PERSONAL

IDENTIFICATION
key Major Primary Secondary Sub-Sec. Final

Ridge All fingers

count of
the 1st
loop

Thumb Index Middle Ring Little

2 4

1 3 5
6 8 10

7 9
 CLASSIFICATION FORMULA

A. PRIMARY DIVISION - Always represented by a numerical value

assigned to whorl patterns depending on what finger they appear.
Arch and Loop are non-numerical patterns.
A, T, / \ = Zero (0)

Whorl patterns.(WCDX)
Finger 1 and 2 Right Thumb and Right Index (16)
Finger 3 and 4 Right middle and Right Ring (8)
Finger 5 and 6 Right little and Left Thumb (4)
Finger 7 and 8 Left Index and Left middle(2)
Finger 9 and 10 Left Ring and Left Little(1)
• The sum of the numerical value assigned to even
number of finger represent the numerator and the
sum of the assigned value to odd number
represent the denominator Plus the Pre-
established fraction of 1/1 to complete the
primary.
Thumb Index Middle Ring Little
2 4
Plain Double Radial Plain Plain
whorl Loop Loop whorl Arch
1 Whorl 3 5
6 Central 8 Tented 10
Radial Pocket Plain arch Double
Loop loop whorl Loop
whorl whorl
7 9

P = 1 + N (E) 16 +8 + 0 +2 +1 =28
1 + D (O) 16 + 0 +0 +2 +0 = 19
 b. Secondary – Represented by Capital and
small letter combination based on interpretation
made during the blocking.
Capital letter – derived from the index fingers
which can be (A, T, U, R, W, C, D or X).
Small letter – derived from the thumb,
middle, ring and little fingers.

It only includes the radial loop (r), plain arch (a)

and tented arch (t). “rat”
Thumb Index Middle Ring Little
2 4
Plain Double Radial Plain Plain
whorl Loop Loop whorl Arch
1 Whorl 3 5
6 Central 8 Tented 10
Radial Pocket Plain arch Double
Loop loop whorl Loop
whorl whorl
7 9

S= Dra
rCt
 c. Sub-secondary Division – derived by ridge
counting of loop and ridge
Tracing of whorl found at the index, middle ring fingers only.
c.1 Ridge Counting of Loop
Index Finger 1 to 9 Ridge Count = I
10 or more =0
Middle Finger 1 to 10 Ridge Count = I
11 or more =0
Ring Finger 1 to 13 Ridge Count = I
14 or more =0
Ridge counting = the process of counting the ridge cross by
the line from delta to core.
Incipient Ridge = ridge that is so thin or fine, not included as
a ridge count.
RIDGE COUNTING – is finding the number of ridges that
intervene between the two focal points of the fingerprint pattern
(the delta and the core). The delta and the core must not be
included in the counting.
 In some instances that there is a bifurcation of a
ridge exactly at the point where an imaginary line
is hit or touched, both are counted. Where the line
passes an island, both sides are counted.
Fragment and dots are counted as ridges only if
they appear to be as thick and heavy as the other
ridges in the immediate pattern. Peculiarities in
inking and pressure must, of course, be
considered.
WHORL TRACING
A whorl pattern relies only on the formation of the focal points or
the locations of the two deltas. In whorl tracing, the following rules
must be strictly followed:
• The two deltas (left and right delta) must be located first
• Once the two deltas are located, start ridge tracing below the
extreme left delta going to the right delta. When the right delta is
reached, stop the tracing immediately.
• In the event that the ridge of the whorl is broken or bifurcated, the
continuation of the flow of the ridge trace is immediately below
the broke line; for the bifurcated, the continuation is below the
bifurcating lines.
• If there are three or more ridges that pass above or below the
right delta, the whorl will be called INNER. (3 intervening ridges
above)
• In the event that the ridges of the whorl pattern pass below or
outside the right delta, the whorl pattern will be called OUTER.
(3 intervening ridges below)
• If there are less than three ridges that pass above or inside or
pass below or outside the right delta, the whorl will be called
MEETING.
c.2 Ridge Tracing of Whorl ( counting the intervening
ridges between the tracing ridge and right delta.)
• Inner Whorl (I) When the tracing goes above or inside
the right delta and there are three (3) or more
intervening ridges.
• Outer Whorl (O) when the tracing ridge goes below or
outside the right delta and there are three (3) or more
intervening ridges.
• Meeting Whorl (M) when there are only two or less
intervening ridge/s
c.3 Plain Arch and Tented Arch are always dash (-)
D. MAJOR DIVISION (Taken from
Thumb fingers only)
A major division is located on the left side of primary
classification. Once the pattern of whorl is reflected on the
thumb, the major divisions that may be used are INNER,
MEETING, and OUTER based on the result of the tracing.
This type of classification is exclusively for the thumb finger
and for the loop pattern only. The major classification takes the
ridge count of the loop pattern of both thumb using the labels
SMALL (S), MEDIUM (M), and LARGE (L)
In the even that finger number 1 and 6 are neither a loop nor a
whorl, then we do not have a major classification and we will just
place a DASH (-) on it.
 RULES IN DETERMINING MAJOR
CLASSIFICATION

First Rule
Left thumb ridge count: 1-11 Small (S), 12-16 Medium (M)
Right thumb ridge count: 1-11 Small (S), 12-16 Medium (M), 17
and above Large (L)

Second Rule
Left thumb ridge count: 17 above Large (L)
Right thumb ridge count: 1-17 Small (S), 18-22 Medium (M), and
23 above Large (L)
FINAL CLASSIFICATION
This formula will be accomplished through
the ridge count of the loop pattern of the right
and left little fingers. The final classification is
placed at the extreme right of the
classification formula.
This classification has the following rules:
• Rule 1 – Fingers involved are the little fingers of both hands and
the classification is exclusively for a lop pattern only and the
number of the ridge count is constant.
• Rule 2 – if the right little finger is not a loop but the left little finger is
a loop, the ridge count oof the left little finger will be written on the
denominator part.
• Rule 3 – if both little fingers are not loops, look for the first whorl
and this will be treated as ulnar loop for counting and for
classification purposes only. But, you can only use the whorl as the
first loop if the primary classification is 32 over 32. If it is not, then
you do not have a final classification.
• Rule 4 – if both little fingers are not loops and the primary
classification is not 32 over 32, then use a dash.
• In tracing the whorl using an ulnar loop for
the right hand, the tracing shall start at the
right delta going to the left delta, then count
the ridges above the left delta.
• For the left hand whorl, start ridge tracing
from the left delta going to the right delta,
then count the ridges above the right delta.
KEY CLASSIFICATION
Key classification takes the first loop on the ten sets of
boxes on fingerprint card, except the little finger, because the
little finger has its own classification. Key classification is done
by counting the ridges of the first loop appearing on the ten
sets of fingerprint card, beginning with the right thumb up to
the ring finger only, since the little fingers are exclusively for
the final classification.
In getting the key, it does not matter where the first loop is
found. The key is locates to the extreme left of the
classification. When the first loop appears, write it on the
numerator part of the classification formula.
Key Classification Rules:
• Rule 1 – fingers involved are thumbs, index, middle and ring
fingers of both hands and the classification is exclusively for a
loop pattern only. The number of the ridge count is constant.
• Rule 2 – If there is no loop on the right thumb, index, middle, and
ring finger, look for the first loop on the corresponding finger (left
sets of fingers) and the ridge count of that said finger will be
written on the numerator.
• Rule 3 – If thumb, index, middle and ring fingers of both hands are
not loops, look for the first whorl and this will be treated as ulnar
loop for counting and for classification purposes only. But, you can
only use the whorl as first loop if the primary classification is 32
over 32 only. If it is not, then you do not have a key classification.
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