How Do You Read a Ruler in Inches

Download Commodity

Download Commodity

If all the dissimilar lines on a ruler are leaving you perplexed, don't worry! Reading a ruler is actually simple once you lot know what you're doing. There are ii types of rulers: the inch ruler, which has 12 big numbers on information technology (1 for each inch), and the metric ruler, which has 30 big numbers on it (1 for each centimeter). Nosotros'll walk you through the nuts of each type of ruler. So, taking measurements will be a breeze.

1. i

   Get an inch ruler. You'll know it'southward an inch ruler considering it volition have 12 lines that denote inches on the ruler. 12 inches equals 1 foot (0.305 grand). Each pes is cleaved downward into inches. Each inch is cleaved downward into 15 smaller marks, equaling sixteen marks in total for each inch on the ruler.^[ane]

   • The longer the line on the surface of the ruler, the bigger the measurement is. Ranging from 1 inch to ane/16 of an inch, the lines decrease in size as the unit does.
   • Brand certain y'all read the ruler from left to correct. If you are measuring something, align it with the left side of the naught marker on the ruler. The left side of the line where the object ends will be its measurement in inches.

2. 2

   Learn the inch marks. A ruler is fabricated up of 12 inch marks. These are typically the numbered marks on the ruler and are denoted by the longest lines on the ruler. For example, if you need to measure a nail, place one end directly on the left side of the ruler. If it ends direct above the long line next to the big number v, then the nail is five inches long.

   • Some rulers volition as well denote ane/2 inches with numbers, so make sure you are using the largest numbers with the longest lines every bit your inch markers.

   Advertizement

3. 3

   Learn the one/2 inch marks. The 1/two inch marks will be the second longest lines on the ruler, half equally long as the inch marks. Each 1/two inch mark will come midway between each inch number because it is half of an inch. This means that marks direct betwixt the 0 and 1 inch, ane and 2 inches, 2 and 3 inches, and so on beyond the ruler, are the 1/2 inch marks. In total, there are 24 of these marks on a 12 inch ruler.^[2]

   • For example, place the ruler against a pencil with the eraser at the far left of the ruler. Mark where the tip of the pencil lead ends on the ruler. If the pencil point ends at the shorter line halfway between the 4 and v inches marks, then your pencil is 4 and 1/2 inches long.

4. four

   Learn the one/4 of an inch marks. Halfway in between each 1/2 inch line, there will be a smaller line that denotes a one/4 of an inch. In the kickoff inch, these marks volition mark ane/4, 1/2, 3/four, and 1 inch. Although the one/two inch and ane inch marks have their own lines, they are nonetheless part of the 1/4 of an inch measurements because ii/4 of an inch equals half an inch and 4/4 of an inch equals 1 inch. There are a full of 48 of these marks on a 12 inch ruler.^[3]

   • For case, if you measure out a carrot and the tip falls on the line halfway between the 6 i/2 and seven inch lines, the carrot is 6 and three/4 inches long.

5. v

   Larn the 1/8 of an inch marks. The 1/8 of an inch marks are the smaller marks found straight in between the 1/4 of an inch marks on the ruler. Between 0 and i inch, at that place are marks that denote 1/8, i/4 (or two/eight), 3/8, ane/2 (or 4/eight), v/eight, 6/8 (or three/iv), 7/8, and 1 (or viii/8) of an inch. In total, at that place are 96 of these marks on a 12 inch ruler.^[iv]

   • For example, you measure a piece of fabric and the border falls on the 6th line subsequently the four inch marker, which is straight in between the i/iv of an inch mark and the 1/2 inch mark. This ways that your fabric is 4 and 3/viii inches long.

6. 6

   Learn the 1/16 of an inch marks. The small lines halfway betwixt each ane/eight of an inch denote 1/16 of an inch. These are also the smallest lines on the ruler. The very first line on the left hand side of the ruler is the i/16 of an inch mark. Between 0 and i inch, there are marks that denote 1/xvi, 2/16 (or one/8), iii/16, 4/16 (or i/iv), 5/16, 6/16 (or 3/8), 7/16, 8/xvi (or 1/2), ix/16, 10/16 (or 5/8), eleven/16, 12/sixteen (3/iv), xiii/xvi, 14/sixteen (or 7/viii), xv/16, 16/16 (or 1) of an inch. There are a total of 192 of these lines on the ruler.^[5]

   • For case, you measure a flower stem and the finish of the stem falls on the 11th line afterward the 5 inch mark. The blossom stem is five and 11/16 inches long.
   • Non every ruler will take the one/sixteen inch mark. If y'all plan on measuring things that are small or y'all need to be extremely accurate, make certain the ruler you use has these marks.

   Advertisement

1. one

   Get a metric ruler. A metric ruler is based on the International System of Units (SI), sometimes chosen the metric system, and is divded into either millimeters or centimeters instead of inches. Rulers are often 30 centimeters long, which are designated by large numbers on the ruler. Betwixt each centimeter (cm) mark, there should be 10 smaller marks chosen millimeters (mm).

   • Brand certain you read the ruler from left to right. If yous are measuring an object, align it with the left side of the zero mark on the ruler. The left side of the line where the object ends will be its measurement in centimeters. This way the line thickness will not bear on the measurement.
   • Unlike with the English ruler, the measurements for the metric ruler are written in decimals instead of fractions. For example, one/ii a centimeter is written as 0.5 cm. ^[6]

2. 2

   Learn the centimeter marks. The big numbers next to the longest lines on the ruler denote the centimeter marks. A metric ruler has 30 of these marks. For case, identify the bottom of a crayon on the far left side of the ruler to measure it. Note where the tip falls. If the crayon ends direct on the long line side by side to the large number 14, your crayon is exactly 14cm long.^[7]

3. 3

   Learn the i/2 of a centimeter marks. Halfway between each centimeter, there is a slightly shorter line that denotes 1/2 of a centimeter, or 0.5cm. There are a total of 60 of these marks on a xxx cm ruler.^[viii]

   • For example, y'all measure a button and the border ends on the fifth line right betwixt the i and two centimeter marks. Your button is 1.5cm long.
   • For example, to measure 0.6 cm, count one thick line (v mm) and ane sparse line (one mm).

4. 4

   Learn the millimeter marks. Between each 0.5cm line, at that place are iv boosted lines that denote the millimeter marks. There are a total of 10 lines per centimeter, with the 0.5cm line interim every bit the 5 millimeter marking, making each centimeter 10mm long. There are 300 millimeter marks on a thirty cm ruler.^[9]

   • For instance, if you lot mensurate a piece of paper and information technology ends on the seventh marker betwixt the 24 and 25 centimeter mark, it means your object is 247mm, or 24.7cm, long.

   Advertisement

Add New Question

• Question

  What is 55.5? Is that larger than 55 1/4?

  

  The 55.five is larger than 55 1/4. the .five on the 55.5 would equal 1/2. Therefore, 55.5 is equal to 55 1/ii which is 1/iv" larger than 55 1/4.

• Question

  Tin I larn to read a ruler in one mean solar day?

  

  Yes, but it really depends on what type of ruler you want to acquire as well as how fast you pick up new material

• Question

  What does it hateful when mm is shown merely beside the 0 in a ruler?

  

  Each small line represents 1mm. Therefore, the first line past the big number (for instance 25) will represent 25.1cm or 251mm.

• Question

  Where can I find the centimeter markers on a ruler?

  

  The centimeters side is usually the part of the ruler where the markers are shorter and closer together. It reads cm, and has more numbers.

• Question

  What does 0.75 cm look like?

  

  It's in the middle betwixt the 7th and eighth millimeter lines in a centimeter. In other words, it ends in the center of the second half of a centimeter.

• Question

  Is 7/8 larger than one inch?

  

  7/8 is smaller than 1 inch. one inch represents a whole, while 7/8 represents 7 parts of a whole (eight parts).

• Question

  Is 12 inches longer than a pes? I am feeling stumped by this.

  

  They're the same 12in = 1ft.

• Question

  Why in that location is a space at the beginning of a ruler?

  

  Some lower quality rulers take spaces at the beginning to brand the rulers easier to use. Higher quality rulers are frequently fabricated of non-rubberband materials like steel or aluminum, and their markings starting time without any space.

• Question

  Is 5.v mm closer to a half inch or a quarter inch?

  

  A quarter inch. vi mm is near a quarter inch, whereas half an inch looks closer to 12-xiii mm, then 5.5 would exist close to a quarter of an inch.

• Question

  Why are there five holes in my 12" ruler?

  

  And then you tin put the ruler in a iii- or 5-ring binder to use in school or in an office environment.

Show more answers

Enquire a Question

200 characters left

Include your e-mail address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertising

Video

• Make certain you lot ever use the right side of the ruler for the task at hand. You don't desire to get the centimeters and the inches mixed up or your measurements won't exist correct. Remember that at that place are 12 large numbers on an English ruler and 30 numbers on the metric ruler.

• Learning to read a ruler takes exercise, peculiarly converting the numbers in the measurements. Just remember to practise using your ruler and you'll go amend at it.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Advertisement

Virtually This Article

Article Summary X

To read a metric ruler to measure centimeters, look at the long lines on the ruler that are numbered ane-30, which are the centimeter marks. The distance between them is equal to 1 centimeter. In that location are smaller lines betwixt the larger centimeter lines, which correspond millimeters. Alternatively, to read an English ruler, start past looking for the inch lines, which are the longest lines on the ruler that are numbered 1-12. The distance betwixt those lines is 1 inch, and then the smaller lines betwixt them are one/2, 1/four, ane/6 and i/8 inches! For tips on how to count the smaller lines and effigy out how many millimeters you're working with, read on!

Did this summary aid yous?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,581,397 times.

Did this article assist you?

prichardtheirly76.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Read-a-Ruler

Share this post