Guides for tape-measure math & DIY measuring
Practical how-tos for reading a tape measure, working with feet-inch-fraction measurements, and getting cuts right the first time — from the team behind Totient.
How to Read a Tape Measure (Inches, Feet & Every Fraction)
Every line on the blade follows one rule. Learn the hierarchy of marks and read any tape down to 1/16" without counting twice.
22 June 2026 · 7 min read
How to Add and Subtract Feet and Inches
Carrying inches, borrowing feet, and keeping fractions straight — the method that always works, plus a much faster way.
18 June 2026 · 6 min read
Tape-Measure Fractions Explained: 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16
Halves, quarters, eighths and sixteenths, how they nest, and how to reduce them — with a conversion table worth memorizing.
15 June 2026 · 6 min read
Converting Inches, Feet and Yards the Easy Way
Two factors and you're done. Move between inches, feet and yards — and know when to use feet-and-inches versus decimal feet.
11 June 2026 · 5 min read
How to Calculate Square Footage for Any Room
Length times width, done right: convert inches first, split odd rooms into rectangles, and never forget the waste factor.
8 June 2026 · 6 min read
Getting Started with Totient: A 5-Minute Guide
A five-minute tour: entering measurements, adding and scaling, converting units, Area mode, history, and working offline.
4 June 2026 · 5 min read
5 Measuring Mistakes That Ruin DIY Cuts
The loose hook, the wrong scale, the saw kerf, measuring once, and decimal rounding — the five errors behind most ruined cuts.
30 May 2026 · 6 min read
Why Your Phone's Calculator Can't Do Tape-Measure Math
It only speaks decimal, so feet-inch-fraction math becomes error-prone conversions and quiet rounding. Here's the fix.
27 May 2026 · 5 min read