Want to understand how long 16 inches is?
Maybe you want to approximate measurements for your DIY project or are after general information as a researcher, learner, or curious mind.
Then use things that are approximately 16 inches long as references.
It’s a creative way and a faster method too. And even better, it saves you the inconvenience of using measuring tools.
The only challenge here is you must remember and visualize the items when the time comes, which might take some time.
However, to overcome that, this post covers ten well-known items you can easily remember.
So, let’s read on!
Read: 10 Common Things that are 17 Inches Long
10 Everyday Things That are 16 inches Long
1. Four Regular Toilet Paper Rolls
Toilet paper rolls are excellent reference items since they are universally known and found in every home.
The size of these toilet paper rolls varies slightly, with most ranging around 4 – 4.5 inches wide, depending on the manufacturer.
Therefore, if you can picture the last toilet paper you used, visualize four arranged close to each other as they add up to approximately 16 inches.
2. Five Debit Cards
Debit cards are everyday items for most Americans since they are the most convenient and safe mode of payment. In fact, chances are you have one in your wallet right now!
If you’re creative, these essentials can be excellent reference items, especially for small sizes, since they are standardized.
All of them (regardless of location or bank) are usually 3.36 inches long, making them easy targets for things that are 3 inches long.
And if you play around with them, you will realize that you need only five stacked end-to-end to give you approximately 16 inches.
3. Two Volleyballs
Volleyballs are used in volleyball, a mainstream sport worldwide played at all levels, from amateur to high schools and colleges to professional leagues.
If you’ve played volleyball at some point, you might have noticed that all volleyballs are almost the same size since they range from 8.15 to 8.39 inches in diameter.
So if you can picture two placed side by side, they would be just about 0.5 inches shy of our mark.
4. Four and a Half Standard Playing Cards
Standard playing cards are used to play popular games such as poker, solitaire, bridge, and blackjack. Magicians and fortune tellers also use them to perform antics.
Similarly to debit cards, standard playing cards have been used as reference materials for small sizes, as they are usually 3.5 inches long.
And if you can visualize four and a half arranged in a row, they would give you an idea of something 16 inches long as they are only 0.25 inches short of the target.
5. Two Standard Bricks
Bricks are versatile construction materials used for building houses, pavements, bridges, and garden beds.
They vary from country to country, and in the United States, the standard size of a brick is usually eight inches long, making them perfect for referencing things that are 8 inches long.
And if you can arrange or visualize two placed end to end, they’d be exactly 16 inches long.
6. Three Capped Pens
Pens are indispensable everyday items used in multiple settings, from schools to offices. If not in note-taking, you have used them in signing documents, so it’s bankable that you know what we are talking about.
Pens come in different sizes. For example, the Sakura Gelly Roll is 6 inches long, while the Parker Jotter is tiny at 4.8 inches long. But on average, a standard pen, including the cap, is usually 5.4 inches long.
Therefore, if you can recall the last pen you used, you only need to envision three placed end to end as they are just 0.2 inches under the 16 inches mark
7. Bowling Pin
A bowling pin is a white, bottle-shaped piece of equipment used in bowling, a competitive sport in the United States. The game is also played as a recreational activity with friends and family.
All bowling pins are usually 15 inches tall. So if you are familiar with the game, they can be excellent reference points for 16 inches as they are just one inch shy of the target.
You can also envision adding your finger on one end of the pin to get a more precise idea.
8. Eight Business Cards
Business cards are popular among individuals who have established a venture or officials representing their companies or firms.
Business cards might not be as popular as other items on our list, but we’ve included them because they can make perfect references for something 16 inches long if you are familiar with them.
They are usually 2 inches long, so you can do the math to know how many you need to reach the mark.
9. 16 Bottle Caps
Bottle caps really don’t need an introduction. Do they? You can find these little fellows almost everywhere you go. In fact, there could be a few hiding at home.
Most of these caps, including those used to seal 1-liter or 2-liter bottles, are usually 1.02 inches in diameter, making them easy targets when you want to approximate tiny measurements.
But if you have 16, you can use them to approximate a relatively longer measurement of 16 inches by arranging them in a row.
10. MacBook Pro
If you are a fan of Apple products, chances are you are familiar with the Macbook Pro. It’s one of the best laptops in the market, thanks to its sheer speed and advanced technology.
This fantastic machine is among the largest, measuring 16 inches long.
When using it for reference, remember to measure the distance diagonally, from the bottom left of the screen to the top right.
