How it works: the first 2 (or 3, on 5/6-band resistors) colored bands are significant digits, the next band is a ×10ⁿ multiplier (gold=×0.1, silver=×0.01), the next is tolerance, and on 6-band resistors a final band gives the temperature coefficient in ppm/°C. Reading direction matters — the tolerance band (gold/silver/or a wider gap before it) marks the end of the resistor; read from the opposite side.