The skin which covers the tips of the fingers and thumbs is crossed by numerous ridges arranged in different patterns.
The
skin
which
covers
the
tips
of
the
fingers
and
thumbs
is
crossed
by
numerous
ridges
arranged
in
different
patterns
.
These patterns are permanent from birth and remain exactly the same throughout a person's life, even when the skin becomes wrinkled and cracked as a result of old age.
These
patterns
are
permanent
from
birth
and
remain
exactly
the
same
throughout
a
person
's
life
,
even
when
the
skin
becomes
wrinkled
and
cracked
as
a
result
of
old
age
.
Such patterns are never passed on from parents to children, and no one in the world has the same patterns as anyone else.
Such
patterns
are
never
passed
on
from
parents
to
children
,
and
no
one
in
the
world
has
the
same
patterns
as
anyone
else
.
Even identical twins have different sets of fingerprints.
Even
identical
twins
have
different
sets
of
fingerprints
.
As a result, fingerprints offer a most useful and foolproof way of identifying people.
As
a
result
,
fingerprints
offer
a
most
useful
and
foolproof
way
of
identifying
people
.
Any ridged part of the hand and the foot may be used as a means of identification, but finger impressions are usually preferred since they can be taken easily and quickly.
Any
ridged
part
of
the
hand
and
the
foot
may
be
used
as
a
means
of
identification
,
but
finger
impressions
are
usually
preferred
since
they
can
be
taken
easily
and
quickly
.
Fingerprints are classified in the ways: by general shapes and contours, by the finger positions of the pattern-types, and by size (often measured by counting the ridges in the loops).
Fingerprints
are
classified
in
the
ways
:
by
general
shapes
and
contours
,
by
the
finger
positions
of
the
pattern-types
,
and
by
size
(
often
measured
by
counting
the
ridges
in
the
loops
)
.
Every set of fingerprints has different "ridge characteristics" (i. e. the print of each separate finger is different from that of all the other fingers), which belong to one of four basic groups: arches, loops, whorls and composites.
Every
set
of
fingerprints
has
different
``
ridge
characteristics
''
(
i.
e.
the
print
of
each
separate
finger
is
different
from
that
of
all
the
other
fingers
)
,
which
belong
to
one
of
four
basic
groups
:
arches
,
loops
,
whorls
and
composites
.
All fingerprints can then be divided into 1, 024 groups.
All
fingerprints
can
then
be
divided
into
1
,
024
groups
.
By using details in the patterns above, these 1, 024 groups can be further divided into thousands of smaller groups, thus making it possible to find a particular set of fingerprints in a few minutes.
By
using
details
in
the
patterns
above
,
these
1
,
024
groups
can
be
further
divided
into
thousands
of
smaller
groups
,
thus
making
it
possible
to
find
a
particular
set
of
fingerprints
in
a
few
minutes
.
The skin which covers the tips of the fingers and thumbs is crossed by numerous ridges arranged in different patterns. These patterns are permanent from birth and remain exactly the same throughout a person's life, even when the skin becomes wrinkled and cracked as a result of old age. Such patterns are never passed on from parents to children, and no one in the world has the same patterns as anyone else. Even identical twins have different sets of fingerprints. As a result, fingerprints offer a most useful and foolproof way of identifying people. Any ridged part of the hand and the foot may be used as a means of identification, but finger impressions are usually preferred since they can be taken easily and quickly.  Fingerprints are classified in the ways: by general shapes and contours, by the finger positions of the pattern-types, and by size (often measured by counting the ridges in the loops). Every set of fingerprints has different "ridge characteristics" (i. e. the print of each separate finger is different from that of all the other fingers), which belong to one of four basic groups: arches, loops, whorls and composites. All fingerprints can then be divided into 1, 024 groups. By using details in the patterns above, these 1, 024 groups can be further divided into thousands of smaller groups, thus making it possible to find a particular set of fingerprints in a few minutes.