Full digit, multiplier, tolerance and temperature-coefficient table for 4-band, 5-band and 6-band resistors, plus preferred values and worked examples. Print it or save as PDF for the bench.
| Color | Digit | Multiplier | Tolerance | Temp. coeff. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 0 | ×1 | - | 250 ppm/K |
| Brown | 1 | ×10 | ±1 % | 100 ppm/K |
| Red | 2 | ×100 | ±2 % | 50 ppm/K |
| Orange | 3 | ×1 k | - | 15 ppm/K |
| Yellow | 4 | ×10 k | - | 25 ppm/K |
| Green | 5 | ×100 k | ±0.5 % | 20 ppm/K |
| Blue | 6 | ×1 M | ±0.25 % | 10 ppm/K |
| Violet | 7 | ×10 M | ±0.1 % | 5 ppm/K |
| Grey | 8 | ×100 M | ±0.05 % | 1 ppm/K |
| White | 9 | ×1 G | - | - |
| Gold | - | ×0.1 | ±5 % | - |
| Silver | - | ×0.01 | ±10 % | - |
| None | - | - | ±20 % | - |
Value = (the digits read as one number) × multiplier. For 4-band, two digits; for 5-band and 6-band, three digits. The 6th band on a 6-band part is the temperature coefficient in ppm per kelvin.
| Bands | Calculation | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Brown, Black, Red, Gold (4-band) | 10 × 100 | 1 kΩ ±5 % |
| Yellow, Violet, Orange, Gold (4-band) | 47 × 1 k | 47 kΩ ±5 % |
| Brown, Black, Black, Brown, Brown (5-band) | 100 × 10 | 1 kΩ ±1 % |
| Red, Red, Black, Black, Brown (5-band) | 220 × 1 | 220 Ω ±1 % |
| Series | Values per decade (multiply by 1, 10, 100, 1 k, ...) |
|---|---|
| E12 (±10 %, ±5 %) | 10, 12, 15, 18, 22, 27, 33, 39, 47, 56, 68, 82 |
| E24 (±5 %) | 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 43, 47, 51, 56, 62, 68, 75, 82, 91 |
Example: the E12 series at the 1 k decade gives 1.0, 1.2, 1.5, 1.8, 2.2, 2.7, 3.3, 3.9, 4.7, 5.6, 6.8, 8.2 kΩ. These are the values you actually find on the shelf, which is why calculators round results to the nearest one.