The fourth band gives resistance tolerance.Its colour is either silver or gold.Silver band indicates a tolerance of ± 10 % ,a gold band shows a tolerance of ±5 %.If there is no fourth band ,tolerance is understand to be ± 20%.By tolerance ,means the posible variation from the marked value.For example ,a 1000 Ω resistor with a tolerance of ± 10 % will have an actual resistance anywhere between 900 Ω and 1100 Ω.Ĭertain precision resistors with tolerance of 2 %, 1 %, or less are generally color coded with five bands as shown in figure given below:īegin at the band closest to one end.The first band is the first digit of the resistance value,the second band is the second digit,the third band is the third digit,the fourth band is multiplier ( number of zeroes after the third digit),and the fifth indicates the percent tolerance.The third band is decimal multiplier i.e,it gives the number of zeroes after the first two digits.10 resistors are rarely used today - see this page for a list of the more commonly used 5 (gold tolerance band) resistors with color codes, shorthand notation and tolerance range. The second band gives the second digit. 820 ohm Note: all resistors above have a silver tolerance band (10 tolerance).The first band indicates the first digit in the numerical value of the resistance.

The 5 band resistor colour bands are interpreted as follows:

330 ohm resistor color code