Measuring perimeter
You can use the Distance Tool to measure perimeter--the distance around the outside edge of an object. You can measure the perimeter of any straight-sided shape.
To measure perimeter:
1 Click the Distance Tool.
2 Starting with one corner of the object, press and hold the left mouse button, then drag a line across one side of the shape. Do not release the mouse button.
3 Press and hold the CTRL key, and drag the mouse along an adjacent side. The outline of a parallelogram appears as you drag the mouse.
4 When the parallelogram surrounds the shape you are measuring, release both the CTRL key and the mouse button.
The measurement appears on the Status Bar.