There are two types of rulers: the English ruler or fractional ruler, and the Metric ruler or decimal ruler. Reading this ruler may seem complicated at first glance because of the many small lines on the line, but actually reading a ruler is quite simple. Follow these guidelines and you'll have no more trouble taking measurements with any type of ruler.
Step
Method 1 of 2: English Ruler
Step 1. Take an English ruler
The English ruler has 12 lines marking inches in it. 12 inches equals 1 foot (0.3 m). This 1 foot (0.3 m) length is broken down into inches. Each inch is broken back into 15 smaller marks, adding up the length of these 16 marks equals one inch on the ruler.
- The longer the line on the ruler, the bigger the size. The inch mark is the longest mark on the ruler.
- Make sure you read the ruler from left to right. If you are measuring an object, align it with the left side of the ruler. The end of the object on the right is the measurement in inches.
Step 2. Learn the inch mark
An English ruler consists of 12 inch marks. This mark is usually marked with a number and the longest line on the ruler. For example, if you need to measure the length of a nail, place the left side on one end of the nail. If the other end of the nail is exactly at the number 5, then the length of this nail is 5 inches.
Some rulers also mark 1/2 inch with a number, so make sure you follow the largest number and line on the ruler
Step 3. Study the 1/2 inch mark
This is the second longest line on the ruler after the inch and is somewhere between 0 and 1 inch, 1 and 2 inch, 2 and 3 inch, and so on up to 12 inches. In total there are 24 of these marks on the ruler.
For example, if you are going to measure a pencil. Place the pencil on the ruler with the eraser on the left. Mark the tip of the pencil on the ruler. The pencil may be 4 1/2 inches long, in which case the tip of the pencil will fall at the 1/2 mark and over the 4 inch mark
Step 4. Study the 1/4 inch mark
Halfway between the 1/2 inch lines there is a smaller line marking the 1/4 inch. In the first inch, these marks mean 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and 1 inch. Although the 1/2 inch and 1 inch marks have separate lines, these lines are still part of the 1/4 inch of the measurement because 2/4 inch equals half and 4/4 inch equals 1 inch. Altogether, there are 48 of these marks on a ruler.
For example, if you measure the length of a carrot and the tip falls somewhere between 6 1/2 and 7 inches, the length of the carrot is 6 3/4 inches
Step 5. Study the 1/8 inch mark
This mark is a smaller mark than the 1/4 inch mark. Between 0 and 1 inch, there are marks 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). The total number of these marks is 96 on one ruler.
For example, you measure a piece of cloth and the edge falls on the 6th line after the 4-inch mark, just between the 1/4 and 1/2 inch mark. This means your fabric is 4 3/8 inches long
Step 6. Study the 1/16 inch mark
The small line in the middle between the 1/8 inch mark indicates 1/16 inch. This line is also the smallest line in the ruler. The very first line here to the left of the ruler is the 1/16 inch mark. Between 0 and 1 inch, there are lines that mark 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) inches. Altogether, there are 192 of these lines in one ruler.
- For example, you measure the stem of a flower and the tip of the stem falls on the 11th line after the 5-inch mark. The flower stem is 5 11/16 inches long.
- Not all rulers have a 1/16 inch mark. If you plan to measure small objects or if you really need to make accurate measurements, make sure beforehand that the ruler you are using has this mark.
Method 2 of 2: Metric Ruler
Step 1. Take a metric ruler
Metric rulers use the metric system, which measures in centimeters instead of inches. There is usually 30 centimeters in one ruler, which is marked with a large number inside. Between each centimeter (cm) mark, there should be 10 smaller marks called millimeters (mm).
- Make sure you read the ruler from left to right. If you are measuring an object, align it with the left side of the ruler. The end of the object on the right side is its size in centimeters.
- Unlike the English ruler, measurements on a metric ruler are written in decimal numbers instead of fractions. For example, 1/2 centimeter is written as 0.5 cm.
Step 2. Learn the 1-centimeter mark
The large number next to the long line in the ruler indicates one centimeter. A metric ruler has these 30 marks. For example, place the tip of a crayon on the left side of the ruler to measure it. Notice the other end. If the tip of the crayon exactly touches the long line with the large number 14, then the object is 14 centimeters long.
Step 3. Learn the 1/2 centimeter mark
Halfway between each centimeter mark, there is a shorter line marking 1/2 centimeter or 0.5 centimeter. Altogether there are 60 of these lines in a ruler.
For example, if you measure a button and the end falls on the fifth line to the right between 1 and 2 centimeters. Then your button length is 1.5 cm
Step 4. Learn the millimeter sign
Between each 0.5 cm line there are four more lines that mark 1 millimeter. There are a total of 10 lines for every 1 centimeter, with 0.5 cm lines acting as 5 mm lines, so each centimeter equals 10 mm. There are 300 of these marks in all on one ruler.
For example, if you measure a piece of paper and the edge falls on the seventh line between 24 and 25 centimeters, your object is 247 mm or 24.7 cm long
Tips
- You need to practice to be able to read a ruler, especially in changing the number of measurement results. Remember to practice using your ruler and you will get better at it.
- Be sure to always use the correct side of the ruler to take measurements. Do not mix centimeters and inches or your measurements will not be accurate. Remember that there are 12 large numbers in the English ruler and 30 large numbers in the metric ruler.
