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Paper Sizes

The ISO paper size concept

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.

For most print purposes you need to think in terms of 'A' sizes (left hand column, below).

A Series Formats

SizeWidth x Height (mm)Width x Height (in)
4A01682 x 2378 mm66.2 x 93.6 in
2A01189 x 1682 mm46.8 x 66.2 in
A0841 x 1189 mm33.1 x 46.8 in
A1594 x 841 mm23.4 x 33.1 in
A2420 x 594 mm16.5 x 23.4 in
A3297 x 420 mm11.7 x 16.5 in
A4210 x 297 mm8.3 x 11.7 in
A5148 x 210 mm5.8 x 8.3 in
A6105 x 148 mm4.1 x 5.8 in
A774 x 105 mm2.9 x 4.1 in
A852 x 74 mm2.0 x 2.9 in
A937 x 52 mm1.5 x 2.0 in
A1026 x 37 mm1.0 x 1.5 in

B Series Formats

SizeWidth x Height (mm)Width x Height (in)
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B01000 x 1414 mm39.4 x 55.7 in
B1707 x 1000 mm27.8 x 39.4 in
B2500 x 707 mm19.7 x 27.8 in
B3353 x 500 mm13.9 x 19.7 in
B4250 x 353 mm9.8 x 13.9 in
B5176 x 250 mm6.9 x 9.8 in
B6125 x 176 mm4.9 x 6.9 in
B788 x 125 mm3.5 x 4.9 in
B862 x 88 mm2.4 x 3.5 in
B944 x 62 mm1.7 x 2.4 in
B1031 x 44 mm1.2 x 1.7 in

C Series Formats

SizeWidth x Height (mm)Width x Height (in)
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C0917 x 1297 mm36.1 x 51.5 in
C1648 x 917 mm25.5 x 36.1 in
C2458 x 648 mm18.0 x 25.5 in
C3324 x 458 mm12.8 x 18.0 in
C4229 x 324 mm9.0 x 12.8 in
C5162 x 229 mm6.4 x 9.0 in
C6114 x 162 mm4.5 x 6.4 in
C781 x 114 mm3.2 x 4.5 in
C857 x 81 mm2.2 x 3.2 in
C940 x 57 mm1.6 x 2.2 in
C1028 x 40 mm1.1 x 1.6 in

Further technical details

The subject of paper sizes is actually very complex and we are grateful to Markus Kuhn of Cambridge University for compiling this very comprehensive overview Read more...

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