Measuring short distances without a ruler is a skill that you’ll have to use for all kinds of projects. Your estimations may not be accurate, but at least they’ll give you a rough idea of what to do.
5 centimeters, which is the same as 50 millimeters, is equal to 1.9685 inches.
If you want to learn how to measure 5 centimeters without a ruler, you can use the 9 items listed below as references.
1 AA Battery
As you are probably already aware, there are all sorts of battery sizes. While they all are rated at 1.5 volts, the size difference has more to do with how much power it can supply. That’s why power-intensive electronics, like remote-controlled cars, require larger batteries than your TV’s remote control.
AA is a common battery type. If you take an AA battery out of your children’s toys, you’ll find that it measures 48 millimeters in length, which is just 2 millimeters shy of 5 centimeters. Alternatively, you could take the widths of about 4 AA batteries to get close to 5 centimeters.
2 Quarters
Using coins as a reference for measuring short distances can be a good idea. And if you plan on doing laundry this week, make sure you get a close look at your quarters. According to the United States Mint, a quarter measures 24.26 millimeters in diameter.
This means that placing two of them side by side will give you a collective width of 48.52 millimeters or roughly 5 centimeters. You could also use 2 $1 coins to measure slightly beyond the 5-centimeter point.
1 Baseball
Despite the dying popularity of the sport, baseball will forever be recognized as America’s pastime. You might have played it in your youth, or perhaps your children are a part of the school’s baseball team. Whatever the case, if you have a baseball on hand, it will get you pretty close to 5 centimeters.
The technical dimensions of an MLB-approved ball are 9.14 inches in circumference. Knowing this, we can figure out that the diameter is around 2.9 inches or 7.37 centimeters, which is still pretty close to the 5-centimeter distance we’re trying to measure.
1 Golf Tee
It turns out that golf tees don’t come in just one size. Depending on where you want to hit the golf ball, you will need to mount it on a correctly sized tee before hitting it with your club. That said, the average golf tee size is 2.75 inches, but some manufacturers make them as small as 1.5 or 2.125 inches long.
So, if you want to measure 5 centimeters, you will have to get your hands on a small-sized golf tee. If possible, you should use a single 1.5- or 2.125-inch golf tee since it will get you closer to 5 centimeters than a 2.75-inch-long tee.
1 Soda Can
Soda cans are great for a million and one different things. You can turn them into a birdfeeder, a creative wreath for Christmas, and even seedling pots before transferring your plants to larger pots.
Even though soda cans come in different sizes depending on how much liquid they hold, a standard 12-fluid-ounce can will measure 2.13 inches wide. The width of a single soda can will get you to 5 centimeters plus change.
2 Almonds
Many of you probably keep a jar of sliced almonds in your cupboard, but if you really want the best almond experience, you should get them whole. However, “whole” does not mean “raw,” as raw, bitter almonds may be poisonous.
Anyway, if you have two whole almonds ready for toasting, make sure you keep at least 2 almonds out of the oven. A single almond will measure around 25 millimeters in length. So, placing 2 of them next to each other lengthwise will give you a collective length of about 5 centimeters.
1 Playing Card
Like many things in life, playing cards may vary in size. There are large index playing cards that are about 5 inches wide and jumbo playing cards that are over 10 inches wide. However, if you’re a poker player or a diehard fan of Go Fish, you’re probably more accustomed to the standard deck of cards.
A standard playing card will measure about 2.5 inches wide, which is about 64 millimeters. Subtracting the extra 1.4 centimeters off a playing card to get to 5 centimeters shouldn’t be that challenging.
1 Matchstick
In my experience, keeping a book of matches is always a good idea. When BBQ-ing, throwing a lit match into the BBQ pit is a lot easier than trying to set the lighter fluid on fire with a standard lighter. Also, they’re safer for the environment since the wood used to create matchsticks is biodegradable.
The exact length of a matchstick will vary from brand to brand. However, you’ll find that most matchsticks are up to 48 millimeters in length. That means a single matchstick will get you pretty close to the 5-centimeter point.
1 Lemon
Lemons are great for a number of things. A squeeze of lemon juice can cut through the richness of cream and butter while also adding contrasting flavors. Also, lemons are a good source of vitamin C since a single lemon contains 31 milligrams of the essential vitamin.
A lemon that is grown on a commercial farm will typically measure about 5 centimeters, which is great since it’ll get you to the exact length you want to measure. Of course, every lemon will vary in size, but you can use any ordinary-looking lemon you pick up at the supermarket.
Conclusion
In this guide, I showed you 9 items that you can use as references for measuring close to or exactly 5 centimeters. Please remember that the measurements mentioned above are approximations, so the number of each item may vary slightly.
If you found this guide helpful, make sure you share it with your buddies on social media. Also, let me know what other items you can think of that measure 5 centimeters long.
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