What is the difference between meters squared and square meters?

Answer 1

None! They both mean the same thing. For example, if your floor measures 3 meters long and 2 meters wide you would need 6 square meters of carpet. Alternatively you could say "My floor measures 6 meters squared." Five meters squared. This refers to a linear measure, five meters. It also tells what function to apply to the measure-- make a square with it. If I make a square with a five meter chain, I will end up with 25 square meters. Five square meters. This will be equivalent to five of the 25 squares that the above area contains. Quite different. If you have a floor measuring 3 meters by 2 meters and you ask the carpet guy for carpeting to cover 6 meters squared, you will get an unpleasant surprise.

Answer 2

meters refers to one dimension ie a line

meters squared refers to two dimensions ie a box

AnswerThe symbol for square metre is m2. But it's spoken as 'square metre', not 'metre squared'.

Answer 3

Metre is a length or distance. Square metre is an area.