The body can be used for fast, approximate measuring. For example:
- The first joint of an index finger is 1 inch long.
- The span of a wide-spread hand, from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinkie, is about 9 inches.
- The distance from the elbow to the tip of middle finger is about 18 inches.
- Need a ruler? Look in a wallet:
| - Laid out flat, a dollar bill is 6¼ inches long.
- Folded in half, it is 3 inches.
- Folded in half again, it is 1¼ inches.
- A penny is three-fourths of an inch across.
- A standard paper clip is 1¼ inches long; a giant clip is 1 inches long.
These tips can help people do the job without rulers when they don't always have the best measuring tools on hand.
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2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education