If something , say a carpet, measures 100 square feet ( or yards, meters, miles, or inches ) that means that it is 10x10', or ten feet on each side. Or it could be 5x20', or five feet on one side, and twenty the long way. If something is measured in "square", 2 of the sides ( one of each different side, if one side is longer than the other ) are multiplied to get the "square" figure--as you can see if you draw it on a piece of paper and count the squares. If you draw a rectangle five square across, and twenty squares down, there will be 100 squares. If you draw a square that is ten squares across and ten squares down, there will be 100 squares. If you draw a rectangle with seven squares across and ten squares down, there will be seventy squares. Five squares on each side will get you twenty-five squares. And so on.
Confusion can set in when using the term "a hundred feet square", which means a hundred feet on each side, to most people. Obviously not the same thing as "square feet". A hundred "feet square" would be ten thousand ( 10,000 ) square feet. Ten "feet square" would be one hundred square feet.
"Square feet ", or square anything, is much more common. It's what all the carpet commercials are talking about, or ads for tile, paint, siding, shingles, and other items measured by the foot or yard.
"Feet square" is more likely to show up on a map or deed. If you are reading about an everyday item, you have probably encountered "square feet".
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