The answer will be your measurement in centimeters. So, for example, if you measure an object that's 4 centimeters long, and then another 3 millimeters, its ultimate length is 4. This works because each millimeter is equal to 1 centimeter, so each millimeter mark you count along the ruler is equal to 0. Last but not least, if you have a measurement in millimeters but want to compare it to other measurements taken in centimeters, you should convert the millimeter measurement into centimeters. That way you can compare similar units — it's like comparing apples to apples, instead of trying to compare apples to oranges.
To convert from millimeters to centimeters, divide your measurement by So for example, if you measured 52 millimeters along the ruler, you'd divide by 10 to get the equivalent in centimeters:. Did you notice that you can get the same result by simply shifting the decimal point one space to the left?
That gives you the same result as dividing by If you want to convert from centimeters to millimeters, do the reverse: Multiply by 10 or, for a handy shortcut, move the decimal point one spot to the right. For example, if you had measured something that was 7. Lisa studied mathematics at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and spent several years tutoring high school and university students through scary -- but fun! How to Read mm on a Ruler.
How to Read a Meter Stick. Example: You take out a ruler to measure the width of your fingernail. The ruler stops at 1 cm, meaning that your nail is precisely 1 cm wide. Example: Say you're measuring the width of your smartphone, and it comes up to the fifth line after 4 cm on your ruler.
This would mean that the phone is 4. The smallest unit a metric ruler can measure is 1 mm, or 0. The strand comes to the ninth line after 16 cm on the ruler. This would mean the strand is If you want any extra assistance with learning how to read a ruler in cm or inches, videos and worksheets can be excellent resources. All of these resources, in addition to the handful of practice questions we gave you above, should be enough to get you reading a ruler in no time at all!
Got questions about decimals and fractions? Our expert guides will teach you how to convert decimals to fractions and how to add and subtract fractions.
Metric rulers usually have only centimeters and millimeters on them. But did you know there's an even tinier unit called nanometers? Learn how to convert nanometers to meters and other measurements with our in-depth guide. Ever seen Roman numerals but didn't know how to read them? Check out our detailed guide and you'll be on your way to understanding this ancient numerical system! She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.
Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub. Make sure you always use the correct side of the ruler for the task at hand. You don't want to get the centimeters and the inches mixed up or your measurements won't be correct. Remember that there are 12 large numbers on an English ruler and 30 numbers on the metric ruler. Helpful 7 Not Helpful 2. Learning to read a ruler takes practice, especially converting the numbers in the measurements. Just remember to practice using your ruler and you'll get better at it.
Helpful 8 Not Helpful 5. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Related wikiHows How to. How to. Co-authors: Updated: November 8, Categories: Measuring and Marking Tools. Article Summary X To read a metric ruler to measure centimeters, look at the long lines on the ruler that are numbered , which are the centimeter marks.
In other languages Deutsch: Ein Lineal ablesen. Italiano: Leggere un Righello. Nederlands: Een liniaal gebruiken. Bahasa Indonesia: Membaca Penggaris. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,, times. More reader stories Hide reader stories. Did this article help you? Cookies make wikiHow better.
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. About This Article. Student: Adam Elmasri Sep 8. Ellen L. Aug 23, As a woman with learning disabilities growing up in the 60s, the fact that I could not read a ruler got overlooked. I finally got it from your tutorial after all of these years. No one ever broke it down and worked backwards to explain it - that's why I couldn't get it.
Thank you! McKya Bramlett Aug 14, I didn't want to ask my husband for help, I wanted to figure it out on my own. So I got online and asked Cortana for her help, and she lead me to your site. I know more now about a ruler or tape measure than I ever have before. While some rulers will show only the US customary measures of inches and feet, most also have a metric side that measures length in millimeters and centimeters.
Before you start lining your ruler up and measuring things, take a look at the numbers running down the sides. If there are numbers on just one side of the ruler, they almost definitely show US customary measures: inches and feet. If the ruler has measurements down both sides, one side will show US customary measures; look for the side where the larger marks inches are numbered up to The other side of the ruler will have markings for cm and mm measurement.
The distance between numbered marks on that side will be shorter than on the inches side, and the numbered marks will go as high as 30, because there are approximately 30 centimeters in 12 inches the length of the standard ruler. The small lines between the larger, numbered lines represent millimeters. Now that you've identified which side of the ruler has metric measurements, line that side of the ruler up with the object you're measuring.
The "zero" line on the ruler usually doesn't line up exactly with the edge of the ruler, so make sure you put that zero line even with one edge of what you're measuring. Millimeters are usually used to measure very small things.
If you're measuring a very small object, it may be easier to bring the object to the ruler instead of the other way around.
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