Ruler holes, what are they good for?

Factual Questions
1

Okay, after re-reading the subject line I realize that it’s just… not a good subject, but it gets to the heart of my question: what are ruler holes for? They’re perfectly spaced for a three ring binder, except that then there’s one hole left over (with the rulers I own, anyway). Before showing the three-ring ability of the rulers I asked a couple different people and got these various answers:

  1. a carryover from when rulers were used for punishment in school, the holes are there to reduce wind resistence

  2. a compass is too dangerous for kids to have in school, so the holes are there to make circles with

  3. the three holes are for a binder, but the fourth hole is for hanging the ruler on a wall

Now, I know Las Vegas isn’t the greatest of cities when it comes to educational environment, but I swear that in all of my years of school here, I’ve never seen someone hold a ruler in a three-ring binder like that. My mother says the same. So, is this some great idea somebody had and it never caught on, but the holes (plus one extra) are put there anyway? Or, does everyone else do this, and Las Vegas is just weird?

2

I’m gonna agree with #3 on your list.

3

The holes are there so the ruler can be placed in a binder. I believe the extra one is so it can be put into a two-ring binder. I’d have to look at a ruler with holes in it to be sure. (The free rulers our company hands out do not have any holes. How can we expect to retain customers?) Whoever gave you answers 1 and 2 should be swatted with a ruler (Wow, I’ve been kind of violent here lately). Number 3 only holds water if the hole is near the end.

4

#3, no question. I used to carry a ruler in a binder like that.

The remaining hole (and any of the holes, really) allow you to spin your ruler on the end of your pencil during idle moments.

5

I have seen people carry rulers this way, but they didn’t get along well with others.

When I was a kid I used the holes as a template for manually perforating a piece of binder-bound paper.

6

Maybe they’re Swiss rulers :slight_smile:

7

Take a pencil (you can use a pen, but wood is better), and insert the sharp end through the middle hole in the ruler (no, the ruler doesn’t go all the way thru). Push the ruler on nice and tight. Now rip off the eraser from your pencil and jam it on top of the ruler (alternately, grab your Elmer’s Glue and glue it on). Viola! A helicopter! Put your hands together like you’re clapping with the pencil inbetween and push one hand out away from your body and one in towards your body. And away she goes! And away you go to the Main Office!

Can you believe I wasn’t valedictorian? Can you believe I didn’t become an engineer?! :wink: