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ISO Paper sizes and specifications

ISO Paper Standards - Technical DefinitionStandard paper sizes like ISO A4 are widely used all over the world today. In the ISO paper

size system, the height-to-width ratio of all pages is the square root of two !.4!4" # !$. Inother words, the width and the height of a page relate to ea%h other like the side and thediagonal of a square. &his aspe%t ratio is espe%ially %onvenient for a paper size. If you put twosu%h pages ne't to ea%h other, or equivalently %ut one parallel to its shorter side into two equal

pie%es, then the resulting page will have again the same width(height ratio.

&he ISO paper sizes are )ased on the metri% system. &he square-root-of-two ratio does notpermit )oth the height and width of the pages to )e ni%ely rounded metri% lengths. &herefore,

the area of the pages has )een defined to have round metri% values. As paper is usuallyspe%ified in g(m*, this simplifies %al%ulation of the mass of a do%ument if the format and

num)er of pages are known.

ISO "!+ defines the A series of paper sizes )ased on these simple prin%iples#

&he height divided )y the width of all formats is the square root of two !.4!4"$.ormat A has an area of one square meter.ormat A! is A %ut into two equal pie%es. In other words, the height of A! is the width of A

and the width of A! is half the height of A.All smaller A series formats are defined in the same way. If you %ut format Anparallel to its

shorter side into two equal pie%es of paper, these will have format An!$.

&he standardized height and width of the paper formats is a rounded num)er of millimeters.

or appli%ations where the ISO A series does not provide an adequate format, the / series has)een introdu%ed to %over a wider range of paper sizes. &he 0 series of formats has )een

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defined for envelopes.

&he width and height of a /nformat are the geometri% mean )etween those of the Anandthe ne't larger An-!$ format. or instan%e, /! is the geometri% mean )etween A! and A,that means the same magnifi%ation fa%tor that s%ales A! to /! also s%ales /! to A.

Similarly, the formats of the 0 series are the geometri% mean )etween the A and / seriesformats with the same num)er. or e'ample, an unfolded$ A4 size letter fits ni%ely into a 04

envelope, whi%h in turn fits as ni%ely into a /4 envelope. If you fold this letter on%e to A1format, then it will fit ni%ely into a 01 envelope./ and 0 formats naturally are also square-root-of-two formats.

ISO Paper Sizes

A series formats

Size mm in%hes

4A !+2" 3 "52 ++ !(4 3 6 1(2

"A !!26 3 !+2" 4+ (4 3 ++ !(4

A 24! 3 !!26 3 4+ (4A! 164 3 24! " (2 3

A" 4" 3 164 !+ !(" 3 " (2

A "65 3 4" !! (4 3 !+ !("

A4 "! 3 "65 2 !(4 3 !! (4

A1 !42 3 "! 1 5(2 3 2 !(4

A+ !1 3 !42 4 !(2 3 1 5(2

A5 54 3 !1 " 5(2 3 4 !(2

A2 1" 3 54 " 3 " 5(2

A6 5 3 1" ! !(" 3 "A! "+ 3 5 ! 3 ! !("

B series formats

Size mm in%hes

/ ! 3 !4!4 6 (2 3 11 (4

/! 55 3 ! "5 (4 3 6 (2

/" 1 3 55 !6 (4 3 "5 (4

/ 1 3 1 ! 5(2 3 !6 (4

/4 "1 3 1 6 5(2 3 ! 5(2

/1 !5+ 3 "1 5 3 6 5(2

/+ !"1 3 !5+ 4 5(2 3 5

/5 22 3 !"1 !(" 3 4 5(2

/2 +" 3 22 " !(" 3 !("

/6 44 3 +" ! (4 3 " !("

/! ! 3 44 ! !(4 3 ! (4

C series formats

Size mm in%hes

0 6!5 3 !"65 + 3 1!

0! +42 3 6!5 "1 !(" 3 +

0" 412 3 +42 !2 3 "1 !("

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0 "4 3 412 !" (4 3 !2

04 ""6 3 "4 6 3 !" (4

01 !+" 3 ""6 + (2 3 6

0+ !!4 3 !+" 4 !(" 3 + (2

05 2! 3 !!4 (!+ 3 4 !("

02 15 3 2! " !(4 3 (!+06 4 3 15 ! 1(2 3 " !(4

0! "2 3 4 ! !(2 3 ! 1(2

Magnification FactorsIt is often ne%essary to either in%rease or redu%e an Anpage in size on a photo%opier, digitalprinter, or in a software appli%ation. In order to maintain an a%%urate magnifi%ation you should

always use the e'a%t per%entages shown in the ta)le )elow#

from

toA A! A" A A4 A1 A+ A5 A2 A6 A!

A !7 5!7 17 17 "17 !27 !".17 2.27 +."7 4.47 .!7A! !4!7 !7 5!7 17 17 "17 !27 !".17 2.27 +."7 4.47

A" "7 !4!7 !7 5!7 17 17 "17 !27 !".17 2.27 +."7

A "27 "7 !4!7 !7 5!7 17 17 "17 !27 !".17 2.27

A4 47 "27 "7 !4!7 !7 5!7 17 17 "17 !27 !".17

A1 1++7 47 "27 "7 !4!7 !7 5!7 17 17 "17 !27

A+ 27 1++7 47 "27 "7 !4!7 !7 5!7 17 17 "17

A5 !!!7 27 1++7 47 "27 "7 !4!7 !7 5!7 17 17

A2 !+7 !!!7 27 1++7 47 "27 "7 !4!7 !7 5!7 17

A6 ""+7 !+7 !!!7 27 1++7 47 "27 "7 !4!7 !7 5!7

A! "7 ""+7 !+7 !!!7 27 1++7 47 "27 "7 !4!7 !7

Enelope Formats&he 89 format is the most widely used )usiness letter format envelope size. 89 pro)a)lyoriginally stood for :8I; lang< histori%ally, )ut ISO "+6 now e'plains this a))reviation morediplomati%ally as :8imension 9engthwise< instead. Its size falls somewhat out of the systemand equipment manufa%turers have %omplained that it is slightly too small for relia)leautomati% enveloping. &herefore, 8I; +52 introdu%ed the 0+(01 format as an alternative forthe 89 envelope. or postal purposes, ISO "+6 and 8I; +52 define the following envelopeformats#

ormat mm 0ontent ormat

0+ !!4 3 !+" A4 folded twi%e = A+

89 !! 3 "" A4 folded twi%e = !( A4

0+(01 !!4 3 ""6 A4 folded twi%e = !( A4

01 !+" 3 ""6 A4 folded on%e = A1

04 ""6 3 "4 A4

0 "4 3 412 A

/+ !"1 3 !5+ 0+ envelope

/1 !5+ 3 "1 01 envelope

/4 "1 3 1 04 envelope

>4 "2 3 4 /4

!orth American Formats&he ?nited States, 0anada, and in part @e'i%o, are today the only industrialized nations inwhi%h the ISO standard paper sizes are not yet widely used. &heir formats are as follows#

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ormat mm in%hes

9etter "!+ ' "2 2.1 ' !!.

9egal "!+ ' 1+ 2.1 ' !4.

>'e%utive !24 ' "+5 5."1 '!.1

&a)loid "56 ' 4! !! ' !5

9edger 4! ' "56 !.1 ' 5."1

Poster Formats

Quad- !!+mm ' 5+"mm - 4in ' in lands%ape$, the standard ? format.

Double Quad- !!+mm ' !1"4mm - 4in ' +in, portrait$. A newer style, often rolled. Also%alled a BSu)wayB size or a B4 SheetB.

One Sheet- +21mm ' !4!mm - "5in ' 4!in portrait$. &he /ritish one sheet has sin%e )eenmostly repla%ed with the Cuad.

9arge Dosters and )ill)oards are defined as follows#

4 Sheet!!+mm ' !1"4mm - 4in ' +in, portrait$.&his size is usually referred to as a 4 sheet poster and is regulary used for outdoor advertising.

@ultiples of this size are use to %reate large hoarding sizesE 42 sheet and 6+ sheet posters.

6 Sheet@ore O errall ( Adshel ( &8I ( Drimesites

!2mm ' !"mm+in ' 4in$8e%au' !51mm ' !!21mm

48 Sheet42mm ' +6+mm - !"in ' "4inA 42 sheet poster %omprising !" ' 4 sheet +in ' 4in$ se%tions Foined.

>uropean equivalent# m ' +m.

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96 Sheet42mm ' !"!6"mm - !"in ' 42in

A 6+ sheet poster %omprising of "4 ' 4 sheet +in ' 4in$ se%tions Foined.>uropean equivalent# m ' !"m.