To read each dial, you use the number last passed by the dial hand. This may not be nearest the hand. For instance, if the pointer has passed 6 and is almost on 7, you read it as 6. Write down the figures in the same order you read the dial, from right to left. Practice reading the meters shown in Figure 3 on the following page. What's Your Electric Bill? Meters aren't set back each month when the meter reader comes around. The difference in the readings from one month to the next shows how many kilowatt-hours have been used. If you know your electric rates, you can figure your bill by yourself. Your power supplier will furnish you with a rate schedule on request. [Illustration: Figure 3. See if you can read the above correctly. The answers are shown in a box on the next page.] It will be interesting to you to find out how much it costs to operate the various electric appliances in your home. A sample rate schedule is shown in Figure 4. [Illustration: Figure 4. Sample rate schedule. Note that as the use of electricity increases, the average cost per kwh is reduced.] Estimating Operating Costs To find the cost of operating any single appliance, three steps are necessary: 1. Learn the wattage of the appliance. 2. Estimate how many hours the appliance is used. 3. Find its operating cost. _To Find Wattage:_ Watts, you know, are the measure of electrical power. They are the product of voltage (pressure) times amperes (rate of flow). Volts times Amps equals Watts. The nameplate on the appliance will give the voltage required for proper operation as well as either amperage or watts. If it gives wattage, you have the information you want. Otherwise you must multiply volts times amps to get the wattage. When voltage is given as 110-120, use 120 as your voltage. 120 volts is nominal today. _How Much Will You Use?_ Now that you know the wattage of the appliance, multiply this figure by number of hours the equipment operates in one day. Divide this by 1000 to get the kwh. Now multiply the result by the number of days the appliance is used each month. This tells you the number of kwh used by the appliance during the month.