The way to avoid ambiguity is to use the indefinite article -- "a 20-kilometer square." As we're talking about an actual square, the noun "square" is obviously preferable to the past participle "squared."
Bill Potts, CMS Roseville, CA http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Stephen C. Gallagher Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2001 06:59 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:16637] RE: Metric in the news ----- Original Message ----- From: "Han Maenen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: December 14, 2001 02:12 Subject: [USMA:16636] RE: Metric in the news > It is the same difference in English between 'square units' and 'units > square'. An area kan measure 20 km2 (20 vierkante kilometer) or it can > measure 20 km square (20 km in het vierkant). And the latter is 20 by 20 km! I don't know about other people, but I would be more prone to say "20 km squared" not square. I would say 20 square kilometres, though. (2 km x 10 km). Stephen
