How to Read Length of a Ruler

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If all the different lines on a ruler are leaving y'all perplexed, don't worry! Reading a ruler is really simple once you know what y'all're doing. At that place are ii types of rulers: the inch ruler, which has 12 big numbers on it (1 for each inch), and the metric ruler, which has 30 big numbers on information technology (1 for each centimeter). We'll walk you through the nuts of each type of ruler. Then, taking measurements volition be a breeze.

1. i

   Get an inch ruler. You'll know it'south an inch ruler because information technology will accept 12 lines that denote inches on the ruler. 12 inches equals one foot (0.305 m). Each foot is broken downward into inches. Each inch is broken downwardly into 15 smaller marks, equaling sixteen marks in total for each inch on the ruler.^[1]

   • The longer the line on the surface of the ruler, the bigger the measurement is. Ranging from 1 inch to 1/16 of an inch, the lines decrease in size as the unit of measurement does.
   • Make sure you read the ruler from left to correct. If you are measuring something, align information technology with the left side of the zilch marking on the ruler. The left side of the line where the object ends will be its measurement in inches.

2. ii

   Learn the inch marks. A ruler is made 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 yous need to mensurate a smash, place ane end directly on the left side of the ruler. If information technology ends direct above the long line next to the large number five, and then the nail is 5 inches long.

   • Some rulers volition also announce 1/2 inches with numbers, so make sure you lot are using the largest numbers with the longest lines as your inch markers.

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3. 3

   Learn the ane/2 inch marks. The 1/2 inch marks volition be the second longest lines on the ruler, one-half every bit long every bit the inch marks. Each 1/two inch mark will come up midway between each inch number considering it is half of an inch. This means that marks directly between the 0 and 1 inch, one and ii inches, 2 and three inches, and then on across the ruler, are the 1/two inch marks. In total, there are 24 of these marks on a 12 inch ruler.^[ii]

   • For example, place the ruler confronting 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 bespeak ends at the shorter line halfway between the 4 and 5 inches marks, then your pencil is four and ane/2 inches long.

4. 4

   Learn the one/four of an inch marks. Halfway in betwixt each 1/ii inch line, there will be a smaller line that denotes a i/iv of an inch. In the first inch, these marks will mark one/4, 1/2, iii/4, and 1 inch. Although the 1/2 inch and one inch marks have their own lines, they are still function of the 1/4 of an inch measurements because 2/4 of an inch equals half an inch and four/four of an inch equals 1 inch. In that location are a full of 48 of these marks on a 12 inch ruler.^[3]

   • For example, if yous measure a carrot and the tip falls on the line halfway between the 6 1/2 and 7 inch lines, the carrot is 6 and 3/four inches long.

5. 5

   Larn the one/8 of an inch marks. The 1/8 of an inch marks are the smaller marks establish straight in betwixt the 1/four of an inch marks on the ruler. Between 0 and 1 inch, in that location are marks that denote one/8, 1/four (or two/8), 3/8, 1/2 (or 4/8), v/8, vi/viii (or 3/4), seven/viii, and 1 (or 8/8) of an inch. In total, at that place are 96 of these marks on a 12 inch ruler.^[iv]

   • For case, you measure a piece of material and the edge falls on the 6th line after the iv inch mark, which is directly in between the 1/4 of an inch mark and the one/ii inch marking. This ways that your fabric is 4 and 3/viii inches long.

6. 6

   Acquire the 1/16 of an inch marks. The small-scale lines halfway betwixt each 1/8 of an inch announce i/16 of an inch. These are too the smallest lines on the ruler. The very first line on the left hand side of the ruler is the 1/16 of an inch mark. Between 0 and one inch, there are marks that denote 1/16, 2/sixteen (or 1/8), 3/16, 4/xvi (or one/4), 5/16, six/16 (or three/viii), seven/sixteen, 8/16 (or one/2), 9/xvi, ten/16 (or 5/eight), 11/16, 12/16 (3/4), thirteen/16, fourteen/xvi (or seven/eight), 15/16, 16/16 (or 1) of an inch. There are a full of 192 of these lines on the ruler.^[5]

   • For instance, you measure a flower stem and the finish of the stem falls on the 11th line after the 5 inch marker. The bloom stalk is v and 11/16 inches long.
   • Not every ruler will take the 1/16 inch mark. If you plan on measuring things that are pocket-sized or you need to be extremely accurate, brand certain the ruler y'all employ has these marks.

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1. 1

   Get a metric ruler. A metric ruler is based on the International Arrangement of Units (SI), sometimes called the metric system, and is divded into either millimeters or centimeters instead of inches. Rulers are often xxx centimeters long, which are designated by large numbers on the ruler. Between each centimeter (cm) mark, at that place should be 10 smaller marks called millimeters (mm).

   • Make sure yous read the ruler from left to right. If you 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 mode the line thickness will not affect the measurement.
   • Different with the English ruler, the measurements for the metric ruler are written in decimals instead of fractions. For example, 1/ii a centimeter is written as 0.5 cm. ^[half-dozen]

2. 2

   Learn the centimeter marks. The large numbers adjacent to the longest lines on the ruler announce the centimeter marks. A metric ruler has 30 of these marks. For case, place 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 directly on the long line adjacent to the large number 14, your crayon is exactly 14cm long.^[vii]

3. 3

   Learn the 1/2 of a centimeter marks. Halfway between each centimeter, at that place is a slightly shorter line that denotes i/2 of a centimeter, or 0.5cm. At that place are a total of 60 of these marks on a 30 cm ruler.^[8]

   • For example, you mensurate a button and the edge ends on the fifth line right between the one and 2 centimeter marks. Your button is 1.5cm long.
   • For example, to mensurate 0.6 cm, count one thick line (5 mm) and ane thin line (ane mm).

4. four

   Learn the millimeter marks. Between each 0.5cm line, there are four additional lines that denote the millimeter marks. There are a total of x lines per centimeter, with the 0.5cm line acting as the v millimeter marking, making each centimeter 10mm long. There are 300 millimeter marks on a thirty cm ruler.^[9]

   • For instance, if you lot measure a slice of paper and information technology ends on the 7th mark between the 24 and 25 centimeter marking, it means your object is 247mm, or 24.7cm, long.

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Add New Question

• Question

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

  

  The 55.v is larger than 55 1/4. the .5 on the 55.5 would equal 1/2. Therefore, 55.5 is equal to 55 1/two which is 1/4" larger than 55 1/four.

• Question

  Can I acquire to read a ruler in one day?

  

  Yes, but it really depends on what type of ruler you want to acquire as well as how fast y'all selection upwardly new fabric

• Question

  What does it mean when mm is shown just beside the 0 in a ruler?

  

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

• Question

  Where tin can I observe the centimeter markers on a ruler?

  

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

• Question

  What does 0.75 cm expect like?

  

  It'south in the middle between the 7th and 8th millimeter lines in a centimeter. In other words, it ends in the middle of the second half of a centimeter.

• Question

  Is seven/8 larger than one inch?

  

  7/8 is smaller than ane inch. 1 inch represents a whole, while vii/8 represents 7 parts of a whole (viii parts).

• Question

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

  

  They're the same 12in = 1ft.

• Question

  Why in that location is a infinite at the commencement of a ruler?

  

  Some lower quality rulers take spaces at the first to brand the rulers easier to use. Higher quality rulers are oft made of not-elastic materials like steel or aluminum, and their markings beginning without any space.

• Question

  Is 5.5 mm closer to a half inch or a quarter inch?

  

  A quarter inch. 6 mm is most a quarter inch, whereas half an inch looks closer to 12-xiii mm, so 5.5 would exist close to a quarter of an inch.

• Question

  Why are there 5 holes in my 12" ruler?

  

  So you tin can put the ruler in a three- or 5-ring binder to use in school or in an office surroundings.

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• Brand sure y'all always employ the correct side of the ruler for the task at hand. Yous don't want to get the centimeters and the inches mixed up or your measurements won't be right. Recollect that in that location are 12 large numbers on an English ruler and xxx numbers on the metric ruler.

• Learning to read a ruler takes practise, especially converting the numbers in the measurements. Merely call up to practice using your ruler and you lot'll get better at it.

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Article Summary X

To read a metric ruler to measure centimeters, wait at the long lines on the ruler that are numbered 1-30, which are the centimeter marks. The distance between them is equal to 1 centimeter. There are smaller lines between the larger centimeter lines, which represent millimeters. Alternatively, to read an English ruler, start by looking for the inch lines, which are the longest lines on the ruler that are numbered 1-12. The altitude between those lines is 1 inch, and then the smaller lines between them are 1/2, 1/4, one/6 and 1/eight inches! For tips on how to count the smaller lines and figure out how many millimeters you're working with, read on!

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