Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: The standard (metric) ruler
• Method 2 of 2: English rulers
• Tips
• Warnings

There are two types of rulers: in centimeters (according to the metric system) and in inches (the imperial or imperial system). They can sometimes look a bit complicated with all those lines, but they are actually very easy to use. Once you know the basics, you will be able to use a ruler to measure something without any problems.

To step

Method 1 of 2: The standard (metric) ruler

1. We start with the metric ruler. A regular ruler is 30 centimeters long and divided into centimeters and millimeters. Between every centimeter (cm) of line there are 8 shorter lines and 1 slightly longer line, each 1 millimeter (mm) long. A ruler, whether it is the regular or the English version in inches, is read from left to right.
2. The "centimeter" lines. 1 cm is divided into 10 mm. A ruler has 31 lines, one for every centimeter + the 0 line. These are the longest lines and they are numbered from 0 to 30.
   • For example: the distance from 0 to 4 is exactly 4 cm.
3. The "1/2 centimeter" lines, also called the "5 millimeter" lines. These are the longer lines between every centimeter. In total there are 30 of these marks on the ruler.
   • An example: The fifth line after 8 cm indicates 8.5 cm (this is 85 mm), from the 0 line.
4. The "millimeter" lines. The small lines indicate the millimeters and there are 10 mm in every cm.
   • An example: the fourth line after a centimeter line is 4mm (or 0.4 cm).
   • Another example: the seventh line after 3 cm is exactly 37mm (or 3.7 cm).

Method 2 of 2: English rulers

1. The English ruler. This ruler is built according to the British-American measure system or imperial system and is nowadays almost exclusively used in the USA. used. In most cases there will be 12 inches on the ruler. 12 inches equals 1 foot with 15 smaller marks between the inch marks (16 marks in total). Just remember that the longer line represents an inch and the short line represents parts of an inch.
   • You read the ruler from left to right. Measure in the same way as with a regular ruler, only this time you measure in inches.
2. The "inch" lines. An English ruler consists of 12 inch lines + the 0 line. These are generally the numbered lines, although some rulers also have the 1/2 inches numbered.
3. The "1/2-inch" lines. This is a slightly shorter line than the inch line, it is centered between two inches and thus indicates half an inch. A ruler can be divided into 24 x ½ inch
   • Suppose you want to measure a pencil. Hold the ruler along, start at the 0 line and see which line the pencil reaches. In this case, for example, it would be the ½ inch line after the 4 inch mark, so the length of the pen is equal to 4 1/2 inches.
4. The "1/4 inch" lines. These are a stroke smaller than the 1/2 line and slightly larger than the 1/8 line. A ruler can be divided into 48 x ¼ inch.
   • These lines indicate 1/4, ½, and ¾ of a 1 inch. 1/2 equals 2/4 inch.
   • An example. If you measure something up to the 12th line after the 6 inch mark, the length of the object is 6 3/4 inches.
   • If you look at a ruler you will see three ¼ inch lines in each inch, but remember that the fourth ¼ line is in the full inch mark, as it were.
5. The "1/8 inch" lines. These are again smaller than the 1/4 inch lines. Between 0 and 1 inch you will find 1/8, 1/4 (or 2/8), 3/8, 1/2 (or 4/8), 5/8, 6/8 (or 3/4), 7/8 and 8/8 (or 1 inch). In total there are 96 of these distances on a ruler.
   • If a measurement is up to the sixth line after the 4 inch line, the length is 4 3/8 inches.
6. The "1/16 inch" lines. This is the smallest unit of measure on the ruler. There are 15 lines between each inch. Not every ruler has a 1/16 inch line. The first line from the 0 line to the left of the ruler is 1/16 inch. There are 192 of these distances on the entire ruler.
   • Between 0 and 1 you will find 1/16, 2/16 (or 1/8), 3/16, 4/16 (or 1/4), 5/16, 6/16 (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 inch).
   • If a measurement is up to the third line after the 2 inch mark, the length is 2 3/16 inches.

Tips

• Practice with your ruler to get better at this!

Warnings

• It won't happen to you anytime soon, but don't confuse centimeters and inches. Space missions actually failed because of this! There are 16 lines in every inch and 10 lines in every centimeter.