1. What is a Resistor Colour Coding Calculator?

Definition: This calculator determines the resistance value of a resistor based on its color bands.

Purpose: It helps electronics hobbyists, engineers, and students quickly decode resistor values without memorizing the color code.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( R \) — Resistance value (ohms)
• \( band1 \) — First significant digit (color band)
• \( band2 \) — Second significant digit (color band)
• \( band3 \) — Multiplier/exponent (color band)

Explanation: The first two bands represent digits, the third band is the multiplier (power of ten).

3. Importance of Resistor Color Coding

Details: Color coding allows quick identification of resistor values without measuring each one, crucial for circuit design and repair.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Select colors for each band from the dropdown menus. The calculator supports standard 4-band resistors.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What if my resistor has more than 3 bands?
A: This calculator handles the first 3 bands (2 digits + multiplier). For 4-band resistors, the 4th band indicates tolerance (not calculated here).

Q2: What do gold and silver bands mean?
A: As multipliers, gold = ×0.1 and silver = ×0.01. As tolerance bands, gold = ±5% and silver = ±10%.

Q3: How accurate is color coding?
A: The value is nominal. Actual resistance depends on tolerance (not calculated here).

Q4: What's the maximum resistance this can calculate?
A: With white (9) in all bands: 99×10^9 = 99 GΩ (gigaohms).

Q5: Can this calculator handle 5-band resistors?
A: Not currently. This version only calculates 3-band (4-band with tolerance not shown) resistor values.