How to Read a Ruler

Learning to read a standard ruler is very essential to many tasks. There are countless professions that depend on accurate measure of things and so, it is important to be able to read a regular ruler. Even students are required to measure things in school. They, too, must also learn how to accurately read an American ruler. A ruler is a simple tool to measure objects with. In America, the standard measure for length and width are stated in inches and centimeters. One full length ruler is 12 inches and that is the equivalent to one foot. Other countries use other systems to measure objects. This article will address reading a ruler with the American standard. It’s very simple to do and doesn’t take a lot o time to learn to do. If you have five minutes you can learn to read a rule. It really is that quick and easy. Here is how you can learn to read a standard ruler correctly. Read on for more information.

Instructions

Step 1

Gather the object that needs to be measured along with you ruler. Place the object against the side marked with the inches lines down the ruler.

Make sure the end of the object that is being measured is at the first indication on the ruler. This is important for accuracy. If you leave off the first few lines, then the object may be measured shorter than it naturally is.

Step 2

The longer indications on the ruler are the inches standard. These notches are labeled with numbers and they are all in sequential order from 1 to 12. These notches also are the numbers you will use to stipulate how long or wide an object measures. Do not exceed the lines past the actual length of the object.

Step 3

The smaller notches in between the bigger lines are the place marks for fractions of an inch. The marking get shorter along the way. These small lines are the numerical equivalent to 1/16 of an inch. There are also 1/8th . ΒΌ and 1/16th increments along a ruler. Look at the ruler to determine which mark is at what value. Be very careful when determining this. This is also important for the accuracy.

Step 4

Factor in every mark in between the inch marks. You don’t want to add any more than where the object falls. Stay within the measurement lines.

Step 5

Look at make note of where the object ends and calculate the measurement including all the fractions of an inch in between the inch marks. You now know how to accurately read a standard ruler. Teach a friend.