CalcVind

Resistor Color Code Calculator

Read a resistor's value from its colour bands

Colour Bands

Read from the end with bands grouped closest together; the tolerance band is usually set apart.

Resistance

4.7 kΩResistance
±5%Tolerance
4.465 kΩ
Minimum
4.935 kΩ
Maximum
4,700 Ω
In ohms

Reading

  1. Digits 4 7 × 100 = 4,700 Ω
  1. 1
    Count the bands
    4, 5 or 6 coloured stripes
  2. 2
    Pick each colour
    Starting from the digit end
  3. 3
    Read the value
    Resistance, tolerance and range

How to read resistor colours

The first two (or three) bands are digits, the next is a power of ten, and the last shows the tolerance:

Black 0, Brown 1, Red 2, Orange 3, Yellow 4, Green 5, Blue 6, Violet 7, Grey 8, White 9

Yellow-Violet-Red-Gold = 47 × 100 = 4.7 kΩ ±5%

A memory trick

“BB ROY of Great Britain has a Very Good Wife” gives the order: Black, Brown, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Grey, White, for 0 to 9.

4, 5 and 6 bands

Four-band resistors (usually ±5% gold) have two digits. Precision resistors use five bands with three digits and tighter tolerance. A sixth band gives the temperature coefficient: how much the value drifts with heat.

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Frequently asked questions

What colour code is a 10k resistor?

Brown-Black-Orange (1, 0, × 1,000) followed by the tolerance band, usually gold for ±5%.

Which end do I start reading from?

Start from the end where the bands are bunched together. The tolerance band (often gold or silver) is usually a little apart at the other end.

What does tolerance mean?

How far the real value may differ from the marked one. A 1 kΩ ±5% resistor can measure anywhere from 950 to 1,050 Ω.

Sources

Last reviewed: October 2026