![\"Inches](\"https:\/\/www.howtopastel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Tape-measure-with-inches.png\")
<\/a>So when I see someone write “6.82 inches,” I think, What does that mean? What does that look like? I can\u2019t find it on a ruler so I have no visual picture of what it is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Centimetres on the other hand are divided into 10. A ruler will have each centimetre divided into 10 parts (10 millimetres). So if I see 6.7 cm, I can visualise that on a ruler. The decimal point shows seven out of 10 parts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>You can of course create a decimal from a fraction. Certainly, fractional inches are limited whereas decimal inches are limitless. BUT as an artist rather than an engineer or a person in construction-land, I don’t need limitless. I need a measurement I can visualise. And traditionally, inches are written with fractions and I can visually conjure these up as I’ve been brought up using inches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So the question is, why do people write inches with a decimal point? Well it’s a heck of a lot easier that’s for sure! Just pop a decimal point in and voila! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(A side note<\/em>: I bet many of those decimalised inches aren\u2019t even correct! Want to know how to make a correct decimal out of a fraction? See the video I\u2019ve posted at the end.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fractions are a right pain so it’s easy to understand that a person might want to avoid them. But the reality is, inches come with fractions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gawd that’s an awful lot of numbers for an art blog but I needed to get this peeve off my chest! So let’s look at a couple of images.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve been preparing for our Looking at Art <\/em>session in the IGNITE! Membership<\/a> (where we look at paintings related to the month\u2019s theme) and I\u2019ve been cruising around the Art Gallery of Ontario<\/a>. Measurements are written both in centimetres and in inches and each notation looks quite different – the centimetres are written with a decimal point, the inches with fractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are a couple of examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll find that some museums give dimensions only in inches or centimetres rather than both but they’ll be written as they should be: inches are written with fractions while centimetres use a decimal point. (Some galleries note the measurements in millimetres which means no decimal point…just numbers.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n I think it would be a great idea to embrace the metric system as there are NO fractions (which are pretty ughy so it’s no wonder there\u2019s a trend by artists to write fractions of inches with a decimal point). In the metric system, there are only whole numbers. But for some us brought up in the feet-and-inches world, it\u2019s harder to visualise measurements in centimetres (and metres and millimetres). Still, I encourage you to move into the metric world!! I’m trying. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the meantime, please, if writing about dimensions in inches, use fractions rather than a decimal point!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Right. That\u2019s me off my soapbox. I\u2019d LOVE to hear your opinions about this whole fashion of writing inches as fractions. Do you write inches with fractions or a decimal point? Let me know your thoughts! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Until next time,<\/p>\n\n\n\n ~ Gail<\/p>\n\n\n\n PS. Here’s the Hare Study as a whole:<\/p>\n\n\n\n PPS. I got curious about the origins of the term “pet peeve.” Curious? Then click HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PPPS. Here\u2019s a great wee video on how to go from fractions to decimals and back again!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>