How do I read a 4-band resistor?

The first two bands are significant digits, the third is the power-of-ten multiplier, and the fourth is the tolerance. For example brown-black-red-gold is 1, 0, x100 = 1000 ohms with +/-5% tolerance.

What is the difference between 4, 5 and 6 band resistors?

A 4-band resistor has two digit bands; 5 and 6-band resistors have three digit bands for higher precision. A 6-band resistor adds a final band for the temperature coefficient (ppm/K).

What do the gold and silver bands mean?

As a multiplier, gold means x0.1 and silver means x0.01. As a tolerance band, gold means +/-5% and silver means +/-10%. Their position in the band sequence tells you which role they play.

Which direction do I read the bands?

Read from the side where the bands are grouped together toward the lone tolerance band, which usually has a wider gap. The tolerance band (often gold or silver) goes on the right.

What is the temperature coefficient band?

On 6-band resistors the last band gives the temperature coefficient in parts per million per kelvin (ppm/K), describing how much the resistance changes with temperature. For example brown is 100 ppm/K.

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🎨Reference

Resistor Color Code Calculator

Decode resistor color bands both ways — colors to value, or value to colors.

Color code chart