Decameter – Definition, Solved Examples, Usage, Facts, FAQs

What Is Decameter?

A Decameter (often spelled “dekameter”) is a unit of length in the SI system of measurement (the metric system). One decameter equals 10 meters or ​​about 32.8 feet.

1 decameter $= 10$ meters

The unit decameter is derived from the metric base unit “meter.” It is not the most commonly used unit of length measurement.

Decameter: Definition

A decameter is the SI unit of length measurement that is equal to 10 meters or approximately 32.8 feet. 

How Long Is 1 Decameter?

If you join 10 standard meter sticks (each 1 meter long) together, the total length will be 1 decameter.

A school bus is usually about 10 meters long or 1 decameter long.

Is It Dekameter, Decameter, or Decametre?

• The way this measurement unit is spelled differs across regions. The international standard is “decametre,” commonly used in English-speaking countries. 
• In various parts of Europe, you might see spellings like “decametre,” or “dekametre.” 
• The American spelling is “decameter.”

What Does the Prefix “Deca” Mean?

The prefix “deca” (or “deka”) means 10. 

The symbol “da” denotes the prefix “deca.”

Decameter Abbreviation

The abbreviation “dam” is used to represent the unit decameter. It’s written as “dam” in front of the value to represent its symbol. It combines the symbols for the SI prefix “deca” and the SI unit “meter.”

Unit Conversions with Decameter

When converting between different metric units, you can use the following chart of conversions, from kilometers (km) down to millimeters (mm). Here, the base unit is meter (m).  

• As you move one position to the right from any place, multiply the value by 10. As you move two positions to the right from any place, multiply the value by 100, and so on.
• As you move one position to the left from any place, divide the value by 10. As you move two positions to the left from any place, divide the value by 100, and so on.

Examples: 

• 1 kilometer (km) $= 10$ hectometers (hm)
• 1 hectometer (hm) $= 10$ decameters (dam)
• 1 decameter (dam) $= 10$ meters (m)
• 1 meter (m) $= 10$ decimeters (dm)
• 1 decimeter (dm) $= 10$ centimeters (cm)
• 1 centimeter (cm) $= 10$ millimeters (mm)

Difference Between Decimeter and Decameter

Decameter	Decimeter
1 decameter $= 10$ meters	1 decimeter $= 0.1$ meter
One decameter is larger than a meter.	One decimeter is smaller than a meter.
Symbol: dam	Symbol: dm
1 decameter $= 1000$ cm	1 decimeter $= 10$ cm

Square Decameter and Cubic Decameter

Square and cubic decameters are used to measure area and volume, respectively. 

• A square decameter (dam²) represents an area of ten meters by ten meters. It is equivalent to 100 square meters. 
• A cubic decameter (dam³), which signifies a three-dimensional space of ten meters by ten meters by ten meters, equals 1,000 cubic meters.
  1 cubic decametre (dam³) $= a$ capacity of 1 megalitre (ML)

Solved Examples on Decameter

1. Convert 100 m into decameters.

Solution:

1 dam $= 10$ m

100 m $= (1 \times 10)$ dam $= 10$ dam

2. Convert 18 dam into meters.

Solution:

1 dam $= 10$ meters

18 dam $= (10 \times 18)$ m $= 180$ m

Hence, 18 dam $= 180$ m

3. Convert 100 decimeters into decameters.

Solution:

1 dam $= 100$ dm

Hence, the answer is 1 dam. 

Practice Problems on Decameter

Frequently Asked Questions about Decameter