Paper sizes. Understand the difference between A3, A4, letter, legal, and other formats!
There are two major classifications of paper measurements:
- 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 whole world, and while the American format is especially popular in some countries of the American continent.
The standardization of paper dimensions helps to unify production and printing criteria, and at the same time serves guide for professionals in related industries, such as publishing, advertising, or office supplies.
Series A paper size
The most widely used measure of paper in almost all the countries of the world is series A, known as the fundamental series, because other measures are derived from it. These are the sheet sizes:
| Paper size | Millimeters | Centimeters | Inches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A series | A0 | 841 x 1189 mm | 4.1 x 118.9 cm | 46.8 inch |
| A1 | 594 x 841 mm | 59.4 x 84.1 cm | 23.4 x 33.1 inch | |
| A2 | 420 x 594 mm | 42 x 59.4 cm | 16.5 x 23.4 inch | |
| A3 | 297 x 420 mm | 29.7 x 42 cm | 1.7 x 16.5 inches | |
| A4 | 210 x 297 mm | 21 x 29.7 cm | 8.3 x 11.7 inches | |
| TO 5 | 148 x 210 mm | 14.8 x 21 cm | 5.8 x 8.3 inches | |
| A6 | 105 x 148 mm | 10.5 x 14.8 cm | 4.1 x 5.8 inches | |
| 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 inch |
See also Paper sizes A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, A9, A10.
B series paper size
Series B is made up of page formats that are often used to make posters and books. These are your measurements:
| Paper size | Millimeters | Centimeters | Inches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B series | B0 | 1000 x 1414 mm | 100 x 141.4 cm | 39.4 x 55.7 inches |
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 inches | |
| B4 | 250 x 353 mm | 25 x 35.3 cm | 9.8 x 13.9 inches | |
| B5 | 176 x 250 mm | 17.6 x 25 cm | 6.9 x 9.8 inches | |
| B6 | 125 x 176 mm | 12.5 x 17.6 cm | 4.9 x 6.9 inches | |
| B7 | 88 x 125 mm | 8.8 x 12.5 cm | 3.5 x 4.9 inches | |
| B8 | 62 x 88 mm | 6.2 x 8.8 cm | 2.4 x 3.5 inch | |
| B9 | 44 x 62 mm | 4.4 x 6.2 cm | 1.7 x 2.4 inch | |
| B10 | 31 x 44 mm | 3.1 x 4.4 cm | 1.2 x 1.7 inch |
C series paper size
The C series paper formats are used to create envelopes. These are your 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 x 64.8 cm | 18.0 x 25.5 inches | |
| C3 | 324 x 458 mm | 32.4 x 45.8 cm | 12.8 x 18.0 inches | |
| C4 | 229 x 324 mm | 22.9 x 32.4 cm | 9.0 x 12.8 inches | |
| C5 | 162 x 229 mm | 16.2 x 22.9 cm | 6.4 x 9.0 inches | |
| C6 | 114 x 162 mm | 11.4 x 16.2 cm | 4.5 x 6.4 inches | |
| C7 | 81 x 114 mm | 8 x 11.4 cm | 3.2 x 4.5 inches | |
| C8 | 57 x 81 mm | 5.7 x 8.1 cm | 2.2 x 3.2 inch | |
| C9 | 40 x 57 mm | 4 x 5.7 cm | 1.6 x 2.2 inch | |
| C10 | 28 x 40 mm | 2.8 x 4 cm | 1.1 x 1.6 inch |
Letter, legal and tabloid size
In the United States, Canada and some Latin American countries, other paper formats other than the A series are used, called letter, office, letter and legal, included within the traditional American measurement system.
These page measures are used especially 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 |
| Job | 220 x 340 mm | 22 x 34 cm | 8.6 x 13.3 inches | |
| Letter | 216 x 279 mm | 21.6 x 27.9 cm | 8.5 x 10.9 inches | |
| Legal | 216 x 356 mm | 21.6 x 35.6 cm | 8.5 x 14 inches | |
| Tabloid | 279.4 x 431.8 mm | 27.9 x 43.1 cm | 11 x 17 inches |
Like letter and letter have similar measures, it is common for them to be used interchangeably. The same occurs with legal and legal size, hence, although it is not an explicit rule, 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 printed newspapers 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 used in the world, and the sheet sizes that are used in much of the American continent. The reason for this difference is the DIN 476 standard, created in Germany by 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 establish the dimensions of the different paper formats, they simply adhered to the measures established in DIN 476, considered the standard pioneer.
Currently, the ISO 216 standard is used almost everywhere in the world, with the exception of Canada, the United States, most of the Central American countries, Venezuela, Colombia and Chile. in which letter size is used, legal, letter, legal and tabloid of the American system instead of their series A equivalents.
See also Letter, legal, letter, legal, and tabloid paper sizes