Paper size

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A comparison of different paper sizes
A comparison of different paper sizes

There are different systems for specifying paper size. The one in most widespread use has been specified by ISO 216. It specifies the DIN format for paper. Originally, there are different series (A,B,C). Each series is written as the name of the series and a number, to specify the size of the paper.

If you increase the number by one, you halve the size of the paper. DIN A4 is half the size of DIN A3. The biggest fo them is DIN A0. DIN A0 has the surface of 1 m2.

In this system the aspect ratio (width to height) does not change. it is always the square root of 2 (1.4142..).

The B series and the C series are obtained by scaling.When something is made bigger or smaller, but the aspect ratio does not change people say it is scaled. B1 is halfway between A0 and A1. C0 is halfway between A0 and B0.

In the United States, Canada, and some other countries of the Americas, the formats US Letter (slighlty smaller than A4) and US Legal (slightly larger than A4) are still in use. The scalability also means that less paper (and hence money) is wasted by printing companies.

ISO/DIN paper sizes (in mm)
A B C
0 841 × 1189 1000 × 1414 917 × 1297
1 594 × 841 707 × 1000 648 × 917
2 420 × 594 500 × 707 458 × 648
3 297 × 420 353 × 500 324 × 458
4 210 × 297 250 × 353 229 × 324
5 148 × 210 176 × 250 162 × 229
6 105 × 148 125 × 176 114 × 162
7 74 × 105 88 × 125 81 × 114
8 52 × 74 62 × 88 57 × 81
9 37 × 52 44 × 62 40 × 57
10 26 × 37 31 × 44 28 × 40

The tolerances specified in the standard are

  • ±1.5 mm for dimensions up to 150 mm,
  • ±2 mm for lengths in the range 150 to 600 mm, and
  • ±3 mm for any dimension above 600 mm.

[edit] Common sizes in use

  • A4 is used mostly for writing letters (the standard office paper).
  • C6 and B5 are in common use for envelopes.

[edit] Paper Sizes in the US and Canada

In the United States and Canada, there is another system of standard paper sizes. Getting the DIN sizes is very hard.

Name Inches mm Ratio
Quarto 10 × 8 254 × 203 1.25
Foolscap 13 × 8 330 × 203 1.625
Executive 10½ × 7¼ 267 × 184 1.4483
Government-Letter 10½ × 8 267 × 203 1.3125
Letter 11 × 8½ 279 × 216 1.2941
Legal 14 × 8½ 356 × 216 1.6471
Ledger, Tabloid 17 × 11 432 × 279 1.5455
Post 19¼ × 15½ 489 × 394 1.2419
Crown 20 × 15 508 × 381 1.3333
Large Post 21 × 16½ 533 × 419 1.2727
Demy 22½ × 17½ 572 × 445 1.2857
Medium 23 × 18 584 × 457 1.2778
Royal 25 × 20 635 × 508 1.25
Elephant 28 × 23 711 × 584 1.2174
Double Demy 35 × 23½ 889 × 597 1.4894
Quad Demy 45 × 35 1143 × 889 1.2857
Statement 8½ × 5½ 216 × 140 1.5455
A 11 × 8½ 279 × 216 1.2941
B 17 × 11 432 × 279 1.5455
C 22 × 17 559 × 432 1.2941
D 34 × 22 864 × 559 1.5455
E 44 × 34 1118 × 864 1.2941