yes. when reading the sidewall on a 245/45/17 tire you can figure out a lot of the dimensions. Here's how to read it:
245=tire width in millimeters
45=aspect ratio ---> in this case the sidewall height in mm is 45% of the width in mm
17=rim size in inches (duh )
now, you must also consider manufacturing tolerances etc which will make the calculated size different from the actual size, which is one reason they say not to mix and match tires on your car even if they are the same size.