Resistor Color Code Calculator
Select the number of bands and the color of each one, reading from the end where the bands sit closest together. The calculator returns the resistance and its tolerance range.
Result
- Minimum
- 4.465 kΩ
- Maximum
- 4.935 kΩ
- Resistance in ohms
- 4,700 Ω
Formula
- 4 bands: resistance = (digit 1, digit 2) × multiplier
- 5 and 6 bands: resistance = (digit 1, digit 2, digit 3) × multiplier
- Range = resistance × (1 ± tolerance)
How the Resistor Color Code Calculator works
Each color stands for a digit: black 0, brown 1, red 2, orange 3, yellow 4, green 5, blue 6, violet 7, gray 8 and white 9. The first two or three bands are digits, the next band is a power of ten multiplier, and the last band gives the tolerance.
A four band resistor has two digit bands. Five and six band resistors have three, which allows the closer values used in 1 percent and tighter parts. The sixth band, when present, is the temperature coefficient in parts per million per kelvin.
Worked example
Yellow, violet, red, gold reads 4, 7, then ×100, then ±5%. The resistance is 47 × 100 = 4,700 Ω, or 4.7 kΩ, and the actual value lies between 4,465 Ω and 4,935 Ω.
Frequently asked questions
Which end of the resistor do I read from?
Start at the end where the bands are grouped closest to the edge. The tolerance band is usually gold or silver and sits apart at the other end.
What do gold and silver bands mean?
As the last band, gold means ±5 percent and silver ±10 percent tolerance. As the multiplier band, gold means ×0.1 and silver ×0.01.
What are the colors of a 10k resistor?
With four bands it is brown, black, orange, then the tolerance band. With five bands it is brown, black, black, red.
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