Measurement, explained properly
Short, useful articles about the numbers people get wrong — from TV diagonals that do not match the wall to luggage that misses the limit by a kilo.
Why your's new TV does not fit the space you measured
The number on the box is a diagonal, not a width — and the gap between the two is where returns come from. Two multiplications settle it before you order.
The 5.10 mistake: why decimal height conversions go wrong
Feet and inches look like a decimal number and behave nothing like one. Treating 5′10″ as 5.10 costs you nine centimetres.
The 2.2 shortcut is wrong, and sometimes it matters
Everyone multiplies by 2.2. The real factor is 2.2046226, and there are three situations where the shortcut costs you.
Why a box of pillows costs as much to ship as a box of books
Couriers charge on whichever is greater: what the parcel weighs, or what its volume implies. One formula explains every surprising quote.
A4 versus Letter: 6 mm that ruins a print run
A4 is 6 mm narrower and 18 mm taller than Letter. That is why your footer moved and your header disappeared.
Converting running pace: divide, do not multiply
Distance multiplies by 1.609. Pace divides by it. Get that backwards and your race plan is 60 per cent out.
Why a half-inch pipe is not half an inch
Put a caliper on a half-inch fitting and you get 21 mm. The label stopped being a measurement over a century ago.
A cup of flour is not a fixed amount
Scooped or spooned, the same cup holds 25 per cent more or less flour. That range is the difference between tender and dry.
How far to sit from a 4K television
Four times the pixels means you can sit closer. Here is the distance that suits each size — and the size that suits your sofa.
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