Rule of thumb · ComputersNº 103 / 165

A word is five characters

Every typing speed ever quoted is characters divided by five, divided by minutes.

Why it works

A fixed divisor is the only thing that lets two people typing completely different

When it fails

It is about 14% generous on English prose, where the average word runs 4.7 letters

Do it exactly

Estimate with the rule, then check it against the calculator that models it properly.

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How is typing speed measured?

Every typing speed ever quoted is characters divided by five, divided by minutes. A fixed divisor is the only thing that lets two people typing completely different .

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