How to Calculate Girth

Girth generally refers to the distance around an object. For example, the girth of a person is the distance, or circumference, around his waist. Girth is also used in shipping to determine how much a package will cost to ship. In this case, the dimensions must be measured to find the girth.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape

1. If your subject is generally cylindrically shaped, such as pipe or a person, use the measuring tape to find the distance around the person at the widest point. The measurement is the girth.

2. For a rectangular prism, measure the length, width and height. The length is the longest dimension.

3. Use the following formula to calculate girth where W is the width and H is the height:

   Girth = 2(W + H)

   For example, if you had a box that measure 5 inches by 8 inches by 12 inches, 12 inches would be the length. Add 5 and 8 to get 13 and then multiply by 2 and you get 26 inches. This is the girth.

References

• Measuring Girth