Dimension

[yimveasna]

Hello All,
I am the new one,
I wonder that, I saw some number put in this format but i don't know what is that mean?

4'-12"

1:1

Please explain me and if you have more the any format similar this, please share me.
Also do you know where the website is to explain us about that?
Regards,

 

[Britton30]

4'-12" is 4 feet 12 inches, or 5 feet really.

1:1 would mean the drawing is full size, 1 to 1 ratio. 1:4 would be a one quarter scale drawing or ratio.
Welcome to Seven forums.

 

[yimveasna]

Thanks Britton30 for your explanation!
You said 4'-12" is 4 feet 12 inches, or 5 feet really
So how many inches to get equal one feet?
Regards,

 

[Britton30]

12 inches equal on foot.

 

[yimveasna]

I got it, but i still wonder, what differance bettween foot and feet?
I am poor much, but it's more will improve me when i got your respnd.
Regards,

 

[Britton30]

Foot is only one. When there is more than one it's feet, not foots. Feet is the plural form of foot.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Foot means one unit.
Feet means two or more units.

1 foot
2 feet
3 feet
4 feet
.....
Unfortunately, English is hard and complicated. It is okay to say "4 feet" or "a 4 foot maximum".

4'-12" could also mean 4' maximum, 3' minimum.

Can you tell us where you saw this written?
If it was on a website, can you post a link?

edit:
I type too slow

 

[yimveasna]

I didn't see any where on site about this written, but saw on drawing sheet put the number formatted :
4'-8" so just i wonder and i posted to you.
You are my great man.
Thanks

 

[paulpicks21]

I work with both imperial and metric at work, it made me laugh the other day when a customer wanted some thing 49" and 6/8th's

I also find it annoying when people ask for things in feet and inches, are they too lazy to work out the inches themselves? i.e your last measurement, 4' 8". Would it be too hard for them to just say 56"

Unfortunately the software I use at work to make the calculations is metric so if a customer gives a measurement in feet, inches etc I have to convert it first

 

[Britton30]

It's common here Paul, sometimes we'd say 56", next guy would be 4 feet 8 inches. If we order lumber though, we'd ask for, say, an 8 foot 2x4, nor a 96 inch one.
Our steel roll tape measures have made it easy. In the pic, the black numbers along the bottom edge are inches from the start. The red numbers are the inches added to the next lower foot marking. Here it shows it at 4 feet and the red ones would be added to that.

 

[UsernameIssues]

If the info had been...
4' 8"
...then I have no problem calling it 4 foot and 8 inches.

As soon as someone adds a dash (minus sign?)...
4'-8"
...I have to wonder if something else is being conveyed.

I would need some context to be sure.

In a past life, I would see stuff like...
4'+/-8"
...but some things only had one sided tolerances:
4'-8"
Those items can be no longer than 4', but it is okay if they are 3' 4".

 

[Ranger4]

I was educated here in Australia when we used the imperial system & then during the 1970's we changed to the metric system. I am afraid I still mentally convert metric measurements to the imperial equivalent in a lot of instances.
In the imperial system a man 6' 4" tall is always referred as being 6' 4" & never 76" tall.

 

[madcratebuilder]

I just want to say I support the metric system every inch of the way.

 

[Bertison]

I am enjoying this one!

Here in the UK, there is quite a "Generation Gap" when it comes to Weights, Capacities and Measures. I belong to the older generation which grew up with Imperial measures (Feet, Inches, Quarts, Gallons, Ounces, Pounds, Stones. etc.) The very word "Imperial" tells us that it all belongs to a much earlier time, based on systems created when Britain had the biggest empire the world has ever known. In other words, it's way out of its time.

However, as a former engineer I used Metric measures in my work and grew used to converting stuff in my head (approximately) in order to communicate with customers and suppliers, before giving an accurate written quote. This gave me a very flexible mind, I found.

Examples (Imperial, not necessarily US) would be, if my memory serves me well enough: -
One inch = 2.54 Cm. (work it mentally as 2.5, use 10cm. and divide result by 4)
One foot = (roughly) 30 Cm.
One gallon = 4.54 liters.
One Kilometer = 5/8ths (0.625) of a mile.

Some of the old Imperial measures are really archaic, involving Furlongs (8 to one mile), Chains, Hundredweights and others I have mercifully forgotten.

All of this may be the reason why some British and American engineers and scientists can seem a little detached from reality sometimes. We are known to mumble inaudibly to ourselves when working out some cross-dimensional problem.

 

[Britton30]

Another problem is that Imperial and US dimensions aren't the same, just to add confusion.
Liquid and weights are mainly different I think, our inch=25.4mm. Our liquid measurements are avoirdupois.

Generally if there is to be a tolerance in a length specification it would be written on a blueprint as 4'-8"(+/- some figure)
The form 4'8" and 4'-8" are both acceptable based on the draftsman's convention.

The scientific community seems to use the Metric system in all measurements, as do the medical people.

 

[pbcopter]

What the OP is referring to (on a drawing) may be indicating the scale, 4 feet is represented by 8 inches.
Hence the use of

4'-12" in the first post

 

[Ranger4]

I just want to say I support the metric system every inch of the way.

I just love that. :roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

 

[Britton30]

What the OP is referring to (on a drawing) may be indicating the scale, 4 feet is represented by 8 inches.
Hence the use of

4'-12" in the first post

That would be written as 4'=12", or better, 1:4

 

[pbcopter]

What the OP is referring to (on a drawing) may be indicating the scale, 4 feet is represented by 8 inches.
Hence the use of

4'-12" in the first post

That would be written as 4'=12", or better, 1:4

While you are correct normally, I have seen it differently.