When using a ruler that measures length to the nearest 0.25 inches, the most appropriate way to report the length is to express it in increments of 0.25 inches. You would round the measured length to the nearest quarter inch.
For example, if you measure a length and find it to be 3.3 inches, you would round this to 3.25 inches, as it is closer to 3.25 than to 3.5. Similarly, if the measurement is 3.6 inches, you would round up to 3.75 inches.
So, always ensure that the reported length is in the form of a value like x.00, x.25, x.50, or x.75, where x is a whole number.