A point is the smallest standard unit of measure. It is a unit of length in the Imperial and U.S. customary systems of measurement. The point has historically been used in printing and typography, where it refers to the smallest unit of measure in a line of text. In the past, printers used a metal rod with a conical point at one end to measure type size, in points.
A point is a unit of measurement in the English system. It is one-seventieth of an inch, or 0.013837 inches. In the American system, a point is one-hundredth of a foot, or 0.3048006 inches. The point has also been used in other systems of measurement, including the Pica, which is a unit of measure used by printers.
One point equals 1/72 of an inch. In digital printing and desktop publishing, a point is generally defined as 1/72 of an inch, though it may also be worth 1/96 of an inch. In typography, the point is the smallest unit of measure, though picas and cicero are also used.
Points are used in the printing, packaging, and advertising industries. In printing, points are used to measure the height of type. In the United States, the point is a unit of measure in the printing and advertising industries. In Europe, the point is used primarily in printing and packaging.
Point is an important unit of measure because it provides a common reference point for other units of measure. For example, when measuring length, one can use a ruler to determine the number of inches or centimeters in a given length, but one must first determine the zero point on the ruler. The zero point is the starting point for all other measurements, and it is typically located at the end of the ruler. By having a common reference point, it is easier to compare measurements between different objects or people.