Have you ever wondered how long four inches really is?
Well, four inches is equivalent to 10.16 centimeters or 0.33 feet – and as you already know, it’s a small number.
But despite being small, it can make a difference, for example, if you’re doing a gardening project or some home renovation.
So to give you a better idea of what four inches looks like, we’ve put together a list of 11 day-to-day things approximately that length to act as references.
Therefore, let’s dive and start visualizing four inches.
11 Common Things That are 4 Inches Long
1. Regular Toilet Paper Roll
Toilet paper is a household essential universally known for reasons that may be best left unsaid.
These must-haves vary slightly depending on the manufacturer, but the average width of regular ones is usually about 4 to 4.5 inches.
So, if you can recall the last toilet paper you used, you’d have a solid reference for four inches.
2. Two Debit Cards
Most Americans prefer debit cards to other modes of payment, thanks to their convenience and safety. Even now, chances are you’ve one or more for accessing cash in your account as well as making transactions.
All debit cards are equal, regardless of the bank or location. They’re 3.36 inches long and 2.25 inches wide, meaning arranging two widthwise would give you 4.5 inches – only a little past our mark.
3. 3 #1 Regular Paperclips
Paperclips are small, loop-shaped pieces made of steel wire or plastic that you can find in offices, schools, and some homes. They’re essential in organizing sheets of paper and other documents.
The most common type of paperclip is the #1 regular paperclip, which is 1.375 inches long.
Therefore if you’d arrange three end to end, they’d be just 0.11 inches shy of the 4 inches mark.
4. Four US Quarters
Worth 25 cents hence the name, US quarters are a ubiquitous part of the American currency system. They’re widely accepted in coin-operated devices, including parking meters, vending machines, amusement parks, convenience stores, and gas stations.
All US quarters have a diameter of 0.955 inches, hence perfect for understanding small measurements, such as three inches.
And using them as your reference points in our case, you’d need four as they’re just 0.18 inches shy of four inches.
5. Half a Soccer Ball
Soccer balls are used to play soccer, commonly known as football outside the United States.
While soccer is not the main sport in the United States, it’s popular as it’s played at all levels, from amateur leagues to schools to professional competitions. So chances are you’re familiar with a soccer ball.
Those levels use the size-5 soccer ball, usually 8.6 inches in diameter when properly filled. So half of it (only 4.3 inches ) can be a solid reference point for four inches.
6. Half a Volleyball
Alongside soccer, volleyball is a mainstream sport in the US, played outdoors or indoors competitively or as a recreational activity.
A volleyball is one of the items you can picture at will as you’ve interacted with the sport for the better part of your life, from schools to universities.
These volleyballs vary slightly in terms of size with a diameter ranging between 8.15 – 8.39 inches long. So half of it would be just 0.1 inches short of the four inches mark.
7. Seven AA Batteries
AA batteries are popular disposable batteries used for powering up a broad range of devices, including remote controls, toys, flashlights, and portable audio players.
While the size of AA batteries depends on the manufacturer, the difference is slight, with an average diameter of about 0.57 inches long.
Therefore, if you’d place seven in a parallel arrangement, they’d make a solid reference point for four inches as they add up to 3.99 inches.
8. Two Standard Playing Cards
Standard playing cards are a set of 52 cards used for a broad range of games, including poker, solitaire, and blackjack, as well as popular activities such as fortune-telling and card tricks.
These cards are rectangular and are almost the same size as debit cards, measuring 3.5 inches long and 2.25 inches wide.
So, length-wise, one is only 0.5 inches short of our mark, while placing two width-wise goes beyond four inches by similar length.
9. Four Bottle Tops
Also known as crown tops, bottle tops are everyday items used for sealing beverages and water bottles. They have a cultural significance in the United States, and some people like to collect them.
Chances are you’re familiar with bottle caps and can even picture how long they are as, in fact, there could be a few at home.
They’re excellent for understanding small measurements, such as ten inches. And in our case, you only need four placed side by side to give you 4.08 inches.
10. Men’s Wallet
Men’s wallets are familiar and easy-to-find items. They’re a convenient and organized way of keeping essentials, such as identification cards, debit cards, cash, business cards, and membership and loyalty cards – the list is endless!
Most men’s wallets have a standard size of 3.5 inches in width and 4.5 inches in length, although individual preferences can cause some variation.
That size provides the flexibility to use the wallet either lengthwise or width-wise as a reference for measuring four inches.
11. Half a Standard Brick
Bricks are versatile everyday objects with a broad range of applications, from construction and landscaping to art and weight training.
The size of bricks varies as you move from country to country. And in the United States, a standard brick is usually eight inches long.
Therefore, if you’re familiar with their size, you only need to picture half of a US-standard brick to realize how long four inches can be.
