<title>Ambiguous line width</title> <div style="background: yellow; width: 10em; height: 10em; position: relative"> <div style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; height: 2em; width: 1em; background: blue"></div> <div style="position: absolute; top: 2em; left: 0; height: 2em; width: 5em; background: aqua"></div> <span style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 1em; height: 1em; width: 4em; background: maroon; vertical-align: bottom"></span> <span style="position: absolute; top: 4em; left: 0; height: 3em; width: 6em; background: maroon; vertical-align: bottom"></span> </div>