Resistor Color Code Challenge
A 60-second sprint: read resistor values and tolerances from the color bands. Streaks earn bonus points.
Score0Streak0Time60s
Resistor color code cheat sheet
4-band resistors: bands 1-2 are significant digits, band 3 is the multiplier (power of ten), band 4 is tolerance. 5-band resistors add one more significant digit: bands 1-3 are digits, band 4 the multiplier, band 5 the tolerance.
| Color | Digit | Multiplier | Tolerance |
|---|
The three most common misreads
- Finding the starting end: the tolerance band (gold/silver/brown) is spaced farther from its neighbour and sits closer to the lead end. Gold and silver never appear as band 1.
- On 5-band resistors the third digit band is easily mistaken for the multiplier — count the bands before you read.
- SMD resistors use printed digits instead of colors: 103 = 10×10³ = 10 kΩ; four-digit parts simply add one more significant digit.
Resistors done — now pick the right dev board:
One-page cheatsheet: which board for which project