How to read a tape measure for the beginner?
You may have learned how to read a tape measure in school, but perhaps not. It functions the same way as a ruler but it is flexible in order to measure the circumference of an item. When you lay the measure down you’ll read the slash mark that is nearest to the end of what you’re measuring. Say for instance you’re measuring a board, one end of the measure goes at the edge, and you stretch the tape until you reach the other end of the wood, you’ll need to be sure its straight. Look at where the edge lands, the nearest whole number without going over, is your inches. If it falls past the number it will have an additional measurement on it. Something like 6 inches and a half. The smaller slash marks represent partial inches, and they are usually found in eighths of an inch, but sometimes in fourths. Add your whole number and the partial numbers by counting the slashes. You can find more information at http://www.zimbio.com/Woodworking/articl…
