Measuring something by eye can be difficult, but trying to measure something that’s 2 inches long without a measuring tool is nearly impossible. You may know that 2 inches is the same as 5.08 centimeters, but that won’t help you figure out what it looks like. Instead of looking for a ruler, you can use everyday objects as size references.
Common items approximately 2 inches long include:
- Thumb
- 2 Scrabble tiles
- Peanut
- Half the length of an index card
- Ping pong ball
- Travel shampoo bottle
- Dollar bill
- Playing card
- Domino
- 4 DVD cases
1. Thumb
Who says you need a ruler or a measuring tape to measure things? The digits on your hand should be more than enough to measure short distances, especially if the size of your fingers fall within the average length range. Take a long gander at your thumb and memorize its length—it should be somewhere around 2 inches.
In reality, thumb sizes differ vastly between people. For men and women, the average thumb length is 2.74 and 2.49 inches, respectively. If you have extraordinarily large hands like Kawhi Leonard, your thumb may be significantly longer.
2. 2 Scrabble Tiles
Scrabble was introduced to the world in 1954. It was invented by a British architect who decided that words should be fun! To date, there are over 150 million Scrabble boards sold across the world, including in different languages.
To play Scrabble, you’ll need to know how to spell using the tiles dealt to you. Each tile measures ¾ × ¾ inches, so placing 2 of them side by side would get you pretty close to 2 inches. On a completely random note, the longest word you can play in Scrabble is oxyphenbutazone, which is used for treating all sorts of health problems.
3. Peanut
Peanuts are like the rockstars of snacks! Originally from South America, they’re packed with protein and can be roasted or boiled for a crunchy munch. Peanut butter is a popular spread for toast, but you can also use it to flavor cookies or even create a sweet peanut sauce. If you’re allergic to this legume, you’re truly missing out!
Like all agricultural products, the size of an individual peanut varies. The average peanut size range is ½ to 2-3/4 inches. The more nuts housed within the shell, the longer it will be. So, look for a peanut with 2 or 3 chambers for a more accurate visualization of 2 inches.
4. Half the Length of an Index Card
Index cards have a million-and-one different uses. You can use them as flashcards to cram information before a test. You can use them to highlight important parts of a speech you’re going to deliver. Some people even use them as a bookmark.
Anyway, if you have a standard 3 × 5-inch index card, fold it in half to yield a card measuring 3 × 2-1/2 inches. You can also use its 3-inch side as a reference and imagine subtracting 1 inch from either end.
5. Ping Pong Ball
Ping pong is a fun sport that involves hitting a hollow ball over a net with paddles. It’s played on a table measuring 9 × 5 feet. You can play doubles matches if you have 3 friends over, but what we need to focus on right now is the ball.
If the ball follows ITTF standards, it should measure 1.57 inches across, so it’s only about half an inch shy of the 2-inch mark.
6. Travel Shampoo Bottle
Shampoo bottles come in a wide assortment of sizes. There are massive ones containing 5 liters of shampoo for salons, and there are small ones designed for travel. What we need is travel-friendly shampoo bottles that hold roughly 3 ounces.
A travel shampoo bottle measures about 2-1/2 inches high or half an inch beyond what we’re looking for. You can also try doubling its diameter since it’s 1.07 inches across. Personal shampoo bottles (8-16 ounces) can also work if you use its diameter as a measuring tool.
7. Dollar Bill
There’s a lot we can learn about the dollar bill. For instance, did you know that 54.1 billion banknotes were in circulation in 2022? Or what about how more than 5,200 tons of currency is shredded every year? Since each bill weighs about 1 gram, that’s roughly 4.7 billion individual bills!
Moving on, let’s shift our focus to the dimensions of the dollar bill. The shorter side of a bill measures 2.61 inches, which is close to 2 inches. You can also try folding the bill into thirds to turn its 6.14-inch side to 2.05 inches.
8. Playing Card
While there’s nothing more American than losing your life savings in a hand of poker, the OG playing cards originated in China. It wouldn’t be until playing cards reached England that the suits we’re accustomed to today (hearts, diamonds, clover, spades) were used.
Poker-size playing cards, which is the standard size for most decks, measure 2-1/2 inches wide. Please not the card’s curved corners when using it as a measuring tool. If you lay the card flush against an object, the part of the card touching it should be around 2.45 inches.
9. Domino
Since we’re on the subject of games, let’s talk about dominoes. This game has been around for over 700 years. People play it competitively or to kill time, but one thing is for certain—if you don’t know how to count your cards, you’re going to have a bad time.
A standard plastic domino tile measures 2 inches on its longer side. Want to measure just 1 inch? Flip the domino over and use its width! If you’re going to use massive domino tiles, you’ll have an easier time using its thickness, which is ½ inches.
10. 4 DVD Cases
Do you remember when DVDs first came out? It was ridiculous how good 480p looked back in the day. Nowadays, 480p is used exclusively by those with slow internet connections. What’s also surprising is how long DVDs lasted.
If you have standard DVD cases on hand, you can use their thicknesses to measure 2 inches. Each DVD case is ½ inch thick, so you’ll need 4 of them to get a height of 4 inches. Multi-disc DVD cases are 1-1/2 inches thick, so 1 of them is also a decent alternative.
