What's a "point?"

The point is the most common unit of measurement in graphic design. One point is equal to one seventy-second of one inch, or approximately 0.0139".

For type, the point size of a character and/or lines of text can be calculated by measuring from the baseline (the line upon which the bottom of the characters rest) to the height of the capital letter(s). That measurement, in inches, is then divided by 0.0139 to get the approximate point size. A graphic designer or typographer can usually round up or down to get the correct, specific point size.