How to Read a Measuring Tape
Use the big, numbered markings for inches., Use the bigger marks between two inch markings for half-inches., Use the smaller lines between half-inches for quarter-inches., Use the small, regular marks for one-eighth-inches., Use the tiny...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use the big
On a tape measure labeled with imperial units, the most prominent marks are usually the one-inch marks.
These are typically marked by long, thin lines and fairly large numbers.Every 12 inches, there will often (but not always) be a foot marking.
This is usually in a different color than the other markings — often red in contrast to the normal black markings.
After each foot marking, the numbers next to each inch mark will either repeat from 1
- 11 again or keep counting.
This can vary from tape measure to tape measure.
Note that the line next to the number marks each inch, not the number itself. -
Step 2: numbered markings for inches.
A half-inch mark is always centered between any two one-inch marks.
It almost always has the second-longest marking (after the one-inch marks).
There will be one half-inch mark between each one-inch mark, but there are two half-inches per inch.
Note that, starting with half-inch marks, not all lines may be labeled with numbers.
In this case, you need to use the markings on either side to guide you.
For example, the half-inch mark between inches three and four stands for 3 1/2 inches, even though it's not labeled. , After half-inches come quarter inches.
These markings are smaller (and sometimes skinnier) than half-inches but usually bigger than the densely-packed marks around them.
They are evenly spaced between each half-inch mark and one inch-mark.
There are four quarter-inches in one inch.
Note that lines marking a quarter of an inch sometimes aren't any different in size from eighth-inch marks.
In this case, keep in mind that two eighths of an inch make a quarter.
Count to the second eighth-inch marking after the inch marking — this is the quarter-inch (and the line in the same spot on the other side of the half-inch mark is the three-quarter inch.) , Smaller still than the quarter-inch markings are the one-eighth-inch markings.
These markings are centered between the inch marking and the quarter-inch marking, the quarter-inch marking and the half-inch marking, and so on.
There are eight one-eighth inches per inch. , The shortest lines of all on most measuring tapes are the sixteenth-inch marks.
There are 16 of these tiny marks per inch — four in each quarter-inch.
Note that some very precise measuring tapes will mark down to one-thirty-second of an inch or even one-sixty-fourth of an inch! Use the same pattern for recognizing these miniscule measurements. , When you are measuring a length, getting an accurate value just means seeing where the tape lines up.
First, mark the spot where the measuring tape lines up with the edge of the thing you're measuring.
Find the nearest inch before this point.
Then, find the nearest half-inch before this point.
Then, the nearest quarter-inch, and so on.
Add up your inches and fractions of inches until you have an accurate measurement.
This is a lot easier than it sounds — see below for an example.
Let's say that we've measured past the the one-inch mark, past one quarter-inch mark, and past one eighth-inch mark.
To find our measurement, we need to add: 1 (our inches) + 1/4 (our quarter-inches) + 1/8 (our eighth-inches).
Since there are two eighth-inches in a quarter-inch, we can rewrite this as: 1 + 2/8 + 1/8 = 1 3/8 inches.
Adding fractions like 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, and so on can be tricky.
If you need help, see our article on how to add fractions with unlike denominators. , On most metric measuring tapes, centimeters are the most prominent markings.
Centimeters are usually labeled with large lines and, next to each line, a number.
As with inches, the line marks each centimeter, not the number itself.If you have a measuring tape longer than one meter (100 centimeters), usually, the meter(s) will receive a special marking as well — often in a different color than the rest of the markings.
After each meter, the centimeter markings may start over again from zero or continue counting.
This varies from measuring tape to measuring tape. , Some (but not all) metric measuring tapes will have medium-sized marks evenly spaced between each centimeter mark.
These mark half-centimeters.
These marks are usually not labelled with a number.
The metric system is in base ten, which makes it much easier to work with decimals compared to imperial measurements.
For this reason, it's usually fine to refer to half-centimeter markings in decimal terms (i.e., 1 1/2 centimeters becomes
1.5 centimeters.) , There are ten millimeters in a centimeter (and, thus, one thousand in a meter.) If your measuring tape doesn't have
0.5 centimeter markings, the fifth millimeter after each centimeter marks the
0.5 centimeter. , To measure with a metric measuring tape, first find the nearest centimeter before the distance you're measuring, then the nearest millimeter.
You can use a
0.5 millimeter mark to help guide you if your measuring tape has them.
Your measurement (in centimeters) will be a decimal where the tenths place is indicated by the millimeter marking.
For example, see below:
Let's say that we measure past the 33 centimeter mark to the sixth millimeter marking.
In this case, we can find our distance in centimeters like this: 33 +
0.6 =
33.6 centimeters If we wanted our distance in something other than centimeters, however, we would need to shift the decimal place to compensate.
For example, let's say that we want the answer above in meters.
In this case, since there are 100 centimeters in one meter, we could use a conversion factor like this:
33.6 × 1 meter/100 centimeters =
0.336 meters In general, to go from centimeters to meters, shift the decimal two places to the left, and to go from meters to centimeters, shift it two places to the right. -
Step 3: Use the bigger marks between two inch markings for half-inches.
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Step 4: Use the smaller lines between half-inches for quarter-inches.
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Step 5: Use the small
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Step 6: regular marks for one-eighth-inches.
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Step 7: Use the tiny
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Step 8: densely-packed marks for sixteenths of an inch.
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Step 9: Add the inch segments to determine total length.
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Step 10: Use the big
-
Step 11: numbered markings for centimeters.
-
Step 12: Use the smaller markings between centimeters for 0.5 centimeters.
-
Step 13: Use the small
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Step 14: densely-packed markings for millimeters.The small
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Step 15: narrow lines between centimeter markings represent millimeters (or one-tenth-centimeters).
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Step 16: Add the centimeter segments to determine the total length.
Detailed Guide
On a tape measure labeled with imperial units, the most prominent marks are usually the one-inch marks.
These are typically marked by long, thin lines and fairly large numbers.Every 12 inches, there will often (but not always) be a foot marking.
This is usually in a different color than the other markings — often red in contrast to the normal black markings.
After each foot marking, the numbers next to each inch mark will either repeat from 1
- 11 again or keep counting.
This can vary from tape measure to tape measure.
Note that the line next to the number marks each inch, not the number itself.
A half-inch mark is always centered between any two one-inch marks.
It almost always has the second-longest marking (after the one-inch marks).
There will be one half-inch mark between each one-inch mark, but there are two half-inches per inch.
Note that, starting with half-inch marks, not all lines may be labeled with numbers.
In this case, you need to use the markings on either side to guide you.
For example, the half-inch mark between inches three and four stands for 3 1/2 inches, even though it's not labeled. , After half-inches come quarter inches.
These markings are smaller (and sometimes skinnier) than half-inches but usually bigger than the densely-packed marks around them.
They are evenly spaced between each half-inch mark and one inch-mark.
There are four quarter-inches in one inch.
Note that lines marking a quarter of an inch sometimes aren't any different in size from eighth-inch marks.
In this case, keep in mind that two eighths of an inch make a quarter.
Count to the second eighth-inch marking after the inch marking — this is the quarter-inch (and the line in the same spot on the other side of the half-inch mark is the three-quarter inch.) , Smaller still than the quarter-inch markings are the one-eighth-inch markings.
These markings are centered between the inch marking and the quarter-inch marking, the quarter-inch marking and the half-inch marking, and so on.
There are eight one-eighth inches per inch. , The shortest lines of all on most measuring tapes are the sixteenth-inch marks.
There are 16 of these tiny marks per inch — four in each quarter-inch.
Note that some very precise measuring tapes will mark down to one-thirty-second of an inch or even one-sixty-fourth of an inch! Use the same pattern for recognizing these miniscule measurements. , When you are measuring a length, getting an accurate value just means seeing where the tape lines up.
First, mark the spot where the measuring tape lines up with the edge of the thing you're measuring.
Find the nearest inch before this point.
Then, find the nearest half-inch before this point.
Then, the nearest quarter-inch, and so on.
Add up your inches and fractions of inches until you have an accurate measurement.
This is a lot easier than it sounds — see below for an example.
Let's say that we've measured past the the one-inch mark, past one quarter-inch mark, and past one eighth-inch mark.
To find our measurement, we need to add: 1 (our inches) + 1/4 (our quarter-inches) + 1/8 (our eighth-inches).
Since there are two eighth-inches in a quarter-inch, we can rewrite this as: 1 + 2/8 + 1/8 = 1 3/8 inches.
Adding fractions like 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, and so on can be tricky.
If you need help, see our article on how to add fractions with unlike denominators. , On most metric measuring tapes, centimeters are the most prominent markings.
Centimeters are usually labeled with large lines and, next to each line, a number.
As with inches, the line marks each centimeter, not the number itself.If you have a measuring tape longer than one meter (100 centimeters), usually, the meter(s) will receive a special marking as well — often in a different color than the rest of the markings.
After each meter, the centimeter markings may start over again from zero or continue counting.
This varies from measuring tape to measuring tape. , Some (but not all) metric measuring tapes will have medium-sized marks evenly spaced between each centimeter mark.
These mark half-centimeters.
These marks are usually not labelled with a number.
The metric system is in base ten, which makes it much easier to work with decimals compared to imperial measurements.
For this reason, it's usually fine to refer to half-centimeter markings in decimal terms (i.e., 1 1/2 centimeters becomes
1.5 centimeters.) , There are ten millimeters in a centimeter (and, thus, one thousand in a meter.) If your measuring tape doesn't have
0.5 centimeter markings, the fifth millimeter after each centimeter marks the
0.5 centimeter. , To measure with a metric measuring tape, first find the nearest centimeter before the distance you're measuring, then the nearest millimeter.
You can use a
0.5 millimeter mark to help guide you if your measuring tape has them.
Your measurement (in centimeters) will be a decimal where the tenths place is indicated by the millimeter marking.
For example, see below:
Let's say that we measure past the 33 centimeter mark to the sixth millimeter marking.
In this case, we can find our distance in centimeters like this: 33 +
0.6 =
33.6 centimeters If we wanted our distance in something other than centimeters, however, we would need to shift the decimal place to compensate.
For example, let's say that we want the answer above in meters.
In this case, since there are 100 centimeters in one meter, we could use a conversion factor like this:
33.6 × 1 meter/100 centimeters =
0.336 meters In general, to go from centimeters to meters, shift the decimal two places to the left, and to go from meters to centimeters, shift it two places to the right.
About the Author
Timothy Richardson
Experienced content creator specializing in crafts guides and tutorials.
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