A 55-inch widescreen television has a screen size that is 47.94 inches wide by 26.96 inches tall. The housing that houses the screen and equipment determines the actual size of a television. A flat-screen television, for instance, has much less depth than a cathode ray tube television.

Manufacturers gauge the dimensions of television screens diagonally, from corner to corner. For a 55-inch television, the calculation that determines the screen’s width and height is impacted by the 4:3 aspect ratio, resulting in screen measurements of 44 inches wide by 33 inches tall. A television’s overall size is enlarged by speakers and control panels. When a flatscreen television is free-standing as opposed to wall-mounted, the stand adds to the overall height.