In physical sciences, special tools such as rulers and calipers are being used to

obtain the measurement of a solid substance. Through their high utility aspect in
geometrical, technical, and graphical drawings, blueprints for modern innovations
were made possible. Understanding their mechanics and proper usage, however, is an
important factor in achieving such feat.

Consider a ruler which is a common tool in measuring the length of small to medium
sized, flat objects. They are standardized measuring equipments that are embedded
with hash marks to indicate a certain distance in terms of both metric
(centimeters) and customary (inches) units.

Rulers come in different types which are designed accordingly to maximize their
usability in certain fields of application. This includes simple ruler, folding
ruler, self-retracting metal tape, plastic tape, and soft ruler.

Although they differ in style, the general principle behind their proper handling
remains the same. That is, to place the zero hash mark of the ruler exactly along
one end of the object, wherein their edges are aligned in a parallel fashion. This
ensures quality assurance when taking the measurements and dimensions of an object
being measured. Simple and easy!

Reading a ruler, on the other hand, requires more technical skills due to variables
such as personal bias, which may affect the accuracy of the measurement. Hence, it
is important to familiarize oneself with significant figures in order to eliminate
these variables.

Example is when measuring a paper in centimeters, the value of the length should
only include either a whole number or a number with one decimal point. Meanwhile,
the measured value in inches should be expressed in terms of a mixed fraction.

References:
SplashLearn (2022). What is a ruler?.
https://www.splashlearn.com/math-vocabulary/measurements/ruler#:~:text=A%20ruler
%20can%20be%20defined,ruler%20are%20called%20hash%20marks.
National Institute Of Standards and Technology, Precision Metal Rulers,
https://www.nist.gov/pml/sensor-science/dimensional-metrology/precision-metal-
rulers
Sexton, J. (2020). Ruler information, uses, and types. Inch Calculator.
https://www.inchcalculator.com/ruler-information-uses-types/