Meaning & use
miles squared
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
A unit of area equal to the area of a square that is one mile long on each side.
Grammar: Comes after a number: an area of 50 miles squared.
Patterns
- a number + miles squared
- X miles squared of something
The wildfire burned more than 100 miles squared of forest.
The ranch covers about 25 miles squared, so it takes hours to cross.
Scientists measured the ice sheet at 3,000 miles squared.
phrasefixed phrasemathematics
Used after a distance to mean that distance multiplied by itself, as in mathematical calculations.
Grammar: Common in math talk about squaring a measurement, not for giving an actual area.
Patterns
- a number + miles squared
- miles squared equals something
If the side is 4 miles, then the side length in miles squared is 16.
In the formula, the distance is given in miles squared.
Five miles squared gives you twenty-five.
Common combinations
- square miles
- The lake covers nearly 300 square miles.
- miles squared of land
- Thousands of miles squared of land were protected.
- an area of X miles squared
- They mapped an area of 12 miles squared.
- measured in miles squared
- The size of the region is measured in miles squared.
Synonyms and how they differ
- square miles
- The more common everyday form for an area; 'miles squared' is more mathematical and can sound technical.
Word family
- square mile noun
- One unit of this area; the singular form used before a number.
- mile noun
- A unit of distance equal to about 1.6 kilometers.
Commonly confused: miles squared or square miles?
miles squared vs square miles
Both describe area, but 'square miles' (20 square miles) is the standard everyday phrase, while 'miles squared' is used more in math to mean a number multiplied by itself.
Practice
The national park covers about 1,200 ___ of protected land.
Choose one answer.
'Miles squared' fits after a number to describe an area. 'Squared miles' reverses the usual order and is not standard, and 'mile squared' is singular, which does not match the plural number 1,200.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “miles squared”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.