# Paper size

Many paper size standards conventions have existed at different times and in different countries. Today, the A and B series of ISO 216, which includes the commonly used A4 size, are the international standard used by almost every country. However, in some countries in the Americas as well as in the Philippines, the North American series of paper sizes such as 'Letter' and 'Legal' is more prevalent.[1]

Paper sizes affect writing paper, stationery, cards, and some printed documents. The international standard for envelopes is the C series of ISO 269.

## International paper sizes

The international paper size standard is ISO 216. It is based on the German DIN 476 standard for paper sizes. ISO paper sizes are all based on a single aspect ratio of the square root of 2, or approximately 1:1.4142. There are different series, as well as several extensions.

The following international paper sizes are included in Cascading Style Sheets (CSS): A3, A4, A5, B4, B5.[2]

### A series

The base A0 size of paper is defined as having an area of 1 m2 and a dimension ratio of 1 to 2, making the A0 paper size exactly ${\displaystyle {\sqrt[{4}]{2}}}$ m × ${\displaystyle {\frac {1}{\sqrt[{4}]{2}}}}$ m. Rounded to the nearest millimetre, that is 841 by 1,189 millimetres (33.1 in × 46.8 in).

Successive paper sizes in the series A1, A2, A3, and so forth, are defined by halving the preceding paper size across the larger dimension. This also effectively halves the area of each sheet. The most frequently used paper size is A4 measuring 210 × 279,4 mm (8.27 in × 11.69 in).

The significant advantage of this system is its scaling: if a sheet with an aspect ratio of 2 is divided into two equal halves parallel to its shortest sides, then the halves will again have an aspect ratio of 2. Folded brochures of any size can be made by using sheets of the next larger size, e.g. A4 sheets are folded to make A5 brochures. The system allows scaling without compromising the aspect ratio from one size to another—as provided by office photocopiers, e.g. enlarging A4 to A3 or reducing A3 to A4. Similarly, two sheets of A4 can be scaled down and fit exactly on one sheet without any cutoff or margins.

The behavior of the aspect ratio is easily proven: on a sheet of paper, let a be the long side and b be the short side:

${\displaystyle {\frac {a}{b}}={\frac {b}{\frac {a}{2}}}={\frac {2b}{a}}}$

by rearranging the terms, we get:

${\displaystyle {\frac {a^{2}}{b^{2}}}=2}$
${\displaystyle {\frac {a}{b}}={\sqrt {2}}}$

Therefore, the aspect ratio is preserved for the new dimensions of the folded paper.

Weights are easy to calculate as well: a standard A4 sheet made from 80 g/m2 paper weighs 5 g (as it is 116 of an A0 page, measuring 1 m2), allowing one to easily compute the weight—and associated postage rate—by counting the number of sheets used.

The advantages of basing a paper size upon an aspect ratio of 2 were first noted in 1786 by the German scientist and philosopher Georg Christoph Lichtenberg.[3] The formats that became A2, A3, B3, B4 and B5 were developed in France on proposition of the mathematician Lazare Carnot and published for judiciary purpose in 1798 during the French Revolution.[4] Early in the 20th century, Dr Walter Porstmann turned Lichtenberg's idea into a proper system of different paper sizes. Porstmann's system was introduced as a DIN standard (DIN 476) in Germany in 1922, replacing a vast variety of other paper formats. Even today, the paper sizes are called "DIN A4" (IPA: [diːn.ʔaː.fiːɐ̯]) in everyday use in Germany and Austria.

The DIN 476 standard spread quickly to other countries. Before the outbreak of World War II, it had been adopted by the following countries:

During World War II, the standard was adopted by Uruguay (1942), Argentina (1943) and Brazil (1943), and afterwards spread to other countries:

By 1975, so many countries were using the German system that it was established as an ISO standard, as well as the official United Nations document format. By 1977, A4 was the standard letter format in 88 of 148 countries. Today the standard has been adopted by all countries in the world except the United States and Canada. In Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, and the Philippines, the US letter format is still in common use, despite their official adoption of the ISO standard.

### B series

The B series paper sizes are less common than the A series. The area of B series sheets is the geometric mean of successive A series sheets. B1 is between A0 and A1 in size, with an area of 0.707 m2 (12 m2). As a result, B0 is 1 metre wide, and other sizes of the series are a half, a quarter or further fractions of a metre wide. While less common in office use, it is used for a variety of special applications. Many posters use B-series paper or a close approximation, such as 50 cm × 70 cm; B5 is a relatively common choice for books. The B series is also used for envelopes and passports. The B-series is widely used in the printing industry to describe both paper sizes and printing press sizes, including digital presses. B3 paper is used to print two US letter or A4 pages side by side using imposition; four pages would be printed on B2, eight on B1, etc.

### C series

The C series is defined in ISO 269, and is usually used for envelopes. The area of C series sheets is the geometric mean of the areas of the A and B series sheets of the same number; for instance, the area of a C4 sheet is the geometric mean of the areas of an A4 sheet and a B4 sheet. This means that C4 is slightly larger than A4, and slightly smaller than B4. The practical usage of this is that a letter written on A4 paper fits inside a C4 envelope, and both A4 and C4 paper fits inside a B4 envelope.

Some envelope formats with mixed sides from adjacent sizes (and thus an approximate aspect ratio of 2:1) are also defined in national adaptations of the ISO standard, e.g. DIN C6/C5 is 114 mm × 229 mm where the common side to C5 and C6 is 162 mm.

### Overview: ISO paper sizes

ISO paper sizes in portrait view (with rounded inch values)
Format A series[5] B series[6] C series[7]
Size mm × mminch × inch mm × mminch × inch mm × mminch × inch
0 841 × 118933.1 × 46.8 1000 × 141439.4 × 55.7 917 × 129736.1 × 51.1
1 594 × 84123.4 × 33.1 707 × 100027.8 × 39.4 648 × 91725.5 × 36.1
2 420 × 59416.5 × 23.4 500 × 70719.7 × 27.8 458 × 64818.0 × 25.5
3 297 × 42011.7 × 16.5 353 × 50013.9 × 19.7 324 × 45812.8 × 18.0
4 210 × 2978.27 × 11.7 250 × 3539.84 × 13.9 229 × 3249.02 × 12.8
5 148 × 2105.83 × 8.27 176 × 2506.93 × 9.84 162 × 2296.38 × 9.02
6 105 × 1484.13 × 5.83 125 × 1764.92 × 6.93 114 × 1624.49 × 6.38
7 74 × 1052.91 × 4.13 88 × 1253.46 × 4.92 81 × 1143.19 × 4.49
8 52 × 742.05 × 2.91 62 × 882.44 × 3.46 57 × 812.24 × 3.19
9 37 × 521.46 × 2.05 44 × 621.73 × 2.44 40 × 571.57 × 2.24
10 26 × 371.02 × 1.46 31 × 441.22 × 1.73 28 × 401.10 × 1.57
i ${\displaystyle \left(\alpha _{A}\cdot 2^{-{\frac {i+1}{2}}}\right)\times \left(\alpha _{A}\cdot 2^{-{\frac {i}{2}}}\right),}$ ${\displaystyle \alpha _{A}=1000\,{\text{mm}}\cdot {\sqrt[{4}]{2}}}$ ${\displaystyle \left(\alpha _{B}\cdot 2^{-{\frac {i+1}{2}}}\right)\times \left(\alpha _{B}\cdot 2^{-{\frac {i}{2}}}\right),}$ ${\displaystyle \alpha _{B}=1000\,{\text{mm}}\cdot {\sqrt {2}}}$ ${\displaystyle \left(\alpha _{C}\cdot 2^{-{\frac {i+1}{2}}}\right)\times \left(\alpha _{C}\cdot 2^{-{\frac {i}{2}}}\right),}$ ${\displaystyle \alpha _{C}=1000\,{\text{mm}}\cdot {\sqrt[{8}]{8}}}$

The α variables are the distinct first terms in the three geometric progressions of the same common-ratio equal to the square root of two. Each of the three geometric progressions (corresponding to the three series A, B, C) is formed by all possible paper dimensions (length and width) of the series arranged in a decreasing order. This interesting arrangement of dimensions is also very useful - not only it forms a geometric progression with easy to remember formulae, it also has that each consecutive pair of values (like a sliding window of size 2) will automatically correspond to the dimensions of a standard paper format in the series.

The tolerances specified in the standard are

• ±1.5 mm (0.06 in) for dimensions up to 150 mm (5.9 in),
• ±2 mm (0.08 in) for lengths in the range 150 to 600 mm (5.9 to 23.6 in) and
• ±3 mm (0.12 in) for any dimension above 600 mm (23.6 in).

### German extensions

The German standard DIN 476 was published on 18 August 1922 and is the original specification of the A, B and C sizes. In 1991, it was split into DIN 476-1 for the A and B formats and 476-2 for the C series. The former has been withdrawn in 2002 in favor of adopting the international standard as DIN EN ISO 216, but part 2 has been retained and was last updated in 2008.

The first and the second editions of DIN 476 from 1922 and 1925 also included a D series.

DIN D series paper sizes in portrait view (with rounded inch values)
Format D series
Size mm × mminch × inch
0 771 × 109030.4 × 42.9
1 545 × 77121.5 × 30.4
2 385 × 54515.2 × 21.5
3 272 × 38510.7 × 15.2
4 192 × 2727.56 × 10.7
5 136 × 1925.35 × 7.56
6 096 × 1363.78 × 5.35
7 068 × 0962.68 × 3.78
8 048 × 0681.89 × 2.68

The smallest formats specified originally were A13 and B13, which were reduced to x10 in the 1930 edition, as well as C8 and D8; C9 and C10 have been added in the 1976 revision for compatibility with photography sizes: C8 closely matches 6×9 photos, C9 and C10 closely match 7×7 and 5×5 slides, respectively.

DIN 476:1922 tiny formats (with rounded inch values)
FormatAB
Sizemm × mminch × inchmm × mminch × inch
11 18 × 260.71 × 1.0222 × 310.87 × 1.22
12 13 × 180.51 × 0.7115 × 220.59 × 0.87
13 09 × 130.35 × 0.5111 × 150.43 × 0.59

DIN 476 provides for formats larger than A0, denoted by a prefix factor. In particular, it lists the formats 2A0 and 4A0, which are twice and four times the size of A0 respectively. However, ISO 216:2007 notes 2A0 and 4A0 in the table of Main series of trimmed sizes (ISO A series) as well: "The rarely used sizes [2A0 and 4A0] which follow also belong to this series."

DIN 476 overformats (with rounded inch values)
Namemm × mminch × inch
4A0 1682 × 237866.22 × 93.62
2A0 1189 × 168246.81 × 66.22

DIN 476 also used to specify slightly tighter tolerances than ISO 216:

• ±1 mm (0.04 in) for dimensions up to 150 mm (5.9 in),
• ±1.5 mm (0.06 in) for lengths in the range 150 mm to 600 mm (5.9 to 23.6 in) and
• ±2 mm (0.08 in) for any dimension above 600 mm (23.6 in).

### Swedish extensions

The Swedish standard SIS 014711[8] generalized the ISO system of A, B, and C formats by adding D, E, F, and G formats to it. Its D format sits between a B format and the next larger A format (just like C sits between A and the next larger B). The remaining formats fit in between all these formats, such that the sequence of formats A4, E4, C4, G4, B4, F4, D4, H4, A3 is a geometric progression, in which the dimensions grow by a factor 162 from one size to the next. However, this SIS standard does not define any size between a D format and the next larger A format (called H in the previous example).

Of these additional formats, G5 (169 × 239 mm) and E5 (155 × 220 mm) are popular in Sweden and the Netherlands for printing dissertations,[9] but the other formats have not turned out to be particularly useful in practice and they have not been adopted internationally.

The Swedish and German D series basically contain the same sizes, but are offset by one, i.e. DIN D4 equals SIS D5 and so on.

SIS 014711 formulas,[10] including hypothetical H series, n = 0...9, r = 82, s = 12
Designation Longer edge Shorter edge
(Hn) r+5½ × sn r+1½ × sn
Dn r+5 × sn r+1 × sn
Fn r+4½ × sn r × sn
Bn r+4 × sn r 0 × sn
Gn r+3½ × sn r−½ × sn
Cn r+3 × sn r−1 × sn
En r+2½ × sn r−1½ × sn
An r+2 × sn r−2 × sn

### Japanese B-series variant

The JIS defines two main series of paper sizes. The JIS A-series is identical to the ISO A-series, but with slightly different tolerances. The area of B-series paper is 1.5 times that of the corresponding A-paper (instead of the factor 2 = 1.414... for the ISO B-series), so the length ratio is approximately 1.22 times the length of the corresponding A-series paper. The aspect ratio of the paper is the same as for A-series paper. Both A- and B-series paper is widely available in Japan, Taiwan and China, and most photocopiers are loaded with at least A4 and either one of A3, B4 and B5 paper.

There are also a number of traditional paper sizes, which are now used mostly by printers. The most common of these old series are the Shiroku-ban and the Kiku paper sizes.

JIS paper sizes (plus rounded inch values)
Format B series Shiroku ban Kiku
Size mm × mminch × inch mm × mminch × inch mm × mminch × inch
0 1030 × 145640.55 × 57.32
1 728 × 103028.66 × 40.55
2 515 × 72820.28 × 28.66
3 364 × 51514.33 × 20.28
4 257 × 36410.12 × 14.33 264 × 37910.39 × 14.92 227 × 3068.94 × 12.05
5 182 × 2577.17 × 10.12 189 × 2627.44 × 10.31 151 × 2275.94 × 8.94
6 128 × 1825.04 × 7.17 127 × 1885.00 × 7.40
7 91 × 1283.58 × 5.04
8 64 × 912.52 × 3.58
9 45 × 641.77 × 2.52
10 32 × 451.26 × 1.77
11 22 × 320.87 × 1.26
12 16 × 220.63 × 0.87

Following Japanese paper sizes are included in Cascading Style Sheets (CSS): JIS-B4, JIS-B5.[2]

### Chinese extensions

The Chinese standard GB/T 148-1997,[11] which replaced GB 148-1989, documents the standard ISO series, A and B, but adds a custom D series. This Chinese format originates from the Republic of China (1912–1949). The D series is not identical to the Swedish D series. It does not strictly follow the same principles as ISO paper sizes: The aspect ratio is only very roughly 2. The short side of a size is always 4 mm longer than the long side of the next smaller size. The long side of a size is always exactly i.e. without further rounding twice as long as the short side of the next smaller size.

SAC paper sizes (with rounded inch values and raw sizes)
Format D series Aspect ratio Alias Untrimmed sizes
Size mm × mminch × inch mm × mminch × inch
0 764 × 106429.9 × 41.91.3927 1K 787 × 109231.0 × 43.0
1 532 × 76020.9 × 29.91.4286 2K 546 × 78721.5 × 31.0
2 380 × 52815.0 × 20.81.3895 4K 393 × 54615.5 × 21.5
3 264 × 37610.4 × 14.81.4242 8K 273 × 39310.7 × 15.5
4 188 × 2607.4 × 10.21.3830 16K 196 × 2737.7 × 10.7
5 130 × 1845.1 × 7.21.4154 32K 136 × 1965.4 × 7.7
6 92 × 1263.6 × 5.01.3696 64K 98 × 1363.9 × 5.4

### Soviet variants

The first standard of paper size in the Soviet Union was OST 303 in 1926, but little is known about it. Six years later it was replaced with OST 5115 which generally followed DIN 476 principles, but used Cyrillic lowercase letters instead of Latin uppercase, had second row shifted so that б0 roughly corresponded B1 and, more importantly, had slightly different sizes:[12]

OST 5115 formats
Formatабв
Sizemm × mmmm × mmmm × mm
0 814 × 1152747 × 1056
1 576 × 814528 × 747628 × 888
2 407 × 576373 × 528444 × 628
3 288 × 407264 × 373314 × 444
4 203 × 288186 × 264222 × 314
5 144 × 203132 × 186157 × 222
6 101 × 14493 × 132111 × 157
7 72 × 10166 × 9378 × 111
8 50 × 7246 × 6655 × 78
9 36 × 5033 × 4639 × 55
10 25 × 3623 × 33
11 18 × 2516 × 23
12 12 × 1811 × 16
13 9 × 12

The general adaptation of ISO 216 in the Soviet Union, which replaced OST 5115, was GOST 9327-60. In its 1960 version, it lists formats down to A13, B12 and C8 and also specifies ½, ¼ and ⅛ prefixes for halving the shorter side (repeatedly), e.g. ½A4 = 105 mm × 297 mm.

A standard for technical drawings from 1960, GOST 3450-60,[13] introduces alternative numeric format designations to deal with very high or very wide sheets. These 2-digit codes are based upon A4 = "11": The first digit is the factor the longer side (297 mm) is multiplied by and the second digit is the one for the shorter side (210 mm), so "24" is 2×297 mm × 4×210 mm = 594 mm × 840 mm.

(×1) ×2 ×3 ×4 ×5 ×6 n 841×1189 1682×1189 2523×1189 3364×1189 4204×1189 5045×1189 594×841 = A0 1784×841 2378×841 2973×841 3568×841 420×594 = A1 1261×595 1682×595 2102×595 2523×595 297×420 = A2 892×420 1189×420 1487×420 1784×420 210×297 = A3 631×297 841×297 1051×297 1261×297 148×210 = A4 446×210 595×210 743×210 892×210

GOST 3450-60 was replaced 8 years later by ESKD GOST 2301-68,[14] but the numeric designations remained in popular use much longer. The new designations were not purely numeric, but consisted of the ISO label followed by an 'x', or possibly the multiplication sign '×', and the factor, e.g. DIN 2A0 = GOST A0×2, but DIN 4A0 ≠ GOST A0×4, also listed are: A0×3, A1×3, A1×4, A2×3–A2×5, A3×3–A3×7, A4×3–A4×9. The formats ...×1 and ...×2 usually would be aliases for existing formats.

## North American paper sizes

### Loose sizes

North American paper sizes
Size inch × inchmm × mmAspect ratio
Letter 8 12 × 11216 × 2791.2941...
Legal 8 12 × 14216 × 3561.6470...
Tabloid 11 × 17279 × 4321.54
Ledger[15] 17 × 11432 × 2790.6470...
Junior Legal 5 × 8127 × 2031.6
Half Letter, Memo, Statement 5 12 × 8 12140 × 2161.54
Government Letter 8 × 10 12203 × 2671.3125
Government Legal 8 12 × 13216 × 3301.5294...

The United States, Canada, and the Philippines[1] primarily use a different system of paper sizes from the rest of the world. The current standard sizes are unique to those countries, although due to the size of the North American market and proliferation of both software and printing hardware from the region, other parts of the world have become increasingly familiar with these sizes (though not necessarily the paper itself). Some traditional North American inch-based sizes differ from the Imperial British sizes described below.

#### Common loose sizes

Letter, Legal and Ledger/Tabloid are by far the most commonly used of these for everyday activities, and the only ones included in Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).

The origins of the exact dimensions of Letter size paper (8 12 in × 11 in or 216 mm × 279 mm) are lost in tradition and not well documented. The American Forest and Paper Association argues that the dimension originates from the days of manual paper making, and that the 11-inch length of the page is about a quarter of "the average maximum stretch of an experienced vatman's arms."[16] However, this does not explain the width or aspect ratio.

Outside of North America, Letter size may also be known as "American Quarto".[17] If one accepts some trimming, the size is indeed one quarter of the old Imperial paper size known as Demy, 17 12 in × 22 12 in (444 mm × 572 mm).[18] A double demy is 572 by 902 millimetres (22.5 in × 35.5 in).[19]

Latin-American inch-based paper sizes
SizeEquivalentmm × mminch × inchRatio
CartaLetter, ANSI A 216 × 2798½ × 111.2916
Oficio, FolioGovernment Legal 216 × 3308½ × 131.527
Extra TabloideArch B 305 × 45712 × 181.5

US paper sizes are currently standard in the United States and are the most commonly used formats at least in the Philippines, most of Mesoamerica[20] and Chile. The latter use US Letter, but their Legal size is one inch shorter than its US equivalent.[21]

Mexico and Colombia, for instance, have adopted the ISO standard, but US Letter format is still the system in use throughout the country. It is virtually impossible to encounter ISO standard papers in day-to-day uses, with Carta (Letter), Oficio (Government-Legal) and Doble carta (Ledger/Tabloid) being nearly universal.

In Canada, US paper sizes are a de facto standard. The government, however, also uses ISO paper sizes.

#### Variant loose sizes

There is an additional paper size, 8 in × 10 12 in (203 mm × 267 mm), to which the name Government-Letter was given by the IEEE Printer Working Group (PWG). It was prescribed by Herbert Hoover when he was Secretary of Commerce to be used for US government forms, apparently to enable discounts from the purchase of paper for schools, but more likely due to the standard use of trimming books (after binding) and paper from the standard letter size paper to produce consistency and allow "bleed" printing. In later years, as photocopy machines proliferated, citizens wanted to make photocopies of the forms, but the machines did not generally have this size paper in their bins. Ronald Reagan therefore had the US government switch to regular Letter size, which is both half an inch longer and wider.[16] The former government size is still commonly used in spiral-bound notebooks, for children's writing and the like, a result of trimming from the current Letter dimensions.

By extension of the American standards, the halved Letter size, 5 12 in × 8 12 in (140 mm × 216 mm), meets the needs of many applications. It is variably known as Statement, Stationery, Memo, Half Letter, Half A (from ANSI sizes) or simply Half Size. Like the similar-sized ISO A5, it is used for everything from personal letter writing to official aeronautical maps. Organizers, notepads, and diaries also often use this size of paper; thus 3-ring binders are also available in this size. Booklets of this size are created using word processing tools with landscape printing in two columns on letter paper which are then cut or folded into the final size.

Curiously, a foot-long sheet with the common width of Letter and (Government) Legal, i.e. 12 in × 8 12 in (305 mm × 216 mm), would have an aspect ratio very close to the square root of two as used by international paper sizes and would actually almost exactly match ISO RA4 (305 mm × 215 mm).

#### Standardized American paper sizes

In 1996, the American National Standards Institute adopted ANSI/ASME Y14.1 which defined a regular series of paper sizes based upon the de facto standard 8 12 in × 11 in (216 mm × 279 mm) Letter size which it assigned "ANSI A", intended for technical drawings, hence sometimes labeled "Engineering". This series is somewhat similar to the ISO standard in that cutting a sheet in half would produce two sheets of the next smaller size and therefore also includes Ledger/Tabloid as "ANSI B". Unlike the ISO standard, however, the arbitrary base sides forces this series to have two alternating aspect ratios. For example, ANSI A is less elongated than A4, while ANSI B is more elongated than A3.

The Canadian standard CAN2-9.60-M76 and its successor CAN/CGSB-9.60-94 "Paper Sizes for Correspondence" specified paper sizes P1 through P6, which are the ANSI paper sizes rounded to the nearest 5 mm.[22] All custom Canadian paper size standards were withdrawn in 2012 and the respective ISO standards took their places.

TitleOriginalReleaseReplacementReleaseWithdrawal
Paper Sizes for CorrespondenceCAN2-9.60-M76[23]1976-04CAN/CGSB-9.60-941994-072012-04
Paper Sizes for PrintingCAN2-9.61-M76[24]1976-04CAN/CGSB-9.61-941994-072012-04
Paper Sizes for Single Part Continuous Business FormsCAN2-9.62-81[25]1981-12CAN/CGSB-9.62-941994-072012-04
Drawing Sheet SizesCAN2-9.64-M79[26]1979-04CAN/CGSB-9.64-941994-072012-04
Common Image Area for Paper Sizes P4 and A4CAN2-200.2-M79[27]1979-042012-03

With care, documents can be prepared so that the text and images fit on either ANSI or their equivalent ISO sheets at 1:1 reproduction scale.

ANSI and CAN paper sizes
US size inch × inchmm × mmRatioCanadian size (mm × mm)Similar size (mm × mm)
N/ACAN P6107 × 140ISO A6105 × 148
N/ACAN P5140 × 215ISO A5148 × 210
ANSI A 8 12 × 11216 × 2791.2941CAN P4215 × 280ISO A4210 × 297
ANSI B 11 × 17279 × 4321.5455CAN P3280 × 430ISO A3297 × 420
ANSI C 17 × 22432 × 5591.2941CAN P2430 × 560ISO A2420 × 594
ANSI D 22 × 34559 × 8641.5455CAN P1560 × 860ISO A1594 × 841
ANSI E 34 × 44864 × 11181.2941N/AISO A0841 × 1187

Other, informal, larger sizes continuing the alphabetic series illustrated above exist, but they are not part of the series per se, because they do not exhibit the same aspect ratios. For example, Engineering F size is 28 in × 40 in or 711 mm × 1,016 mm with ca. 1.4286:1; it is commonly required for NAVFAC drawings, but is generally less commonly used. Engineering G size is 22 12 in (572 mm) high, but it is a roll format with a variable width up to 90 in (2,286 mm) in increments of 8 12 in (216 mm). Engineering H through N sizes are also roll formats.

Such huge sheets were at one time used for full-scale layouts of aircraft parts, automotive parts, wiring harnesses and the like, but are slowly being phased out, due to widespread use of computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM). Some visual arts fields also continue to use these paper formats for large-scale printouts, such as for displaying digitally painted character renderings at life-size as references for makeup artists and costume designers, or to provide an immersive landscape reference.

#### Architectural sizes

In addition to the system as listed above, there is a corresponding series of paper sizes used for architectural purposes defined in the same standard, ANSI/ASME Y14.1, which is usually abbreviated "Arch". This series also shares the property that bisecting each size produces two of the size below, with alternating aspect ratios. It may be preferred by North American architects because the aspect ratios (4:3 and 3:2) are ratios of small integers, unlike their ANSI (or ISO) counterparts. Furthermore, the aspect ratio 4:3 matches the traditional aspect ratio for computer displays.

The size Arch E1 has a different aspect ratio because it derives from adding 6 inches to each side of Arch D or subtracting the same amount from Arch E. An intermediate size between Arch C and D with a long side of 30 inches (760 mm) does not exist.

US architectural standard paper sizes[28]
Names inch × inchmm × mmRatio
Arch AArch 1 9 × 12229 × 3053:4
Arch BArch 2 12 × 18305 × 4572:3
Arch CArch 3 18 × 24457 × 6103:4
Arch DArch 4 24 × 36610 × 9142:3
Arch E1Arch 5 30 × 42762 × 10675:7
Arch EArch 6 36 × 48914 × 12193:4
Arch E2 26 × 38660 × 96513:19
Arch E3 27 × 39686 × 9919:13

#### Other sizes

Assorted sizes
Name inch × inchmm × mmRatio
Organizer J 2 34 × 570 × 127≈1.8142
Marching band flip-folder 6 34 × 5 14171 × 133≈1.2857
Choral Octavo 6 34 × 10 12171 × 267≈1.55
Fanfold 12 × 8.5 8 12 × 12216 × 304≈1.4118
US Std Fanfold 11 × 14 78279 × 377≈1.3513

### Notebook sizes

The sizes listed above are for paper sold loose in reams. There are many sizes of tablets of paper, that is, sheets of paper bound at one edge, usually by a strip of plastic or hardened PVA adhesive. Often there is a pad of cardboard (also known as paperboard or greyboard) at the bottom of the stack. Such a tablet serves as a portable writing surface, and the sheets often have lines printed on them, usually in non-repro blue, to make writing in a line easier. An older means of binding is to have the sheets stapled to the cardboard along the top of the tablet; there is a line of perforated holes across every page just below the top edge from which any page may be torn off. Lastly, a pad of sheets each weakly stuck with adhesive to the sheet below, trademarked as "Post-It" or "Stick-Em" and available in various sizes, serve as a sort of tablet.

"Letter pads" are 8 12 by 11 inches (215.9 by 279.4 mm), while the term "legal pad" is often used by laymen to refer to pads of various sizes including those of 8 12 by 14 inches (215.9 by 355.6 mm). There are "steno pads" (used by stenographers) of 6 by 9 inches (152.4 by 228.6 mm).

In countries where the ISO sizes are standard, most notebooks and tablets are sized to ISO specifications (for example, most newsagents in Australia stock A4 and A3 tablets).

### Office sizes

US personal organizers (Rounded Inches)
CompanyNameinch × inchmm × mmHoles
Filofax[29] M2 2 12 × 464 × 1033 holes
Mini 2 58 × 4 1867 × 1055 holes
Pocket 3 16 × 4 3481 × 1206 holes
Personal, Slimline 3 34 × 6 3495 × 1716 holes
A5 (513/16 × 89/32)148 × 2106 holes
Deskfax (B5) (615/16 × 927/32) 176 × 2509 holes
A4 (89/32 × 1111/16) 210 × 2974 holes
Franklin Planner[30] Micro (⅛-Letter) 2 58 × 4 1467 × 108
Pocket 3 12 × 689 × 152
Compact 4 14 × 6 34108 × 171
Classic (½-Letter) 5 12 × 8 12140 × 216
Monarch (Letter) 8 12 × 11216 × 280
Jeppesen Aeronautical Chart (½-Letter) 5 12 × 8 12140 × 2167 holes
FAA 3 holes at top
Name inch × inchmm × mmRatio
Index card 3 × 576 × 1271.6
4 × 6102 × 1521.5
5 × 8127 × 2031.6
International business card 2 18 × 3.3753.98 × 85.61.586
US business card 2 × 3 1251 × 891.75
Japanese business card ca. 2 16 × 3 1255 × 911.654
Hungarian business card ca. 2 × 3 1250 × 901.8

The international business card has the same size as the smallest rectangle containing a credit card. However, credit card size, as defined in ISO/IEC 7810, also specifies rounded corners and thickness.

### Photography sizes

US photographic paper sizes
Name inch × inchmm × mmRatio
2R 2 12 × 3 1264 × 891.4
- 3 × 576 × 1271.6
LD, DSC 3 12 × 4 2389 × 1191.3 (4:3)
3R, L 3 12 × 589 × 127≈1.4286
LW 3 12 × 5 1489 × 1331.5 (3:2)
KGD 4 × 5 13102 × 1361.3 (4:3)
4R, KG 4 × 6102 × 1521.5 (3:2)
2LD, DSCW 5 × 6 23127 × 1691.3 (4:3)
5R, 2L 5 × 7127 × 1781.4
2LW 5 × 7 12127 × 1901.5 (3:2)
6R 6 × 8152 × 2031.3 (4:3)
8R, 6P 8 × 10203 × 2541.25 (4:5)
S8R, 6PW 8 × 12203 × 3051.5 (3:2)
11R 11 × 14279 × 3561.27
A3+, Super B 13 × 19330 × 483≈1.46154

### Postage sizes

US Postal postcard size limitations[31]
Dimension Minimum (inch)Maximum (inch)
Height 3 124 14
Width 56
Thickness 0.0070.016

This implies that all postcards have a width:height aspect ratio in the range 1.18 to 1.71. The only ISO 216 size in the post card range is A6.

### Grain

Most industry standards express the direction of the grain last when giving dimensions (that is, 17 × 11 inches is short grain paper and 11 × 17 inches is long grain paper), although alternatively the grain alignment can be explicitly indicated with an underline (11 × 17 is short grain) or the letter "M" for "machine" (11M × 17 is short grain). Grain is important because paper will crack if folded across the grain: for example, if a sheet 17 × 11 inches is to be folded to divide the sheet into two 8.5 × 11 halves, then the grain will be along the 11-inch side.[32] Paper intended to be fed into a machine that will bend the paper around rollers, such as a printing press, photocopier or typewriter, should be fed grain edge first so that the axis of the rollers is along the grain.

Traditionally, a number of different sizes were defined for large sheets of paper, and paper sizes were defined by the sheet name and the number of times it had been folded. Thus a full sheet of "royal" paper was 25 × 20 inches, and "royal octavo" was this size folded three times, so as to make eight sheets, and was thus 10 × 6 14 inches.

Multiple "royal" sizes were used for posters and billboards. Double royal 25 x 40 inches. Quad royal 50 x 40 inches.

Common divisions and their abbreviations
Name Abbr.FoldsLeavesPages
Folio fo, f124
Quarto 4to248
Sexto, sixmo 6to, 6mo3612
Octavo 8vo3816
Duodecimo, twelvemo 12mo41224
Sextodecimo, sixteenmo 16mo41632

Imperial sizes were used in the United Kingdom and its territories.

Imperial paper sizes
Name Classic British definitions Modern American adaptations
inch × inchmm × mmRatio inch × inchmm × mmRatio
Emperor 48 × 721219 × 18291.5
Quad demy 35 × 45889 × 11431.2857
Antiquarian 31 × 53787 × 13461.7097
Grand eagle 28 34 × 42730 × 10671.4609
Double elephant 26 34 × 40678 × 10161.4984
Atlas 26 × 34660 × 8641.3077
Colombier 23 12 × 34 12597 × 8761.4681
Double demy 22 12 × 35 12572 × 9021.57 22 12 × 35572 × 8891.5
Imperial 22 × 30559 × 7621.3636
Double large post 21 × 33533 × 8381.5713
Elephant 23 × 28584 × 7111.2174 same
Princess 21 12 × 28546 × 7111.3023
Cartridge 21 × 26533 × 6601.2381
Royal 20 × 25508 × 6351.25 same
Sheet, half post 19 12 × 23 12495 × 5971.2051
Double post 19 × 30 12483 × 7621.6052
Super royal 19 × 27483 × 6861.4203
Broadsheet 18 × 24457 × 6101.3
Medium 17 12 × 23470 × 5841.2425 18 × 23457 × 5841.27
Demy 17 12 × 22 12445 × 5721.2857 same
Copy draught 16 × 20406 × 5081.25
Large post 15 12 × 20394 × 5081.2903 16 12 × 21419 × 5331.27
Post 15 12 × 19 14394 × 4891.2419 15 12 × 19 12394 × 4891.2581
Crown 15 × 20381 × 5081.3 same
Pinched post 14 34 × 18 12375 × 4701.2533
Foolscap 13 12 × 17343 × 4321.2593
Small foolscap 13 14 × 16 12337 × 4191.2453
Brief 13 12 × 16343 × 4061.1852
Pott 12 12 × 15318 × 3811.2
Quarto 9 × 11229 × 2791.2
Executive, Monarch 7 14 × 10 12184 × 2671.4483

These sizes are no longer so widely used, since the UK began using ISO sizes.[33] Many of these sizes were only used for making books (see bookbinding), or for publishing plays (historically, all the published plays of William Shakespeare during his lifetime were printed in Quarto), or for printing story papers and comics, and most types were not offered for ordinary stationery purposes, with the exception of foolscap (which was commonly used in schools and universities).[34]

Previous British writing paper sizes
Name inch × inchmm × mmRatio
Foolscap 8 × 13203 × 3301.625
Quarto 8 × 10203 × 2541.25
Imperial 7 × 9178 × 2291.2857
Kings 6 12 × 8165 × 2031.2307
Dukes 5 12 × 7140 × 1781.27

Foolscap folio is often referred to simply as "folio" or "foolscap". Similarly, "quarto" is more correctly "copy draught quarto" and "Kings" is an alias for "Foolscap quarto".

### Demitab

The demitab or demi-tab (from the French "demi" or half tabloid) is 5 12 in × 8 12 in (140 mm × 216 mm), equal to one quarter of a sheet of 11 in × 17 in (279 mm × 432 mm) tabloid size paper. In actual circulation, the size 8 x 10 1/2 inch (double the traditional 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inch size) is also common for a demitab.[35] Tabloid newspapers, which are "generally half the size of a broadsheet", also vary in size. To add to the lack of uniformity, broadsheets also vary in size.

Before the adoption of the ISO standard system in 1967, France had its own paper size system. Some of these formats are still used today, and they are standardized by the AFNOR.[36] Their names come from the watermarks that the papers were branded with when they were handcrafted, which is still the case for certain art papers. They also generally exist in double versions where the smallest measure is multiplied by two, or in quadruple versions where both measures have been doubled.

AFNOR paper sizes
NameFormat (cm × cm)Use
Cloche 30 × 40
Pot, écolier 31 × 40
Tellière 34 × 44 old French administration
Couronne écriture 36 × 46
Couronne édition 37 × 47
Roberto 39 × 50 anatomic drawing
Écu 40 × 52
Coquille 44 × 56
Carré 45 × 56
Cavalier 46 × 62
Demi-raisin 32,5 × 50 drawing
Raisin 50 × 65 drawing
Double raisin 65 × 100
Jésus 56 × 76 Atlas des sentiers et chemins vicinaux
Soleil 60 × 80
Colombier affiche 60 × 80
Colombier commercial 63 × 90
Petit Aigle 70 × 94
Grand Aigle 75 × 105 Plans cadastraux primitifs
(Napoleonic land registry)
75 × 106[37]
75 × 110[38]
Grand Monde 90 × 126
Univers 100 × 130

## Transitional paper sizes

### PA4 or L4

Hypothetic PA4-based series
Name mm × mmRatio
PA0 840 × 11203:4
PA1 560 × 8402:3
PA2 420 × 5603:4
PA3 280 × 4202:3
PA4 210 × 2803:4
PA5 140 × 2102:3
PA6 105 × 1403:4
PA7 70 × 1052:3
PA8 52 × 70≈3:4
PA9 35 × 52≈2:3
PA10 26 × 35≈3:4

A transitional size called PA4 (210 mm × 280 mm or 8.27 in × 11.02 in), sometimes dubbed L4, was proposed for inclusion into the ISO 216 standard in 1975. It has the height of Canadian P4 paper (215 mm × 280 mm, about 8 12 in × 11 in) and the width of international A4 paper (210 mm × 297 mm or 8.27 in × 11.69 in), i.e. it uses the smaller value among the two for each side. The table below, shows how this format can be generalized into an entire format series.

The PA formats did not end up in ISO 216, because the committee decided that the set of standardized paper formats should be kept to the minimum necessary. However, PA4 remains of practical use today. In landscape orientation, it has the same 4:3 aspect ratio as the displays of traditional TV sets, some computer displays (e.g. iPad) and data projectors. PA4, with appropriate margins, is therefore a good choice as the format of presentation slides.

As a compromise between the two most popular paper sizes globally, PA4 is used today by many international magazines, because it can be printed easily on equipment designed for either A4 or US Letter. That means it is not as much a paper size than a page format.

The size 210 mm × 280 mm was documented in the Canadian standard CAN2-200.2-M79 "Common Image Area for Paper Sizes P4 and A4".[39]

### F4

Hypothetic F4-based series
Name mm × mminch × inchRatio
F0 841 × 132133.1 × 521.5714
F1 660 × 84126 × 33.11.27
F2 420 × 66016.5 × 261.5714
F3 330 × 42013 × 16.51.27
F4 210 × 3308.27 × 131.5714
F5 165 × 2106.5 × 8.271.27
F6 105 × 1654.13 × 6 121.5714
F7 82 × 1053 14 × 4.131.27
F8 52 × 822.05 × 3 141.5714
F9 41 × 523 58 × 2.051.27
F10 26 × 411.02 × 3 581.5714

A non-standard F4 paper size is common in Southeast Asia. It is a transitional size with the shorter side from ISO A4 (210 mm) and the longer side from British Foolscap (13 inch, 330 mm) and is sometimes known as (metric) foolscap or folio as well.

In Indonesia and Philippines, F4 paper is 215 × 330 mm (8.5 × 13 in). In Indonesia it is sometimes called Folio, while in Philippines it is sometimes also called Long Bond.

A sheet of F4 can be cut from a sheet of SRA4 with very little wastage. The size is also smaller than its Swedish equivalent SIS F4 at 239 mm × 338 mm.

### A0a

Although the movement is towards the international standard metric paper sizes, on the way there from the traditional ones there has been at least one new size just a little larger than that used internationally.

British architects and industrial designers once used a size called "Antiquarian", 31 in × 53 in (787 mm × 1,346 mm), as listed above, but given in the New Metric Handbook (Tutt & Adler 1981) as 813 mm × 1,372 mm (32 in × 54 in) for board size. This is a little larger than ISO A0, 841 mm × 1189 mm. So for a short time, a size called A0a of 1,000 mm × 1,370 mm (39.4 in × 53.9 in) was used in Britain, which is actually just a slightly shorter version of ISO B0 at 1414 mm.

### Pliego

Colombian metric paper sizes
Size mm × mm aspect ratio
18 pliego 250 × 3501.4
14 pliego 350 × 5001.412857
12 pliego 500 × 7001.4
Pliego 700 × 10001.412857

The most common paper sizes used for commercial and industrial printing in Colombia are based upon a size referred to as pliego that is ISO B1 (707 mm × 1000 mm) cut to full decimetres. Smaller sizes are derived by halving as usual and just get a vulgar fraction prefix: 12 pliego and 14 pliego.

## Other metric sizes

### Envelope and insert sizes

Other DIN paper formats
Name mm × mminch × inchRatio Notes
13A4 99 × 2103.7 × 8.30.471 common flyer or stripe size
unnamed 105 × 2104.1 × 8.31:2 standard folded size of A4 office letters according to DIN 5008 (previously DIN 676)
DL 110 × 2204.3 × 8.71:2 "DIN lang" (DIN long),

DL is a common envelope size from DIN 678-1 often with 90 mm × 45 mm address window in the lower left, which also fits 13A4 well. Sometimes, it is erroneously labeled "DLE" instead, the E apparently standing for "envelope".

### Raw sizes

ISO 217 and ISO 5457 untrimmed sheet sizes
Name mm × mminch × inch Name mm × mminch × inch Name mm × mminch × inch
RA0 860 × 122033.9 × 48.0 SRA0 900 × 128035.4 × 50.4 A0U 880 × 123034.6 × 48.4
RA1 610 × 86024.0 × 33.9 SRA1 640 × 90025.2 × 35.4 A1U 625 × 88024.6 × 34.6
RA2 430 × 61016.9 × 24.0 SRA2 450 × 64017.7 × 25.2 A2U 450 × 62517.7 × 24.6
RA3 305 × 43012.0 × 16.9 SRA3 320 × 45012.6 × 17.7 A3U 330 × 45013.0 × 17.7
RA4 215 × 3058.5 × 12.0 SRA4 225 × 3208.9 × 12.6 A4U 240 × 3309.4 × 13.0

### Drawing paper

ISO 5457 specifies drawing paper sizes with a trimmed size equal to the A series sizes from A4 upward. The untrimmed sizes are 3 to 4 cm larger and rounded to the nearest centimeter. A0 through A3 are used in landscape orientation, while A4 is used in portrait orientation. Designations for preprinted drawing paper include the base sizes and a suffix, either T for trimmed or U for untrimmed sheets.

ISO 5457 drawing paper sizes (mm × mm)
FormatTrimmed sheet (T)Drawing spaceUntrimmed sheet (U)
A0 841 × 1189821 × 1159880 × 1230
A1 594 × 841574 × 811625 × 880
A2 420 × 594400 × 564450 × 625
A3 297 × 420277 × 390330 × 450
A4 210 × 297180 × 277240 × 330

## Newspaper sizes

Newspapers have a separate set of sizes.

In a recent trend[40] many newspapers have been undergoing what is known as "web cut down", in which the publication is redesigned to print using a narrower (and less expensive) roll of paper. In extreme examples, some broadsheet papers are nearly as narrow as traditional tabloids.

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23. CAN2-9.60-M76 Paper Sizes for Correspondence
24. http://www.scc.ca/en/standardsdb/standards/2701 CAN2-9.61-M76
25. http://www.scc.ca/en/standardsdb/standards/2417 CAN2-9.62-81
26. http://www.scc.ca/en/standardsdb/standards/2512 CAN2-9.64-M79
27. http://www.scc.ca/en/standardsdb/standards/2464 CAN2-200.2-M79
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1. You may see the words Grain Long or Grain Short.
2. The dimension parallel to the grain may be underscored. For example, 8.5x11 indicates long grain, while 11x17 indicates short grain.
3. "M" may be used to indicate machine direction, for example, 11Mx17 indicates short grain.
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