveying to measure garden plots, small fields, and building sites. Because land taxes were often assessed per rod, the unit became a practical economic tool as well. Though no longer widely used, the square rod appears in historical deeds and archival surveys, making it critical for land historians and legal property research.