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How can u measure how tall you are if you dont have a ruler?

Ruler vs Tape Measure?

  • I've noticed when put my ruler next to my tape measure, for every foot, the ruler is about 1 mm shorter. When you measure something around 10 feet, this eventually turns into a CM difference. I realize I might be doing it wrong, but I've tried to measure a closet (that kind of bends) and the same thing occurs - by around seven feet, if I did it by ruler in intervals, it's ALWAYS around 0.5 of a cm shorter than if I did it with a tape measure. If I were messing up, I'm sure that at least once it would be 0.5 more with a ruler, but no, always around exactly that shorter. Maybe they try to approximate the tape measures by rounding, which causes this minor discrepency, where as with the ruler it's exact to the 100th decimal? Anyone ever notice this before?

  • Answer:

    Sometimes the end of a ruler gets worn off so if you are measuring from the end it's wrong. It's better to measure from the 1cm mark then subtract 1. Same with a tape - the end breaks, or gets worn, and you can't trust it. It's really hard to use a rule to measure long distances. All the rounding errors add up. A tape measure is better - at least, a metal one that does not stretch. Machinist's steel rulers are fairly good. Plastic or wood ones are a bit suspect. If in doubt, calibrate your measuring instruments against a known good standard. In theory, a precision ruler should have a paper trail back to a standards lab and the standard metre.

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I think the error lies in the reader, not the ruler or tape measure. Note the mixed units in the measures.

Jeffrey

Make sure you are eliminating the play in the tip from your calculations. Notice that the tip of the tape measure moves a little bit? That is so you can push it against something and get the correct reading, and also hook it on something and still get the right reading. The thickness of the metal tip that is at a 90 degree angle to the tape is the amount of movement it has. This lets the thickness be automatically included or subtracted based on how you are using it. It sounds from this narrative that something else is going on, but I thought I would mention it anyway, just in case it contributes to the problem

John M

A lot of tapes do vary by a fraction one reason is due to expansion from heat as tapes are around 5m long even a slight expansion can create quit a difference .A good quality tape can br 0.1mm out in a meter and this will increase with a cheaper tape .You are right with the ruler theory they are more accurate but only over the length of the ruler

Costalot

Is this a folding ruler? The accuracy of a folder ruler depends on the pivot point being placed at exactly the right distance from the end, otherwise the ruler will be inaccurate and the error will compound for each additional section.

Jeff D

No.

jennifer

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