While you certainly do not need to know, understand or use any of this info, somewhere along the line when you progress and get into it, you may find some of these basic definitions, formulas and conversions handy. If you have run into a different problem and used a conversion or formula to solve it that you don't see listed here, email me and I'll add it in....

Basic and Circular geometry:

• Circumference: distance around the fullest part of the ball (abbreviated C)
• Diameter: distance through the fullest part of the ball (abbreviated D)
• Radius: one half of the diameter (abbreviated r)

• Angle: the distance measured in degrees between two lines intersecting at a point. For example, a right angle intersects at point with an angle of 90 degrees.

• Degrees in a circle: 360. If you moved in a full circle around one central point (pole) you would travel 360 degrees.

• Degrees in a line: 180. If you moved one half the distance around a circle, you end up at a point directly opposite where you started, the two points (start and end) form a straight line. There are two 90 degree angles within this space.

Formulas:

• Pi = 3.14 (there is a value in geometry call pi. It is a constant that makes all this work. Don't try to understand it --- just use it.)

• Circumference of a circle = D times pi;   or two times r, then times pi.

Conversions:

        In general you will find that even if you use inches, feet and yards as your measuring values in life (called the English system), using metric measurements of millimeters and centimeters is much easier for Temari. Metric measurements are on a base of ten - you can measure, divide that measurement by any number and use the result directly. For example - if you want to divide a ball into fifths, there is no easy inch way to do it. But, if you measure it in millimeters, you can divide that number (say 23.4) by 5, get 4.7 and know that you need to measure off segments of 4.7 millimeters on your strip to have five equal divisions. Try doing THAT with inches.....

        A very simple way to measure and mark in metric is to use metric graph paper - just like the eight inches to the square os so stuff we have here in the states, but based on metric - so many squares to the cm for example. Metric graph paper is not readily available in the US - but here is a great freeware program you can download to print any kind (and I do mean ANY) of graph paper your little heart can desire. Go to Graph Paper on http://perso.easynet.fr/~philimar/

• 1 Centimeter  (abbreviated cm) = 10 millimeters (abbreviated mm).

To convert from mm to cm, divide by 10.
To convert from cm to mm, multiply by 10.

• For the diehards,

One cm = 0.3937 inches;
One mm= 0.03937 inches.
One inch = 2.54cm or 25.4mm

        Mari size conversions from English to Metric - one of the most confusing issues when you begin chatting with someone is what size the ball is. Some people learned on metric measurements (whether they are American or not) - others never heard of centimeters.
        And - the more acceptable way, per the methods used in Japan is to use the circumference to describe ball size, not diameter..... If one uses the V-ruler from Japan to mark a combination 10 ball, you use circumference as part of the process. So - here is a brief rundown to keep everyone in the same ball park (and these equivalents were all calculated using the conversions above - so if one is missing that you are looking for, you can still figure it out!).  For specific measurements, measure your final wrapped ball.... that will be different than the base mari you began with, but should still fall within these ranges after you do your figuring.

        This table provides some conversions for "nice" measurements... but in reality each ball is unique. It is very easy to figure the true measurements of a wrapped Temari: The easiest is to MEASURE it - using a tape measure which now come with both metric and inch notations. Measure around the fullest part of the mari - or if you have determined your north and south poles, measure the length of your measuring strip since you know you have the true circumference.

        Or, you may measure the diameter by placing the ball between two solid straight objects (Anne N. uses CD cases) on a ruler and determining the distance between the sides of the ball which is the distance between the sides of the two objects you are using. Then multiply that number by Pi (see above). If you measured in inches and wish to convert to metric, multiply your answer by 2.54 and you will have the circumference in centimeters. Take that answer and multiply by 10 to get millimeters.
        You would have had a rough knowledge of your ball size before starting, and you can compare it to the entries in the table to see that you are indeed close to what you should be. There is also a more detailed conversion chart to print and use, that will help with C10 divisions also.
 

With thanks to Sue H., Sarah R., and Kathy N.

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