How To Measure A Foot Without A Ruler
Last updated on September 22nd, 2023 at 05:39 pm
There are several ways to measure something if you don’t have a ruler with you.
1 foot or 12 inches in length is a common measurement but without having a measuring tool handy, it can be difficult to determine that length.
This article will show you some great ideas and common items you can use for measuring a foot without a ruler.
1 foot equals 12 inches or 30.48 centimeters.
2 pens
There are thousands of different types of pens around the world and they can vary in size. Although they are not all the same length, they still make for a great tool to use for not only writing but to measure with as well. The average-sized pen, like the common Bic ballpoint pen, is close to 6 inches in length. So if you had 2 of these pens together they would equal 12 inches or 1 foot long.
3 Lightbulbs
Lightbulbs are another one of those items that can vary in size as there are so many different types available. But the most common type of bulb that most people use is the A-series A60 style bulb. They are easy to reference if you need to measure something. Most of these lightbulbs are around 4 inches long. Placing 3 of them together would be very close to measuring 1 foot long.
2L Soda bottle
The 2L soda bottle is another convenient item to use if you need to know the measurement of something that is 12 inches long. These bottles that are commonly seen in supermarkets are 12 inches or 1 foot long each.
Subway sub
If you are familiar with the famous sandwich restaurant Subway, you will know that their sandwiches are commonly sold as the foot-long. The classic submarine sandwich at Subway is 12 inches or 1 foot long each and can be easily used to compare the length of something else that is 1 foot long.
Read: How to measure 1 meter without a ruler
4 Apples
Depending on the type of apple, they can also vary in size. Most apples will be either small, medium, or large in size and range in diameter from 2-5 inches. The average size apple that most people are used to seeing in stores, will be close to 3 inches in diameter. So if you had 4 of these apples lined up together, they would be close to 12 inches long which is 1 foot.
Tennis racket width
According to professional tennis rules, a tennis racket must be within certain dimensions for it to be used in match play. Referencing the width of the racket, the maximum allowed is 11.5 inches. Although that is slightly less than 12 inches, looking at the width of a tennis racket will give you an example of something that measures around 1 foot.
5 Toothpicks
Most people are familiar with the common toothpicks that are normally made out of plastic or wood. Each toothpick has a length of 2.5 inches. If you had 5 of these same toothpicks lined up together, they would be close to measuring 12 inches long.
16 Pennies
Coins are a great tool to use when measuring other items as each coin is a standard size. In the USA, the penny coin is 0.75 inches in diameter. 16 pennies lined up together in a row would equal 12 inches long. 8 pennies would equal 6 inches, 4 pennies equals 3 inches, and 2 pennies would equal 1.5 inches long.
