cap height- distance from the baseline to the top of the capital letter determines letter’s point size

vs.

ascender- elements that may extend slightly above the cap height

 

 

stem vs serif

spine vs cross bar

 

most typefaces are not divided in half, like how we are taught to write when we are younger, the x height usually occupies more than half of the cap height

the larger the x height the bigger the letter appears to be

greatest density is between the baseline and x height