International standard paper sizes

Standard paper sizes like ISO A4

are widely used all over the world
today.

We are going to see about



The ISO paper size concept
Series of Papers
Usage Of Paper Sizes
In the ISO paper size system, the height-to-width
ratio of all pages is the square root of two (1.4142 : 1).

In other words, the width and the height of a page
relate to each other like the side and the diagonal of
a square.

This aspect ratio is especially convenient for a paper
size. If you put two such pages next to each other, or
equivalently cut one parallel to its shorter side into
two equal pieces, then the resulting page will have
again the same width/height ratio.


THE ISO PAPER SIZE CONCEPT
Types Of Series.
A Series
(Sizes for A Series Paper - A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5,
A6, A7 and A8)
B Series
(Sizes for B Series Paper - B0, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5,
B6, B7 and B8)
C Series
(Sizes for C Series Envelopes - C0, C1, C2, C3, C4,
C5, C6, C7 and C8)
A Series Paper Sizes

The height divided by the
width of all formats
is 2 or 1.4142. (We take
height > width)
All smaller A series formats
are defined in the same way by
cutting the next larger format
in the series parallel to its
shorter side into two equal
pieces. A(n) = 2 A(n+1)
The standardized height and
width of the paper formats is a
rounded number in
millimetres.

The width and height of A(n)
paper are given by:
If n is even,



If n is odd,



Can you verify the table on the
left hand side?
General formulas
A series paper width x height (mm)
A0 841 1189
A1 594 841
A2 420 594
A3 297 420
A4 210 297
A5 148 210
A6 105 148
A7 74 105
A8 52 74
A9 37 52
A10 26 37
Extensions - B Series Paper Sizes


The B series paper standards are also based
around the 1:2 aspect ratio, but in order to
provide sizes not covered by the A series, the
length and width of size B(n) are defined as
being the geometric mean of size A(n) and
size A(n-1).
Note: The geometric mean of two numbers is
the square root of the product of those two
numbers. e.g. The geometric mean of 6 and 4 is
(6x4) or 24.


B Series paper
The width and height of a B
series format is the
geometric mean between
the corresponding A format
and the next larger A
format.
Let W(n) and H(n) be the
width and height of
B(n). w(n) and h(n) be that
of A(n).
Then



B series paper width x height (mm)
B1 707 1000
B2 500 707
B3 353 500
B4 250 353
B5 176 250
B6 125 176
B7 88 125
B8 62 88
B9 44 62
B10 31 44
The C Series Envelope Sizes
The C series sizes were introduced to define
the sizes of envelopes suitable for the A series
paper sizes.
This is also based on the 2 aspect ratio.
The size of a C(n) envelope is defined as the
geometric mean of paper sizes A(n) and B(n).
This leads to a C(n) envelope which nicely
holds a sheet of A(n) paper unfolded.
Size Width x Height (mm) Width x Height (in)
C0 917 x 1297 mm 36.1 x 51.5 in
C1 648 x 917 mm 25.5 x 36.1 in
C2 458 x 648 mm 18.0 x 25.5 in
C3 324 x 458 mm 12.8 x 18.0 in
C4 229 x 324 mm 9.0 x 12.8 in
C5 162 x 229 mm 6.4 x 9.0 in
C6 114 x 162 mm 4.5 x 6.4 in
C7 81 x 114 mm 3.2 x 4.5 in
C8 57 x 81 mm 2.2 x 3.2 in
C9 40 x 57 mm 1.6 x 2.2 in
C10 28 x 40 mm 1.1 x 1.6 in



A C4 envelope will hold a sheet of A4 paper unfolded, a C5
envelope will hold a sheet of A4 paper folded in half once parallel to
its shortest sides and a C6 envelope will hold the same piece of
paper folded twice.
This is the reason that you will sometimes see these envelope
sizes being referred to as A4 envelope size, A5 envelope size and A6
envelope size.


C6 Envelope
C4 Envelope
C5 Envelope
SIZES USAGES
A0, A1 Technical drawings, Posters
A1, A2 Flip charts
A2, A3 Drawings, Diagrams, Large tables
A4
Letters, Magazines, Forms, Catalogues, Laser
Printer and Copying Machine Output
A5 Note pads
A6 Postcards
B5, A5, B6, A6 Books
C4, C5, C6
Envelopes for A4 letters: unfolded (C4),
folded once (C5), folded twice (C6)
B4, A3
Newspapers, supported by most copying
machines in addition to A4
B8, A8 Playing cards
USAGES OF PAPER SIZES