In most of the globe, and particularly America, the metric system might not be well-known. If one says something is 20 meters long, it doesn’t register in our minds so well. That is, 20 meters is approximately 65.6 feet or about the length of 13 adults standing head to toe. It is also a bit longer than an average bowling lane.
This article discusses 15 ordinary objects or lengths of about 20 meters. These comparisons will make you better understand this distance in plain language.
How Long/Big/Far is 20 Meters?
Twenty meters is equal to approximately 65.6 feet, which makes it a considerable distance in everyday terms. To visualize its length, imagine lining up around seven average-sized cars bumper to bumper — that would roughly equal 20 meters. It’s also close to one-fifth the length of an American football field, which is about 100 yards or 91.4 meters long. For another perspective, a standard bowling lane is around 18 meters, so 20 meters would slightly exceed that.
In terms of size, 20 meters can be compared to the height of a 6- to 7-story building. It’s also about the length of two full-size school buses placed end to end. On a roadway, 20 meters would stretch across four to five traffic lanes, making it a noticeable span across an urban street. Interestingly, a standard tennis court is about 23.77 meters long, so 20 meters comes quite close to its full length.
As for distance, 20 meters is something most people can walk in about 12 to 15 steps, depending on stride length. A professional sprinter could cover it in just under two seconds, showcasing how quickly it can pass when running at top speed. For swimmers, it represents about one-third the length of an Olympic-size pool, which is 50 meters long. Whether you think of it in terms of walking, driving, or sports, 20 meters is a tangible and moderately long distance that’s easy to compare with common real-world objects.
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1. A Nineteen Meters Short Standard Bowling Lane
Short by approximately 20 meters, a standard bowling lane is close enough to compare. Alone, the lane itself, from foul line to pins, is 18.29 meters (60 feet). It can be 20 meters or larger to utilize in business.
This is an extremely idealized mental view of what 20 meters actually looks like in reality.
2. Ten Side-by-Side Cars
The typical car is approximately 4.5 to 5 meters in length. Side by side, 4 to 5 typical cars bumper to bumper would be somewhere around 20 meters in length.
This is a simple way to estimate 20 meters if you just so happen to be standing out in the city block or parking lot.
3. Two London Buses
The classic red London double-decker bus is roughly this length, 10 meters.
Two end to end side by side is a very good 20 meter approximation.
The method is used extensively in center city measurement books and comparative school sketches.
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4. Half of the Tennis Court Perimeter
A tennis court is 23.77 meters long. So it is just over 20 meters in length. If you’re down one of the baselines and looking out over the court, you’re really little more than looking down a 20-meter straightaway.
5. Four Giraffes Standing Head to Toe
A grown-up giraffe will require a length of approximately 5 to 6 meters. Put 3.5 to 4 giraffes head to tail next to each other and their total length will provide you with around 20 meters.
This is a great comparison, particularly to young readers who are experiencing a challenge in comprehending the measure of distance using animals.
6. A 20-Meter Swimming Pool
In many schools and community centers, 20-meter swimming pools are standard for training and short-course competitions. While Olympic pools measure 50 meters, many private or semi-public pools are 20 to 25 meters in length.
If you’ve ever swum a single lap in such a pool, you’ve experienced a full 20-meter stretch.
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7. Two Large Shipping Containers End to End
An ordinary shipping intermodal box is 20 ft (6 meters) or 40 ft (12 meters) in length. Stack one end-to-end 40 ft box beside one 20 ft box, and you are at 18.3 meters, about 20 meters.
You are able to stack these boxes as gauges at big ports or freight terminals.
8. Height of a Six-Story Building
The average height of a business building or of a house is 3 to 3.5 meters. Height of a six-story building will be 18 to 21 meters depending upon the ceiling height and depending upon the construction type.
Take precisely the same-size office complex building or small apartment building and you have a good educated guess height of 20 meters.
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9. A Blue Whale (The Largest Animal on Earth)
Blue whales, and largest ever to have lived, will be 30 meters, though an adult will be approximately 20 to 25 meters.
So if you’re picturing one full, whole, adult blue whale, and you’re gazing at a living breathing 20 meters gliding around, that’s pretty much what you’re seeing.
10. Logging Truck and Trailer
A 20-meter gross horizontal dimension full-size loaded logging trailer and truck. They are typical vehicles used in forest or industrial park areas and are the 20-meter gross horizontal dimension.
Used also to calculate turning radius as well as road safety margins.
11. Two Side-by-Side Bowling Alleys (with Return Systems)
As already stated, a bowling alley from foul line to pins is roughly 18.3 meters deep. But with allowance for entrance and exit equipment, a double pair of bowling alleys may be over 20 meters deep in the building. Therefore, a commercial bowling center is a fair multi-angle comparison to 20 meters.
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12. A Small Yacht
Most of the private sailing boats and yachts range between 18 to 22 meters in size. A yacht measuring 20 meters is big and is quite typical at marinas.
The above definition will be most handy in nautical or business situations.
13. Half the Width of an American Football Field
A football field is 160 feet in width (approximately 48.8 meters). Half would be approximately exactly 24.4 meters, and less than half would be around 20 meters.
It is easy to walk 20 meters along the sideline by walking halfway across the field.
14. A Street Block in Some Cities
In some European and North American cities, a single short block of a street is about 20 meters long, especially with grid-plan layouts like New York City or Barcelona’s Eixample neighborhood.
Town planners typically use the 20-meter distance as an ideal module in residential streets where plots are very small.
15. 100 Standard Bricks End-to-End
An average brick measures 200 mm or 0.2 meters in length. 100 of these bricks set end to end make a precise 20-meter length.
This image is applicable in building, engineering, and architecture courses.
Bonus Exercise: Height of a Giant Sequoia Sapling
Despite mature giant sequoias being more than 75 meters tall, saplings grow to be about 18 to 22 meters tall after many decades.
Forestry enthusiasts and nature enthusiasts can apply the comparison when on vacation at national parks or while reading plant research.
Understanding 20 Meters
While studying metric units such as 20 meters, it comes in handy in all types of daily situations:
- Construction & Architecture: In the planning phase, height, or setbacks.
- Sports & Fitness: For sprint training organization, lap swimming, or field design.
- Event Planning: To estimate space required for stages, tents, or seats.
- Education: Assisting pupils in learning measurement by comparison.
- Safety & Transport: Measuring stopping clearances or distances.
Accurate visualization of the 20 meters aids spatial awareness, prevents miscalculation, and adds to your understanding of the world around you.
Final Thoughts
From automobiles and pets to houses and playgrounds, 20 meters is a simple and mundane measurement in life. You are perhaps an athlete, builder, student, architect, or even just someone interested in finding out what in the world 20 meters is. It may be greatly beneficial to you.
Make use of these everyday, easy-to-understand analogies that will be understood by everyone the next time you have to measure distance, understand measurement, or when you are teaching others measurements. The more the world becomes metric, the more it will be useful to be able to think in units such as meters.
