There are two major classifications of paper measures:
European format: series A, B and C of the ISO 216 standard.
american format: letter, legal and tabloid size.
The European format is the most used in almost the entire world, while the American format is especially popular in some countries of the American continent.
The standardization of paper dimensions helps unify production and printing criteria, and at the same time serves as a guide for professionals in related industries, such as publishing, advertising, or office supplies.
A series paper size
The most widely used paper measure in almost every country in the world is the A series, known as the fundamental series, because other measures are derived from it. These are the sheet sizes:
Paper size Millimeters Centimeters Inches Series A A0 841 x 1189 mm 4.1 x 118.9 cm 46.8 inches A1 594 x 841 mm 59.4 x 84.1 cm 23.4 x 33.1 inches A2 420 x 594 mm 42 x 59.4 cm 16.5 x 23.4 in A3 297 x 420 mm 29.7 x 42 cm 1.7 x 16.5 in A4 210 x 297 mm 21 x 29.7 cm 8.3 x 11 7 inch A5 148 x 210 mm 14.8 x 21 cm 5.8 x 8.3 inch A6 105 x 148 mm 10.5 x 14.8 cm 4.1 x 5.8 inch A7 74 x 105 mm 7, 4 x 10.5 cm 2.9 x 4.1 inches A8 52 x 74 mm 5.2 x 7.4 cm 2 x 2.9 inches A9 37 x 52 mm 3.7 x 5.2 cm 1.5 x 2 inches A10 26 x 37 mm 2.6 x 3.7 cm 1 x 1.5 inches
See also Paper sizes A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, A9, A10.
B series paper size
The B series is made up of page formats that are often used to make posters and books. These are their measurements:
Paper size Millimeters Centimeters Inches
B-series
B0 1000 x 1414 mm 100 x 141.4 cm 39.4 x 55.7 in
B1
707 x 1000 mm 70.7 x 100 cm 27.8 x 39.4 inches B2 500 x 707 mm 50 x 70.7 cm 19.7 x 27.8 inches B3 353 x 500 mm 35.3 x 50 cm 13, 9 x 19.7 in B4 250 x 353 mm 25 x 35.3 cm 9.8 x 13.9 in B5 176 x 250 mm 17.6 x 25 cm 6.9 x 9.8 in B6 125 x 176 mm 12 .5 x 17.6 cm 4.9 x 6.9 in B7 88 x 125 mm 8.8 x 12.5 cm 3.5 x 4.9 in B8 62 x 88 mm 6.2 x 8.8 cm 2 .4 x 3.5 in. B9 44 x 62 mm 4.4 x 6.2 cm 1.7 x 2.4 in. B10 31 x 44 mm 3.1 x 4.4 cm 1.2 x 1.7 in.
C series paper size
The C series paper formats are used to create envelopes. These are their measurements:
Paper size Millimeters Centimeters Inches
C-series
C0 917 x 1297 mm 91.7 x 129.7 cm 36.1 x 51.5 inches C1 648 x 917 mm 64.8 x 91.7 cm 25.5 x 36.1 inches C2 458 x 648 mm 45.8 18.0 x 25.5 in. C3 324 x 458 mm 32.4 x 45.8 cm 12.8 x 18.0 in. C4 229 x 324 mm 9.0 x 32.4 cm x 12.8 in C5 162 x 229 mm 16.2 x 22.9 cm 6.4 x 9.0 in C6 114 x 162 mm 11.4 x 16.2 cm 4.5 x 6.4 in C7 81 x 114 mm 8 x 11.4 cm 3.2 x 4.5 in C8 57 x 81 mm 5.7 x 8.1 cm 2.2 x 3.2 in C9 40 x 57 mm 4 x 5.7 cm 1, 6 x 2.2 inches C10 28 x 40 mm 2.8 x 4 cm 1.1 x 1.6 inches
Letter, legal and tabloid size
In the United States, Canada, and some Latin American countries, paper formats other than series A are used, called letter, official, letters and legal, included within the traditional system of American measurements.
These page measurements are especially used for letter and document writing purposes. These are its dimensions:
Paper size Millimeters Centimeters Inches
american system
Letter 220 x 280 mm 22 x 28 cm 8.6 x 11 inches Legal 220 x 340 mm 22 x 34 cm 8.6 x 13.3 inches
letters
216 x 279 mm 21.6 x 27.9 cm 8.5 x 10.9 in Legal 216 x 356 mm 21.6 x 35.6 cm 8.5 x 14 in Tabloid 279.4 x 431.8 mm 27, 9 x 43.1 cm 11 x 17 inches
Like letter sizes and letters have similar measurements, it is common for them to be used interchangeably. The same occurs with the legal and legal size, hence, although it is not an explicit standard, the formats of the Anglo-Saxon system are usually reduced to letter and legal size for practical purposes.
On the other hand, the tabloid size is the one used in the production of many newspapers printed in the American continent.
Paper dimensions according to ISO 216
There is a notable difference between the sizes of the A series, which are the most widely used in the world, and the blade sizes that are used in much of the American continent. The reason for this difference is the DIN 476 standard, created in Germany by the engineer Walter Porstmann in 1917.
The objective of this first standardization was to use as much paper as possible. As the measures turned out to be efficient, they were maintained over time, hence when the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) decided to establish the dimensions of the different paper formats, they simply adhered to the measures established in DIN 476, considered the pioneer standard.
Currently, the ISO 216 standard is used in almost the entire world, with the exception of Canada, the United States, most of the Central American countries, Venezuela, Colombia and Chile. in which letter size, legal, letters, legal and tabloid of the American system instead of their A-series equivalents.
See also: