Rulers allow us to measure short lengths simply by placing the tool next to an object. But what if you want to get a measurement, say 5 inches, without said tool? Saying 5 inches is the same as 12.7 centimeters won’t help us much in this scenario. For such cases, your best bet is to use everyday objects you know measure about 5 inches long.
13 inches is 1 inch longer than a foot or 33.02 centimeters. While these conversions may help with math problems, they don’t do much if you’re trying to gauge 13 inches in your mind’s eye. Luckily, there are countless everyday objects we can use as references.
Are you trying to figure out how long 7 meters is? It’s about the same as 22.9659 feet or 7.65529 yards. Still confused as to how long 7 meters looks? No surprise there—without a ruler, these numbers can’t help much when visualizing lengths. But what can help is using everyday objects as size references.
The great thing about measuring tools like rulers is that they tell you the size of things easily. The problem is, most rulers are 12 inches tall, and measuring something as tall as 4 feet can be a hassle. Of course, 4 feet is the same as 4 rulers, 3-1/3 yards, or 1.2192 meters, but how tall is that visually?
Are you trying to measure 15 centimeters without a ruler? Good luck! You could know that 15 centimeters is equal to 5.90551 inches, but that doesn’t help visualize this length, does it? What you can do instead is use common objects as a reference.
If you’re trying to get a feel for what 6 centimeters looks like without a ruler, you’re going to have a tough time. 6 centimeters, which is about 2.3622 inches, is a tiny measurement. That’s where tiny everyday objects can come in handy as size references!
Have you ever tried measuring an object by eye? It becomes a lot more difficult when the thing you’re trying to measure is humungous like, say, 40 feet high. You may or may not know that 40 feet is equal to 13-1/3 yards to 12.192 meters, but these numbers don’t accurately represent this measurement’s appearance. What you can do is use everyday objects as reference for your mind’s eye.
Trying to figure out what 2 millimeters looks like? It’s the same as 0.0787402, but that doesn’t mean much if you don’t have a ruler on hand. The next best thing is to use common things as size references.
Have you ever tried to visualize a distance or height without the proper tools? It’s a challenge to say the least, especially if you have no point of reference. You may know that 100 feet equals 33-1/3 yards or 30.48 meters, yet these figures won’t help much with guesstimating this length. For that, you’ll need to know the sizes of common objects to use as references in your mind’s eye.
Are you having trouble figuring out how long 16 feet is? It’s the same as 5-1/3 yards or 4.8768 meters. Still not sure what 16 feet looks like? If you don’t have a measuring tape on hand, you should use the next best thing: objects measuring close to 16 feet as a reference.
The longer the distance, the more difficult it becomes to gauge it by eye. 90 feet is the same as 30 yards or 27.432 meters, but that doesn’t help much in visualizing this distance. If you don’t have a laser measure, you can use the next best thing: common objects as references.
Trying to figure out the measurements of something without a ruler or measuring tape can be a nearly impossible task. You may know that 3 meters, or 300 centimeters, is the same as 9.84252 feet or 3.28084 yards. These conversions, however, will not help you visualize the distance of 3 meters. But everyday objects can help you with your conundrum!