paper size - wikipedia

7/24/2019 Paper Size - Wikipedia

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A size chart illustrating the ISO A

series and a comparison with American

letter and legal formats.

Comparison of some paper and

photographic paper sizes close to the

A4 size.

Paper sizeFrom Wikipedia, the free encclopedia

!an paper sizestandards con"entions ha"e e#isted at different times and in

different countries. $oda there is one widespread international ISO standard

%including A4, &', C4, etc.( and a localised standard used in )orth America

%including letter, legal, ledger, etc.(. $he paper sizes affect writing paper,

stationer, cards, and some printed documents. $he standards also ha"e

related sizes for en"elopes.

Contents

* $he international standard+ ISO *-

*.* erman e#tensions

*. Swedish e#tensions

*.' /apanese &0series "ariant

*.4 Colom1ian common sizes naming

)orth American paper sizes.* 2oose sizes

.*.* A)SI paper sizes

.*. Architectural sizes

.*.' Other sizes

. $a1let sizes

' $raditional inch01ased paper sizes

'.* 3emita1

4 $ransitional paper sizes

4.* A series

4. Anti5uarian6 Other metric sizes

- )ewspaper sizes

7 See also

8 9eferences

: Further reading

*;


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hal"es parallel to its shortest sides, then the hal"es will again ha"e an aspect ratio of . Folded 1rochures of an

size can 1e made 1 using sheets of the ne#t larger size, e.g. A4 sheets are folded to make A6 1rochures. $he sstem

allows scaling without compromising the aspect ratio from one size to another?as pro"ided 1 office photocopiers,

e.g. enlarging A4 to A' or reducing A' to A4. Similarl, two sheets of A4 can 1e scaled down and fit e#actl * sheet

without an cutoff or margins. Weights are eas to calculate as well+ a standard A4 sheet made from 8; gram@m=

paper weighs 6 grams %as it is one *-th of an A; page, measuring * m=(, allowing one to easil compute the

weight?and associated postage rate?1 counting the num1er of sheets used.

$he ad"antages of 1asing a paper size upon an aspect ratio of were alread noted in *78- 1 the erman

scientist and philosopher eorg Christoph 2ichten1erg.*B


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A size chart illustrating the ISO &

series.

A size chart illustrating the ISO C

series.

common in office use, it is used for a "ariet of special situations. !an

posters use &0series paper or a close appro#imation, such as 6; cm>7; cmE &6

s a relati"el common choice for 1ooks. $he & series is also used for

en"elopes and passports.

$he C series is used onl for en"elopes and is defined in ISO -:. $he area of

C series sheets is the geometric mean of the areas of the A and & series sheets

of the same num1erE for instance, the area of a C4 sheet is the geometric mean

of the areas of an A4 sheet and a &4 sheet. $his means that C4 is slightl

arger than A4, and &4 slightl larger than C4. $he practical usage of this isthat a letter written on A4 paper fits inside a C4 en"elope, and a C4 en"elope

fits inside a &4 en"elope.

ISO paper sizes (plus rounded inch values)

Format series ! series C series

Sizemm "mm

in " inmm "mm

in " inmm "mm

in " in

#

84* >

**8:

''.** >

4-.8*

*;;; >

*4*4

':.'7 >

66.-7

:*7 >

*:7

'-.*; >

6*.;-

16:4 #

84*

'.': >

''.**

7;7 >

*;;;

7.8' >

':.'7

-48 >

:*7

6.6* >

'-.*;

24; >

6:4

*-.64 >

'.':

6;; >

7;7

*:.-: >

7.8'

468 >

-48

*8.;' >

6.6*

$:7 >

4;

**.-: >

*-.64

'6' >

6;;

*'.:; >

*:.-:

'4 >

468

*.7- >

*8.;'

%*; >

:7

8.7 >

**.-:

6; >

'6'

:.84 >

*'.:;

: >

'4

:.; >

*.7-

&*48 >

*;

6.8' >

8.7

*7- >

6;

-.:' >

:.84

*- >

:

-.'8 >

:.;

6*;6 >

*48

4.*' >

6.8'

*6 >

*7-

4.: >

-.:'

**4 >

*-

4.4: >

-.'8

' 74 > *;6.:* >

4.*'88 > *6

'.4- >

4.:8* > **4

'.*: >

4.4:

6 > 74.;6 >

.:*- > 88

.44 >

'.4-67 > 8*

.4 >

'.*:

'7 > 6*.4- >

.;6 44 > -*.7' >

.44 4; > 67*.67 >

.4

1# - > '7*.; >

*.4-'* > 44

*. >

*.7'8 > 4;

*.*; >

*.67

$he tolerances specified in the standard are

L*.6 mm %;.;- in( for dimensions up to *6; mm %6.: in(,

L mm %;.;8 in( for lengths in the range *6; to -;; mm %6.: to '.- in( and

L' mm %;.* in( for an dimension a1o"e -;; mm %'.- in(.

*erman e+tensions

$he erman standard ,I- %'6was pu1lished in *: and is the original specification of the A and & sizes. It differs

n two details from its international successor+


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Comparison of ISO *- and

Swedish standard SIS ;*47**

paper sizes 1etween A4 and A'

sizes.

3I) 47- pro"ides an e#tension to formats larger than A;, denoted 1 a prefi# factor. In particular, it lists the two

formats A;, which is twice the area of A;, and 4A;, which is four times A;+

,I- %'6 over.ormats

-ame mm " mm in " in

%# *-8 > '78 --. > :'.-

2# **8: > *-8 4-.8* > --.

3I) 47- also specifies slightl tighter tolerances+

L* mm %;.;4 in( for dimensions up to *6; mm %6.: in(,

L*.6 mm %;.;- in( for lengths in the range *6; mm to -;; mm %6.: to '.- in( and

L mm %;.;8 in( for an dimension a1o"e -;; mm %'.- in(.

S/edish e+tensions

$he Swedish standard SIS ;*47** generalized the ISO sstem of A, &, and C

formats 1 adding 3,


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& *8 > 67 7.*7 > *;.* *8: > - 7.44 > *;.'* *6* > 7 6.:4 > 8.:4

6 *8 > *8 6.;4 > 7.*7 *7 > *88 6.;; > 7.4;

' :* > *8 '.68 > 6.;4

-4 > :* .6 > '.68

46 > -4 *.77 > .6

1# ' > 46 *.- > *.77

11 > ' ;.87 > *.-

12 *- > ;.-' > ;.87

Colom3ian common sizes namin5

$he most common paper sizes used for commercial and industrial printing in Colom1ia are the ISO &*, & and &'

and are referred to aspliego, pliegoand pliegorespecti"el

-orth merican paper sizes

oose sizes

Current standard sizes of .S., Canadian and !e#ican paper are a su1set of the traditional sizes referred to 1elow.

D2etterD, DlegalD, DledgerD, and Dta1loidD are 1 far the most commonl used of these for e"erda acti"ities. $he

origins of the e#act dimensions of DletterD size paper %8*N> ** in or *6.: > 7:.4 mm( are lost in tradition and notwell documented. $he American Forest and aper Association argues that the dimension originates from the das of

manual paper making, and that the ** inch length of the page is a1out a 5uarter of Dthe a"erage ma#imum stretch of

an e#perienced "atmans arms.DB

Gowe"er, this does not e#plain the width or aspect ratio. Outside of )orth

America, 2etter size is also known as DAmerican uartoD'Band the size is indeed almost e#actl a 5uarter of the old

Imperial %&ritish( paper size known as 3em 4to %*7PD>PD(, allowing PD for trimming. 4B

-orth merican paper sizes

Size in " in mm " mm

etter 8.6 > ** *- > 7:

e5al 8.6 > *4 *- > '6-

0unior e5al 8.; > 6.; ;' > *7

ed5er6B *7 > ** 4' > 7:

Ta3loid ** > *7 7: > 4'

$here is an additional paper size, to which the name Dgo"ernment0letterD was gi"en 1 the I --.7 mm( size is still commonl used in spiral01oundnote1ooks and the like.

.S. paper sizes are currentl standard in the nited States, the hilippines and Chile. $he latter two use .S. DletterD,

1ut the hilippine and Chilean DlegalD size is 8*N> *' in %*6.: > '';. mm(.-BISO sizes are a"aila1le, 1ut not


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A size chart illustrating the A)SI sizes.

widel used, in 1oth the .S. and the hilippines.

In Canada, .S. paper sizes are a de facto standard. $he go"ernment, howe"er, uses a com1ination of ISO paper sizes,

and CA) 0:.-;! Daper Sizes for CorrespondenceD specifies * through - paper sizes, which are the .S. paper

sizes rounded to the nearest 6 mm.7B

!e#ico has adopted the ISO standard, 1ut .S. DletterD format is still the sstem in use throughout the countr. It is

"irtuall impossi1le to encounter ISO standard papers in da0to0da uses, with DCarta *- mm > 7: mmD %letter(,

DOficio *- mm > '4; mmD %legal( and D3o1le cartaD %ledger@ta1loid( 1eing nearl uni"ersal. .S. sizes are also

widespread and in common use in Colom1ia.8B

-SI paper sizes

In *::-, the American )ational Standards Institute adopted A)SI@AS! ** in %*6.: > 7:.4 mm( DletterD size which it assigned DA)SIAD. $his series also includes DledgerD@Dta1loidD as DA)SI &D. $his series is

somewhat similar to the ISO standard in that cutting a sheet in half would

produce two sheets of the ne#t smaller size. nlike the ISO standard, howe"er,

the ar1itrar aspect ratio forces this series to ha"e two alternating aspectratios. $he A)SI series is shown 1elow.

With care, documents can 1e prepared so that the te#t and images fit on either

A)SI or their e5ui"alent ISO sheets at *+* reproduction scale.

-ame in " in mm " mm 7atio lias Similar ISO size

-SI 8P > ** *- > 7: *.:4* 2etter A4

-SI !

*7 > **

** > *7

4' > 7:

7: > 4' *.64662edger6B

$a1loid A'

-SI C *7 > 4' > 66: *.:4* A

-SI , > '4 66: > 8-4 *.6466 A*

-SI 8 '4 > 44 8-4 > ***8 *.:4* A;

Other, larger sizes continuing the alpha1etic series illustrated a1o"e e#ist, 1ut it should 1e noted that the are not part

of the seriesper se, 1ecause the do not e#hi1it the same aspect ratios. For e#ample, 4; in or

7**. > *,;*-.; mm( also e#ists, 1ut is rarel encountered, as are , G, ... ) size drawings. size is *Nin

%67*.6 mm( high, 1ut "aria1le width up to :; in %,8- mm( in increments of 8*Nin %*6.: mm(, i.e., roll format. Gand larger letter sizes are also roll formats. Such sheets were at one time used for full0scale laouts of aircraft parts,

wiring harnesses and the like, 1ut are slowl 1eing phased out, due to widespread use of computer0aided design

%CA3( and computer0aided manufacturing %CA!(. Some "isual arts fields also continue to use these paper formats

for large0scale printouts, such as for displaing digitall painted character renderings at life0size as references for

makeup artists and costume designers, or to pro"ide an immersi"e landscape reference.

rchitectural sizes

In addition to the A)SI sstem as listed a1o"e, there is a corresponding series of paper sizes used for architectural

purposes. $his series also shares the propert that 1isecting each size produces two of the size 1elow.:BIt ma 1e

preferred 1 )orth American architects 1ecause the aspect ratios %4+' and '+( are ratios of small integers, unlike their

A)SI %or ISO( counterparts. Furthermore, the aspect ratio 4+' matches the traditional aspect ratio for computer

displas.:B$he architectural series, usuall a11re"iated DArchD, is shown 1elow+


7/14

A size chart illustrating the

Architectural sizes.

-ame in " in mm " mm 7atio

rch : > * : > ';6 '+4

rch ! * > *8 ';6 > 467 +'

rch C *8 > 4 467 > -*; '+4

rch , 4 > '- -*; > :*4 +'

rch 8 '- > 48 :*4 > **: '+4

rch 81 '; > 4 7- > *;-7 6+7

rch 82 - # '8 --; # :-6 *'+*:

rch 8$ 7 # ': -8- # ::* :+*'

Other sizes

-ame in " inmm "

mm7atio

dot +

dot

Or5anizer 0 .76 > 67; >

*7Q*.8*4

Compact4.6 >

-.76

*;8 >

*7**.68''

Or5anizer 9 Statement9 al.

etter9 ;emo9 0epps 8.6

*4; >

*-*.64

8+ecutive9 ;onarch7.6 >

*;.6

*84 >

-7Q*.448'

*overnmentetter 8 > *;.6;' >-7

*.'*6

Foolscap9 Folio6B 8.7 > *'

*; >

'';*.-6

etter9 Or5anizer ; 8.6 > ***- >

7:Q*.:4*

Fan.old 12+=&9 *erman Std

Fan.old8.6 > *

*- >

';4*.4;7

-* >

8-4

*overnmente5al9 Folio 8.6 > *'

*- >

''; Q*.6:4

e5al 8.6 > *4*- >

'6-*.-48*

>uarto : > **: >

7:*.

?S Std Fan.old** >

*4.876

7: >

'77Q*.'6*'

7: >

*;7*

ed5er9 Ta3loid9 Or5anizer 49

!i3le** > *7

7: >

4'*.64

Super! *' > *:''; >

48'Q*.4-*6

Post*6.6 >

*:.6

':4 >

48:Q*.68*


8/14

Cro/n *6 > ;'8* >

6;8*.'

ar5e Post *-.6 > *4*: >

6''*.7

,em@*7.6 >

.6

446 >

67Q*.867

;edium *8 > '

467 >

684 *.7

!roadsheet *8 > 4467 >

-*;*.'

7o@al ; > 66;8 >

-'6*.6

8lephant ' > 8684 >

7**Q*.*74

,ou3le ,em@ .6 > '667 >

88:*.6

>uad ,em@ '6 > 4688: >

**4'Q*.867

Personal Or5anizers and Other Corporations*;B**B

Compan@ -ame Paper Size in + in (Aarious hole sizes)

Filo.a+ ;2 1#$ + 6% mm /ith $ holes

!ini *;6 # -7 mm with 6 holes

ocket *; # 8* mm with - holes

ersonal *7* # :6 mm with - holes

Slimline *7* # :6 mm with - holes

A6 *; # *48 mm with - holes

3eskfa# %&6( 6; > *7- mm with : holes

A4 :7 # *; mm with 4 holes

Franlin Planner

!icro R # 4 %--.-76 # *;8 mm(

ocket 'P # - %8: # *6 mm(Compact 4 # -T %*;8 # *7* mm(

Classic 6P # 8P %*4; # *- mm(

!onarch 8P # ** %*- # 8; mm(

6 7- > *7 *.-

Inde+ card 4 > - *; > *6 *.6

Inde+ card 6 > 8 *7 > ;' *.-


9/14


10/14

D2etter padsD are 8*N1 ** inches %*6.: 1 7:.4 mm(, while the term Dlegal padD is often used 1 lamen to refer

to pads of "arious sizes including those of 8*N1 *4 inches %*6.: 1 '66.- mm(. $here are Dsteno padsD %used 1stenographers( of - 1 : inches %*6.4 1 8.- mm(.

In countries where the ISO sizes are standard, most note1ooks and ta1lets are sized to ISO specifications %for

e#ample, most newsagents in Australia stock A4 and A' ta1lets(.

Traditional inch3ased paper sizes

$raditionall, a num1er of different sizes were defined for large sheets of paper, and paper sizes were defined 1 the

sheet name and the num1er of times it had 1een folded. $hus a full sheet of DroalD paper was 6 > ; inches, and

Droal octa"oD was this size folded three times, so as to make eight sheets, and was thus *; 1 - inches.

Imperial sizes were used in the nited ingdom and its territories. Some of the 1ase sizes were as follows+

-ame in " in mm " mm 7atio

8mperor 48 > 7 **: > *8: *.6

ntiDuarian '* > 6' 787 > *'4- *.7;:7

*rand ea5le 8.76 > 4 7'; > *;-7 *.4-;:

,ou3le elephant -.76 > 4; -78 > *;*- *.4:84

tlas< - > '4 --; > 8-4 *.';77

Colom3ier '.6 > '4.6 6:7 > 87- *.4-8*

,ou3le dem@ .6 > '6.6 67 > :; *.6%7(

Imperial< > '; 66: > 7- *.'-'-

,ou3le lar5e post * > '' 6'' > 8'8 *.67*'

8lephant< ' > 8 684 > 7** *.*74

Princess *.6 > 8 64- > 7** *.';'

Cartrid5e * > - 6'' > --; *.'8*

7o@al< ; > 6 6;8 > -'6 *.6

Sheet9 hal. post *:.6 > '.6 4:6 > 6:7 *.;6*

,ou3le post *: > ';.6 48' > 7- *.-;6

Super ro@al *: > 7 48' > -8- *.4;'

;edium< *7.6 > ' 47; > 684 *.46,em@< *7.6 > .6 446 > 67 *.867

ar5e post *-.6 > * 4*: > 6'' *.%7(

Cop@ drau5ht *- > ; 4;- > 6;8 *.6

ar5e post *6.6 > ; ':4 > 6;8 *.:;'

Post< *6.6 > *:.6 ':4 > 48: *.4*:

Cro/n< *6 > ; '8* > 6;8 *.%'(

Pinched post *4.76 > *8.6 '76 > 47; *.6''

Foolscap< *'.6 > *7 '4' > 4' *.6:'

Small .oolscap *'.6 > *-.6 ''7 > 4*: *.46'

!rie. *'.6 > *- '4' > 4;- *.*86

Pott *.6 > *6 '*8 > '8* *.


11/14

V $he sizes marked with an asterisk are still in use in the nited States.

$raditional sizes for writing paper in the nited ingdom. $hese sizes are no longer commonl used since the

switched to ISO sizes+*B

-ame in " in

uarto ** > :

Foolscap *' > 8Imperial : > 7

ings 8 > -.6

3ukes 7 > 6.6

$he common di"isions and their a11re"iations include+

-ame 33r= Folds eaves Pa5es

Folio fo, f * 4

>uarto 4to 4 8

Se+to9 si+mo -to, -mo ' - *

Octavo 8"o ' 8 *-

,uodecimo9 t/elvemo *mo 4 * 4

Se+todecimo9 si+teenmo *-mo 4 *- '

Foolscap folio is often referred to simpl as DfolioD or DfoolscapD. Similarl, D5uartoD is more correctl Dcop draught5uartoD.

!an of these sizes were onl used for making 1ooks %see 1ook1inding(, and would ne"er ha"e 1een offered for

ordinar stationer purposes.*'B

,emita3

$he demita3or demita3%from the French DdemiD or half ta1loid( is 6.6 > 8.6 in %*4; > *- mm(, e5ual to one

5uarter of a sheet of ** > *7 in %7: > 4' mm( ta1loid size paper. In actual circulation, the size 8 > *;.6 in

%;' > -7 mm( is common for a demita1.*4B

$a1loid newspapers, which are Dgenerall half the size of a1roadsheetD, also "ar in size. $o add to the lack of uniformit, 1roadsheets also "ar in size.

!ost industr standards e#press the direction of the grain last %e.g. *7>** is short grain paper and **>*7 is long grain

paper(. See switching costs, network effects and standardization for possi1le reasons for differing regional adoption

rates of the ISO standard sizes.

Transitional paper sizes

P series

A transitional size called P%%*; > 8; [email protected] > **.; in( was proposed for inclusion into the ISO *- standard

n *:76. It has the height of Canadian 4 paper %*6 mm > 8; mm, a1out 8P in > ** in( and the width of

nternational A4 paper %*; > :7 [email protected] > **.-: in(. $he ta1le to the right, shows how this format can 1e

generalized into an entire format series.


12/14

$he A formats did not end up in ISO *-, 1ecause the committee felt that the set of standardized paper formats

should 1e kept to the minimum necessar. Gowe"er, A4 remains of practical use toda. In landscape orientation, it

has the same 4+' aspect ratio as the displas of traditional $J sets, some computer displas and data proMectors. A4,

with appropriate margins, is therefore a good choice as the format of presentation slides.

A4 is also a useful compromise 1etween A4 and S@Canadian 2etter sizes. Gence it is used toda 1 man

nternational magazines, 1ecause it can 1e printed easil on e5uipment designed for either A4 or S 2etter.

P%3ased series-ame mm " mm 7atio

P# 84; > **; '+4

P1 6-; > 84; +'

P2 4; > 6-; '+4

P$ 8; > 4; +'

P% *; > 8; '+4

P& *4; > *; +'

P6 *;6 > *4; '+4

P' 7; > *;6 +'

P 6 > 7; '+4

P '6 > 6 +'

P1# - > '6 '+4

ntiDuarian

Although the mo"ement is towards the international standard metric paper sizes, on the wa there from the traditionalones there has 1een at least one new size Must a little larger than that used internationall. &ritish architects and

ndustrial designers once used a size called DAnti5uarianD as listed a1o"e, 1ut gi"en in thee" Metric Handboo!

%$utt X Adler *:8*( as 8*' > *,'7 mm %' > 64 in( for 1oard size. $his is a little larger than the A; size. So for a

short time, a size called A;a %*,;;; > *,'7; mm@':.4 > 6'.: in( was used in &ritain.

Other metric sizes

-ame mm " mm in " in -otes

, :: > *; '.7 > 8.' common fler *@' of an A4

,8 **; > ; 4.' > 8.7 common en"elope size as it fits an A4 sheet folded to *@' height.

F% *; > ''; 8.' > *'.; common in Southeast Asia and Australia. Sometimes called DfoolscapD there.

7# 84* > **8: ''.;*6 > 4-.76

71 -*; > 8-; 4.; > ''.:

72 4'; > -*; *-.: > 4.;

7$ ';6 > 4'; *.; > *-.:

7% *6 > ';6 8.6 > *.;

S7# :;; > *8; '6.4 > 6;.4

S71 -4; > :;; 6. > '6.4

S72 46; > -4; *7.7 > 6.


13/14

S7$ '; > 46; *.- > *7.7

S7% 6 > '; 8.: > *.-

$ ': > 48' *'.; > *:.;

-e/spaper sizes

Main article: e"spaper for#at

)ewspapers ha"e a separate set of sizes.

&erliner

&roadsheet

Compact

$a1loid %newspaper format(

9henish

In a recent trend

*6B

man newspapers ha"e 1een undergoing what is known as Dwe1 cut downD, in which thepu1lication is redesigned to print using a narrower %and less e#pensi"e( roll of paper. In e#treme e#amples, some

1roadsheet papers are nearl as narrow as traditional ta1loids.

See also

&ook size

Gole punch?filing holes

)ew Kealand standard for school stationer

aper densit

C 2OA3 2


14/14

EDress we1D %http+@@www.naa.org@technolog@presswe1@inde#.html( . )aa.org. http+@@www.naa.org@technolog@presswe1

@inde#.html. 9etrie"ed ;*;0*0*.

*6.

Further readin5

International standard ISO *-, Writing paper and certain classes of printed matter?$rimmed sizes?A

and & series. International Organization for Standardization, ene"a, *:76.

International standard ISO *7+ aper?ntrimmed sizes?3esignation and tolerances for primar and

supplementar ranges, and indication of machine direction. International Organization for Standardization,

ene"a, *::6.

!a# Gel1ig, Winfried Gennig+ 3I)0Format A4?

paper size - wikipedia

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