A parcel of land that is 5 miles on each side would be described as

A parcel of land that is 5 miles on each side would be described as

• A. 5 miles square
• B. 25 square miles
• C. 5 miles by 5 miles
• D. 5 miles long

Answer: (A)

Describing land by its dimensions uses the phrase “X miles square” to indicate a square parcel whose sides are X miles long. Here, a parcel that is 5 miles on each side forms a square with side length 5 miles. The standard way to describe that is “five miles square,” which also implies the area is 25 square miles (since 5 × 5 = 25). If you only say “25 square miles,” you’re stating the area but not the shape or the exact side length. Saying “5 miles by 5 miles” would be accurate too, but the conventional land-descriptor is “five miles square.” Saying “5 miles long” gives only one dimension and misses the other side.

Describing land by its dimensions uses the phrase “X miles square” to indicate a square parcel whose sides are X miles long. Here, a parcel that is 5 miles on each side forms a square with side length 5 miles. The standard way to describe that is “five miles square,” which also implies the area is 25 square miles (since 5 × 5 = 25). If you only say “25 square miles,” you’re stating the area but not the shape or the exact side length. Saying “5 miles by 5 miles” would be accurate too, but the conventional land-descriptor is “five miles square.” Saying “5 miles long” gives only one dimension and misses the other side.