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how to read ruler measurements

by Miss Leonor Boehm Sr. Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Can a ruler make accurate measurement?

This printable 6 inch ruler is actual size and it can be used to make fairly accurate measurements. With markings and gradations that are easy to read, this six inch ruler can replace a real one in certain situations. Simply download the 6” ruler template, print out the PDF document and start measuring!

How do you read centimeters on a standard ruler?

Method 1 Method 1 of 4: Using a Ruler to Measure

  1. Locate the centimeters on the ruler. Many rulers have two sets of numbers. ...
  2. Understand the relationship between a millimeter and a centimeter. If you look closely at your ruler, you will see that each centimeter is divided into 10 parts by the ...
  3. Align the edge of the object with the first centimeter line on the ruler. ...

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What is the system of measurement in a ruler?

The three standard types of measurement systems are listed below:

  • The International System of Units (SI) units
  • The British Imperial System
  • The US Customary System

Where does the measurement start on a ruler?

Reading A Ruler: Understand this first:

  1. Each foot is broken down into twelve inches and most regular rulers are about one foot or twelve inches long.
  2. The problem for most people is the little lines between the inch marks! We all know where the 1, 2, 3 etc. ...
  3. The longer the line, the larger the measurement: See how the inch mark is longer than the half inch mark? ...

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How do you read ruler measurements?

0:386:18If you count the marks you'll see that there are 16. You can do an easy check count 8 marks and seeMoreIf you count the marks you'll see that there are 16. You can do an easy check count 8 marks and see if you're at the half-inch. Mark.

What are the lines on a ruler?

The markings on a standard ruler represent the fractions of an inch. The markings on a ruler from the start to the 1″ mark are: 1⁄16“, 1⁄8“, 3⁄16“, 1⁄4“, 5⁄16“, 3⁄8“, 7⁄16“, 1⁄2“, 9⁄16“, 5⁄8“, 11⁄16“, 3⁄4“, 13⁄16“, 7⁄8“, 15⁄16“, and 1”.

What is the easiest way to read a ruler?

0:556:18So some basic things to remember about reading a ruler and some of these are gonna be the obvious inMoreSo some basic things to remember about reading a ruler and some of these are gonna be the obvious in. Between is half yes that is our one half inch mark.

How do you write ruler measurements?

Example: Say you're measuring a piece of cloth and the ruler ends at the fourth line after the 10-inch mark....If you counted each line within the first inch of a ruler, you'd get the following measurements:1/16 inch.2/16 (1/8) inch.3/16 inch.4/16 (1/4) inch.5/16 inch.6/16 (3/8) inch.7/16 inch.8/16 (1/2) inch.More items...•

What do the lines in between inches mean?

The number of lines between inch marks indicate how precise you can get with your tool. To read 1/2-inch measurements, locate the second-longest mark between the longer inch marks. For 1/4-inch marks, look halfway between the 1/2-inch marks. You can read smaller fractions of an inch the same way.

What are the little lines on a ruler called?

“Hatch mark” is the name given to a mark on a ruler. Hatch marks are also known as hash marks. Hatch marks mark distance values on the ruler and notify you every unit of distance moved along a straight line.

How do you read CM and mm on a ruler?

0:006:06So a centimeter is 10 times bigger than a millimeter the nice thing about metric rulers is that theyMoreSo a centimeter is 10 times bigger than a millimeter the nice thing about metric rulers is that they're made to be easy to use remember how easy it was to learn your 10 times tables.

What is 2.6 inches on a ruler?

Therefore, 2.6 is located between 2 inches and 3 inches on the ruler. Looking at the table above, we can locate where the decimal part of 2.6 fits. The decimal part of 2.6 is more than 0.5625 and less than 0.625. Therefore, 2.6 fits between Mark 9 and Mark 10.

How do you use a ruler step by step?

0:211:18And but first of all we can create a question for us on what to use for the ruler. So let's go aheadMoreAnd but first of all we can create a question for us on what to use for the ruler. So let's go ahead and say let's draw a line that is two inches long. So we'll go ahead and draw that for you.

Do you start at 1 on a ruler?

The very first line on the left hand side of the ruler is the 1/16 of an inch mark. Between 0 and 1 inch, there are marks that denote 1/16, 2/16 (or 1/8), 3/16, 4/16 (or 1/4), 5/16, 6/16 (or 3/8), 7/16, 8/16 (or 1/2), 9/16, 10/16 (or 5/8), 11/16, 12/16 (3/4), 13/16, 14/16 (or 7/8), 15/16, 16/16 (or 1) of an inch.

What is cm on a ruler?

A centimeter is smaller than an inch. The long hash marks under which numbers are written on the ruler denote centimeters. A millimeter is even smaller than a centimeter. The smaller hash marks between each centimeter represent millimeters. 10-millimeter hash marks make 1 centimeter.

Where is cm on a ruler?

The metric side of the ruler has centimeter numbers from 1 on the far left up to 30 on the far right. The final metric point on the ruler is 30.5, making the ruler 30.5 cm long. The longest lines at each centimeter number indicate the centimeters along the edge of the ruler.

How to tell what inch a ruler is?

Example: If you were to measure the length of a sheet of computer paper, the piece of paper would come up to the 11-inch mark on your ruler, indicating that it's exactly 11 inches long.

Why is it important to know how to read a ruler?

For example, if you wanted to make something out of construction paper, you'd likely need to use a ruler to measure out how much of the material you would need.

How many lines are there in a metric ruler?

There will always be 10 lines from one centimeter to the next centimeter. In total, there are three different lengths of lines on a metric ruler. The longest line represents the biggest unit on the ruler: 1 cm. Each centimeter is labeled on the ruler (1-30).

What is the third largest line on a ruler?

The third-biggest lines on a ruler are the 1/4 inch lines, which appear midway between the 1/2 inch and whole inch lines: If you counted in 1/4 inches on a ruler, you'd see that the fourth line after 0 inches equals 1/4 inch, the eighth line equals 2/4 (1/2) inch, and the 12th line equals 3/4 inch.

What are the two types of rulers?

There are two types of rulers you can use: the inch, or imperial, ruler and the centimeter, or metric, ruler. Inches correspond to the imperial system, which is the main measuring system used in the US and a smattering of other countries. Meanwhile, centimeters are part of the metric system, which is used around the world in both everyday life ...

How long is a standard ruler?

The standard metric ruler is 30 cm long. Each centimeter is labeled with a number to show the measurement it's referring to. You might see inches on the other side of your metric ruler. In this case, refer to the instructions above to learn how to read a ruler in inches.

What is the middle length of a ruler?

The middle-length line on a metric ruler is the 1/2 (0.5) centimeter line, which comes midway between every centimeter (in other words, it's the fifth line after every whole centimeter): So if you counted five lines from 9 cm, for instance, you’d get 9.5 cm (or 95 mm).

Step 1: Start Your Inches!

Gather supplies. See Picture 1.

Step 2: Cut & Double- Halves

Now that you have your inch started, we can "Cut and Double". Inside of the inch mark you have drawn, put another mark in the middle, cutting the inch in half as shown in Picture 1 . Most people understand that this is a half an inch, or 1/2, as shown in Picture 2 and 3. To explain this further, lets talk about the "Cut and Double" for a minute.

Step 3: Cut & Double- Quarters

If you understood the last step, the rest is simple. Just repeat it as many times as you want! CUT again! For each section of your inch, cut it in half as shown in Picture 1 .

Step 4: Cut & Double- Eighths

CUT again! For each section of your inch, cut it in half as shown in Picture 1. Notice there are FOUR marks now instead of 2, because we have FOUR sections- one on each side of the 1/4 inch marks. DOUBLE again! The denominator of the last fraction is 4, so 2 x 4 = 8 as shown in Picture 2.

Step 5: Cut & Double- Sixteenths

CUT again! For each section of your inch, cut it in half as shown in Picture 1 . Notice there are EIGHT marks now instead of 4, because we have EIGHT sections- one on each side of the 1/8 inch marks. DOUBLE again! The denominator of the last fraction is 8, so 2 x 8 = 16 as shown in Picture 2 .

Step 6: Tips, Tricks, and Continuing On

You've Drawn your Inch! Here's what your completed Inch should look like- see Pictures 1 and 4 . Now lets show you a couple of patterns and give you some tips and tricks!

How to Read a Ruler- The Easy Method Video Tutorial

Are you asking, “Connie Stewart, where is the quarter inch mark on a ruler? And OMG….1/16th of an inch??!” Let me help you out! Reading a ruler is something we all need to learn and if you want to know “what are the measurements on a ruler?” I think this video will have you Ruling the ruler measurement (sorry, I couldn’t resist!) in no time flat.

This makes my heart SO happy!

I think my earliest memory ever was watching the first episode of Sesame Street. I was sick in bed but my Mom said I could come out in the living room and watch this new show that was coming on. Keep in mind, my sweet little young people, this was before the days of cable. We had 4 channels to choose from so a show for kids was a BIG deal!

The Hook

First, let’s start with a critical fact about the tape measure. Yes, the hook on the tape measure is supposed to slide back and forth. When you measure an inside measurement, it shrinks the exact thickness of the tape measure’s hook. When you measure an outside measurement, it expands the precise thickness of the hook. This way, 0” is always at 0”.

Know the Size of Your Tape Measure Housing

Second, most tape measure housings are 3-inches. Knowing this means that when you measure an inside measurement, you can hold the tape measure as shown in the photo. Read the tape measure at the spot shown. Now add exactly 3-inches to get the correct measurement.

How to Read a Metric Tape Measure

Now let’s get to it. We will start with the metric system since that is slightly easier. The metric system is based on the meter. A meter is about 3.28 feet or 1.09 yards. If we divide a meter by ten, we get decimeters. Each decimeter is 3.94-inches. My metric tape measures highlight these in red.

How to Read Imperial Tape Measures

The Imperial system is not nearly as complicated as other countries would have you believe. The metric system is ten based, and the imperial system divides by two. Having been a photography teacher for a decade, I know not to take people’s essential knowledge for granted.

16-inch Red Numbers and Black Diamonds on Tapes

Now that you know how to read a tape measure, you might be asking, why are 16-inch increments red. You also may want to understand the purpose of those tiny black diamonds at 19.2-inches? Believe it or not, they actually work together.

Conclusion

These are the basics of how to read a tape measure. We have an article full of woodworking measuring and marking tips and tricks using a tape measure.

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