Metre-stick

<h2 id="construction">Construction</h2>
<p>Metre-sticks are often thin and rectangular, and made of wood or metal. Metal ones are often backed with 'grippy' material, such as cork, to improve friction. They are relatively cheap, with most wood models costing under US$5.
</p>
<h2 id="measurements">Measurements</h2>

<p>In countries in which the metric system is used, the scale typically contains only a metric scale. The scale marks every millimetre with every 5th millimetre marked by a slightly longer line. Every centimetre is marked with an even longer line and a numeric label. Every 10th centimetre is usually predominantly marked. They might be referred to as yardsticks, metre-sticks or "inch sticks".
In the United States, the marking is usually in <a href="/facts/Imperial_and_US_customary_measurement_systems/12BRjE19">customary units</a> (three <a href="/facts/Foot_(measure)/XKamEGjV">feet</a> 3+3⁄8 inches with <a href="/facts/Inch/CocFfm8p">inch</a> and fractional inch). Hybrid measures bearing customary markings on one side and metric units on the other also exist and are sometimes referred to as yardsticks, metre-whesticks or "metre rulers".  The spelling meter vs metre varies by country, though metre is the official and most widely used spelling in English-speaking countries.
</p><p>Although not used as often, metre-sticks with only a metric scale can be found in the United States. For example, they are common in schools where there is a desire for students to become familiar with metric units, since the nineteenth century.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a>  They may also be used in American science labs.
</p><p>The folding carpenters' <a href="/facts/Ruler/jKWAdmso">rulers</a> used in <a href="/facts/Scandinavia/KpLQ40kl">Scandinavia</a> are sometimes equipped with double measurements, metric and imperial on both sides, also functioning as a handy conversion table, accounting for its Scandinavian term: Tommestokk/tumstock (<i>thumb (inch) stick</i>),<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> a term with the same meaning that is also used in <a href="/facts/Dutch_language/yIB5lbsx">Dutch</a>: duimstok.  Metric only carpenter's rulers are however common.
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<h2 id="application">Application</h2>
<p>The metre-stick is usually employed for work on a medium scale; larger than desktop work on paper, yet smaller than large-scale infrastructure work, where tape measures or longer <a href="/facts/Measuring_rod/jeA2Fn9f">measuring rods</a> are used. Typical applications of metre-sticks are for building <a href="/facts/Furniture/J7JrsrlA">furniture</a>, <a href="/facts/Vehicle/jSIEqANL">vehicles</a> and <a href="/facts/House/fdDCUhyD">houses</a>.  Modern carpenters' metre-sticks are usually made to be folded for ease of transport.
</p><p>Metre-sticks may be used as pointing devices for posters and projections.  Metre-sticks are also used as spars to make wings for remote-controlled <a href="/facts/Model_aircraft/Lsnf5ABq">model aircraft</a> that are made from <a href="/facts/Corrugated_plastic/UB0GjsxY">corrugated plastic</a>.
</p><p>Metre-sticks have been used as a method of <a href="/facts/Corporal_punishment/3Fub5D16">corporal punishment</a> in schools in the United Kingdom to slap the palms of students to bring them in order.
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<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Steel_rule_(disambiguation)/L6EN6Hc9">Steel rule</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Measuring_tape/uBIP6A7v">Measuring tape</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Ruler/jKWAdmso">Ruler</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Scale_rule/Xw3JLjkB">Scale rule</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li> Media related to Yardsticks at Wikimedia Commons</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>Meterstick | Definition of Meterstick by Merriam-Webster <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meterstick" target="_blank">https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meterstick</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>Yardstick | Definition of Yardstick by Merriam-Webster <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yardstick" target="_blank">https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yardstick</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>Education, Kansas City (Mo ) Board of (1894). Lesson IV; Report of the Superintendent of Schools of the School District Of Kansas City, Missouri. The Board. p. 142. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=_Xc0AQAAMAAJ&q=meter+stick&pg=RA2-PA121" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=_Xc0AQAAMAAJ&q=meter+stick&pg=RA2-PA121</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>NRK: Teknologi og design: Verktøyskapet (website in Norwegian) <a href="/wiki/NRK" target="_blank">/wiki/NRK</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Metre-stick open-in-new

Metre-stick