Standard 9-gauge fabric requires less tension than:

• A. 7 gauge
• B. 11 gauge
• C. 13 gauge
• D. None of the above

Answer: (A)

Gauge indicates wire thickness, and the relationship is inverse: lower numbers mean thicker wire. Thicker wire is stiffer and resists being stretched, so you must apply more tension to pull it tight to the correct height. Since 7-gauge wire is thicker than 9-gauge, it requires more tension than 9-gauge fabric. Therefore, standard 9-gauge fabric needs less tension than 7-gauge. The other gauges listed are thinner than 9-gauge, so they would typically need even less tension, not more, which is why they don’t fit the statement.