Standard paper sizes for printing - all you have to do is choose! Sheet sizes A0 – A7.

Standard Paper Sizes

(GOST 5773-76)

North American standard

Serie A

The largest standard size, A0, has an area of ​​one square meter and aspect ratio 1:√2. The long side of the sheet has a length of approximately 1.189 m, the length of the short side is the inverse of this value, approximately 0.841 m, the product of these two lengths gives an area of ​​1 m².

Size A1 is obtained by cutting sheet A0 along the short side into two equal parts, resulting in the same aspect ratio. This allows you to get one standard format paper from another, which was impossible when using traditional sizes. Preserving the aspect ratio also means that when scaling an image from one format to another, the proportions of the image are preserved.

Serie B

In addition to the A series of formats, there are also less common B series formats. B series sheets have the same aspect ratio as A series. Only B0 has a width of 1 m. The area of ​​B series sheets is the geometric average of the two subsequent A series sheets. For example, B1 The size is between A0 and A1, with an area of ​​0.71 m². As a result, B0 has dimensions of 1000 × 1414 mm. Series B is almost never used in the office; there are a number of special applications, for example, many posters are published in these formats, B5 is often used for books, and these formats are also used for envelopes and passports.

Series C

Series C is used for envelopes only and is defined in ISO 269. The area of ​​series C sheets is equal to the geometric average of series A and B sheets of the same number. For example, the area of ​​C4 is the geometric average of the area of ​​sheets A4 and B, with C4 slightly larger than A4, and B4 slightly larger than C4. The practical meaning of this is that an A4 sheet can be placed in a C4 envelope, and a C4 envelope can be placed in a thick B4 envelope.
C6 162 x 114 mm - the main postal envelope format of the Soviet period.

North American standard

Currently used American sizes are based on traditionally used sizes, and are defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The most commonly used formats in daily activities are “Letter”, “Legal” and “Ledger” / “Tabloid”. The source of the "Letter" format (8.5 × 11 inches or 216 × 279 mm) goes back to tradition and is not exactly known.
North American paper sizes are state standards in the USA and the Philippines (however, the Philippine "legal" is 8.5 × 13 inches, which is different from the American "legal"), and are also widely used in Canada, Mexico and some South American countries.
Unlike standard A4 paper, which is a geometric subset of a range of paper sizes based on the standard International organization According to standardization (ISO), the origin of Letter paper sizes is lost in tradition and is not clearly documented. The American Forest and Paper Association states that the dimensions come from the days of hand-made paper, and that an 11-inch page length is a quarter of the "average maximum length the hands of an experienced worker." However, this does not explain the width or aspect ratio.

Publication formats

GOST (5773-76)

To determine the format of a book block, it is necessary to decompose the value of the sheet fraction (/16, /32, etc.) into two largest factors (16 = 4x4, 32 = 4x8), then divide the larger side of the sheet by a larger factor, the smaller side by a smaller factor .
For example: 84x108/32 => 32=4x8 => x => 21x13.5
If we now subtract 1cm from greater value, and 0.5 cm from the smaller one - we get the block format after trimming (for publications with landscape imposition, subtract 1 cm from the smaller value, and 0.5 from the larger one).

Vintage book and writing paper formats

The publication format is the size of the book block (in length and width) after three-sided trimming.
The format is determined by the type and type of publication, its volume, circulation, the nature of the illustrative material contained in it, the reader's purpose, terms of use, etc.
The term “book format” apparently arose in the era of machine production, when the need arose to unify book sizes for its mass production and commodity exchange.
The results of measurements of dozens of Russian books of the 11th-13th centuries showed that they did not have stable sizes. The format of the future book was chosen by the copyist based on its purpose, as well as in accordance with the tastes of the customer and by one's own desire. Altar Gospels, richly illustrated and large books (prologues, collections, etc.) were, as a rule, made big size(the height of the book block is more than 30 cm). These are, for example, the oldest handwritten books: the Ostromir Gospel (1056-1057), Izbornik Svyatoslav (1073), twelve volumes of the “Great Menaion of the Readings” (1547-1563), written on the initiative of Metropolitan Macarius, and others. Books intended for everyday use , had relatively small formats, and were distinguished by their simplicity of external and internal appearance. An example of this kind of book is the Archangel Gospel (1092) - a cheap book, apparently rewritten by order of the parish church of a peasant churchyard (small four format).
With the beginning of the use of paper for making books, their formats were based on the size (share) of a paper sheet. However, there were still no firmly established paper sizes, since they depended on the mesh dimensions of the paper sheet, which were set arbitrarily by the paper manufacturer. Over time, papermakers settled on two main sizes: the smaller one - 30x50 cm; the larger one is 50x70, which, however, was not strictly observed.
To indicate the format of Russian handwritten books, a conventional unit of measurement was used - dest (Persian dest - right hand).

DIN formats (metric)

Notes:

1. The area of ​​A0 format is 1 sq.m.

2. The “+” sign in the format designation indicates the presence of an allowance compared to standard sizes. The amount of allowance may vary.

3. For roll paper The width corresponds to the narrow edge of the format, i.e. A1 means 594mm wide roll. The length of a standard roll for copying machines is 175 meters.

Anglo-American standards formats

Formats of other international standards.

They were created so that printing equipment could be standardized. Now in the office sector the most popular format is A4. It is also the most common in publishing houses - books are most often printed on this paper. Other formats are used for different purposes, which will be discussed in more detail below. To begin with, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the table of sizes of common formats.

Paper Sizes

In the international classification, marking A is most often used, defined by the ISO216 standard. They have a fixed aspect ratio of 1:√2, which is called the Lichtenberg ratio. The main format is A0, and each subsequent format is obtained by precisely cutting the previous sheet in half. So, if you cut an A0 sheet in half, you get an A1 format and so on. So, the exact sizes of paper formats are as follows:

• A0 - has an area of ​​1 square meter, and the sides are 841 × 1189 mm.
• A1 - sheet area is 0.5 square meters. m., and the sides are 594×841 mm.
• A2 - the area is 25 decimeters, and the sides are 420x594 mm.
• A3 - the sheet area is 12.5 decimeters, and the sides are 297x420 mm.
• A4 is the most popular format with sides 210x297 mm.
• A5 - has sides 210x148 mm.
• A6 is even two times smaller - 148x105 mm.

Where are different paper sizes used?

The most common format to which all printers are adapted is . It is used for printing:

• books;
• documents;
• contracts;
• invoices and much more.

Some office printers support printing in . This is the size of standard newspapers. A0 and A1 are used for printing:

• posters;
• posters;
• wall tables;
• diagrams.

Small A5 and A6 formats are used for manufacturing:

• pocket books;
• notepads;
• notebooks.

What you should pay attention to when choosing

When choosing a paper size, need to be taken into account standard norms for products on which it is planned to be used. So, if a small-circulation brochure is being produced, which is planned to be reproduced on a printer or copier, then it is worth choosing the A5 and A6 formats. If you are buying paper for printing documents, then you should choose the standard A4 option, since absolutely all office printer models are adapted for it.

If you plan to print a poster, then you will definitely need a device for large-format printing. Large format can be taken after checking first specifications and the tolerances of your printer. Thus, the choice of sheet format must be made taking into account the technical tolerances of the existing printer, as well as taking into account which sheet will print best for specific purposes.

In addition to the printer format, the following paper parameters are important:

• density (best - 80-90g/m2);
• opacity (especially important when performing double-sided printing);
• humidity (the best is 4.5%, but small deviations are acceptable);
• thickness (the thicker the sheet, the stiffer);
• smoothness (affects the final image quality);
• trimming (edges should remain smooth, without burrs);
• electrification (strong leads to paper sticking and feeding failures).

Why you shouldn't save on paper

Saving on paper quality leads to rapid wear and tear of printers. And repairing them is already much more expensive than the prudent purchase of good paper that will save your equipment. So it is much more profitable to buy clean and high-quality sheets with optimal density. And of course, you need to choose the right format for your future image.

The ISO 216 A-size paper dimensions are shown in the table below, in millimeters and inches (values ​​can be converted to cm by dividing the mm value by 10). The A series paper size picture on the right gives a visual explanation of how the sizes relate to each other - for example A5 is half of an A4 sheet of paper and A2 is half of an A1 sheet of paper.

Size chart for paper sizes from 4A0 to A10

A-size sheet sizes

* - format A resolution is given for an image density of 300 dpi (pixels per inch).

To obtain paper dimensions in centimeters, convert from mm to cm by dividing by 10; to convert from inches to feet, divide inch by 12.

4A0 and 2A0 - DIN 476 high-dimensional formats

There are also paper sizes larger than A0 - these are 4A0 and 2A0. These sizes are not covered by the ISO 216 standard, but are typically used for large format paper. The origin of these formats comes from the German standard DIN 476, on the basis of which ISO 216 was created.

Size A paper size tolerances and errors

ISO 216 allows for production errors in A-size paper up to following values:
• ± 1.5 mm (0.06 in) for sizes up to 150 mm (5.9 in)
• ±2 mm (0.08 in) for sizes ranging from 150 to 600 mm (5.9 to 23.6 in)
• ± 3 mm (0.12 in) for any dimension above 600 mm (23.6 in)

A series of formats characteristics and properties

ISO 216 characterizes this paper size with the following parameters:
• The length divided by the width of the sheet is equal to the value 1.4142
• Each subsequent dimension A(N) is defined as A(N-1) cut in half parallel to its short side.
• A0 format has an area of ​​1 square meter.
• Standard length and the width of each size is rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Note: the last point is there because the number Square root 2 in aspect ratio does not always give integers.

International implementation and use of the sheet format

A paper sizes are now widely used throughout the world except the United States, Canada and parts of Mexico. A4 format has become standard size business letter in speaking countries English language such as Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain, accustomed to using the imperial number system everywhere. In Europe, paper sizes were adopted as a formal standard in the mid-20th century, and from there they spread throughout the world.

A-size and series paper sizes was last modified: November 2nd, 2016 by admin

The use of paper and products made from it has become firmly established in our everyday life. But rarely does anyone think that format sizes in centimeters, inches strictly regulated special standards ( GOSTs, ISO etc.). Certain sizes of sheets of paper are used for drawings, others for printing books and booklets. And other formats are created for making envelopes. Don't believe me? Then let's dive into it together mysterious world regular sheets of paper.

Establishment of world standards

At the end of the 18th century. was done by the German physicist Lichtenberg interesting discovery , which, a century and a half later, would influence paper standards around the world. Scientist determined unique property rectangle. To put it simply: we have a rectangle whose sides have the ratio equal to the root out of two. When “folding” a figure in half along the larger side, in the resulting rectangle the ratio of length and width remains unchanged.

This unique property existed at the beginning of the 20th century. laid as the basis by the developer of modern paper formats - Walter Porstmann. Initially the system had the name DIN 476, it unified existing standards.

From Germany the Porstmann standard began "march through Europe". Before the start of World War II, it was recognized in 8 countries (including the USSR). By 1975, it was released under the ISO system and adopted as an official United Nations standard. Currently only Japan, Canada and USA they did not accept it as the main one.

World standard

The current standard is based on the principle of the metric system. It is based on a sheet of paper with an area 1 sq.m. (A0). As already noted, the length to width ratio is approximately 1/1.414 (or root 2).

Includes 3 groups with relatively similar sizes:

• A – the original (zero) sheet format has an area of ​​1 sq.m;
• B – unlike the previous one, in the zero format the smallest side has a size of 1 m (the proportions between the sides correspond to the “A” format);
• C – designed for envelopes under the “A” series sheet ( original dimensions increased by about 8%).

The most popular format is A4, for technical documentation - A2, less often A3.

Advanced Standard

In addition to the basic sizes, the use of extended ones is allowed. To do this, the larger side of the sheet increases several times, while the length of the smaller side remains unchanged. In this case, an increase of 2 times is practically not used. This "deviation" is used to develop drawings, for example, in architecture.

It's interesting that in USSR, despite the fact that the DIN-476 standard (which formed the basis of the world standard) was recognized at the beginning of the twentieth century, the designation of paper sizes differed from the generally accepted one. So, for example, for size “A” there was a 2-digit designation. This number indicated the number of times it was necessary to “unfold” the base sheet along the long (first number) and short (second) side. In this case, sheet A4 was taken as the base, which was designated by the number 11 (A3 - number 12, etc.).

US standard

The New World’s commitment to “old” traditions was also reflected in paper standards. Standards applied as basic in the USA and Canada built per unit of length - inch. They are also used as additional ones in a number of other countries in both Americas.

Standard of the Land of the Rising Sun

Japan, and this is what we are talking about, also has its own national standard. At the same time, they are not consigned to “oblivion” and “old” formats are used at the same time.

The parameters of size “A” correspond to the formats of the global classification. This is where the correspondence ends. Already the “B” series differs from the previous one not by 1.41 times, as in ISO, but by one and a half. Series "C" is missing altogether.

Paper characteristics

Having considered the history of the origin of paper and the main sizes that are used in the world in its production, it is necessary to pay attention to the issue quality characteristics. If you think that paper just has to be white (well, colored when... certain cases), - you are wrong. Please review the information below carefully.

The main items that you need to pay attention to when purchasing a pack of paper for office equipment include:

• whiteness of the canvas;
• density;
• product quality (grade).

Three important properties of paper

White

Is important property, as it allows you to evenly reflect the light flux in all directions. In this regard, the higher this indicator, the more saturated and high-quality the images on the prints will be.

To increase the indicator, during production they introduce certain chemical bleach ingredients. As well as certain dyes that neutralize yellow, which is inherent in cellulose. The percentage of whiteness is regulated by relevant standards.

Density

Another important parameter that you should pay attention to when choosing paper is its thickness. The value of the indicator determines the property of the product when absorbing ink. The latter should be distributed evenly over the paper, without penetrating deeply. Therefore, the sheet must have the same density over the entire surface area.

Therefore, when determining the required paper, it is necessary to take into account the existing equipment for which the paper is purchased. High density paper used for laser printers is not recommended. and for jet-setters it’s the other way around.

One more an important condition, which provides the sheet density, is its resistance to bending. During the printing process, paper is exposed to so-called “feed mechanisms”. As the sheet passes through the rollers, it becomes deformed. In case of his high humidity or low density there is a high probability of curling.

Quality

This indicator affects not only the “beauty” of printed information (text, pictures, etc.), but, importantly, the durability and performance of office equipment.

Despite the fact that the sheets of paper look almost the same, you can determine its quality even with the naked eye. Low quality paper will have heterogeneous, “granular” structure. Known fact that wood processing industry waste is used in the production of sheets. However, the higher the cellulose content in the final product, the lower the quality of the latter. The standard is the wood content in the final product from 1/5 to 1/2 volume. At a higher content, “spots” of resin will be noticeable on the paper. Repairing printing equipment after using such paper will more than cover the imaginary savings obtained from its purchase.

Paper quality categories

1 Higher (category A). Paper highest quality. Suitable for equipment from all manufacturers, including high-speed models. It has maximum whiteness and uniform density. Suitable for both single- and double-sided printing. There are no foreign impurities.

2 Standard (category B). Products in this category have increased quality indicators. It is allowed to be used on office equipment if the manufacturer of the latter does not place additional restrictions on the equipment used. Consumables. The most convenient combination of price and quality.

3 Primary (category C). Most a budget option, which can be used for office equipment. Minimum acceptable characteristics of hardness, whiteness, etc. Suitable for printing documents with minimum quality requirements. It is not recommended to print images on such paper.

Paper products that do not meet the specified criteria are not suitable for copying equipment. Its use, for example, for a printer, is fraught with serious damage to the latter.

Manufacturers

According to research by the German magazine "Print", the leader among manufacturers of paper products is the company International Paper (USA). Her annual income is more than 29 billion dollars with the production of about 13 million tons of products. The concern confidently holds second place Stora Enso(a joint Swedish-Finnish company) – issue order 12 million tons of products per year and income of 10 billion euros. Finns take third place. UPM produces just over 10 million tons of products.

The following paper manufacturers are represented on the domestic market:

Marking

When purchasing a package of paper, the buyer can find out some of the characteristics of the sheets. The manufacturer must indicate on the wrapper:

• sheet size (A3, A4, etc.);
• their quantity (usually 500 pcs.);
• paper density (from 65 to 280 grams per 1 sq. m);
• Recommendations for use - for inkjet or laser printing devices, copiers, letterpress, etc.

To avoid deterioration and paper damage, follow these simple tips:

• paper should be stored horizontally;
• optimal room temperature – 2 0 degrees, humidity should not exceed 50% ;
• exposure to direct sunlight is not advisable;
• factory packaging protects the sheets from moisture, do not store the opened pack outside the packaging;
• It is not recommended to store paper on the floor to avoid drafts and temperature changes;
• before use, paper that has been stored in a colder room, leave for several hours for “acclimatization” (up to 3 days in winter). This will allow you to maintain the “correct” structure of the sheet and avoid its deformation.

A little history of paper

Since ancient times, humanity has been looking for a material that is durable enough and easy to manufacture for writing. “Writing” does not just mean writing letters. This term has been used to define the process of creating important records − books containing doctrines, laws, customs. Used for writing stones, clay tablets, papyrus, birch bark. That is, those natural materials, which abounded in a given geographic area.

But most of them had their drawbacks:

• fragility;
• difficulty in processing;
• inconvenience of use and others.

According to scientists and researchers of antiquity, paper was invented in Ancient China in the 1st century AD. Initially it was made from silk threads. They were cooked by adding vegetable glue. Then, using wooden frame, the resulting substance was extracted to smooth surface. Dried and pressed. The format of the resulting paper depended on the size of the frame used. Later, in production they began to use hemp fibers, tree bark.

Like everything valuable, the secret of paper production was stolen. And already in the second half of the 1st millennium they knew about him in Asia, Egypt, and a little later - in Europe.

Europeans continued to improve paper production technology. For example, vegetable adhesive was replaced with animal-based glue. These improvements made it possible to obtain a more durable material that did not allow the ink used in writing to pass through.

Development of paper production in Medieval Europe contributed to partial mechanization of production. The leader in production was Netherlands. The production facilities of which were provided with paper countries of the European continent and the state of Muscovy(as Rus' was called at that time).

Practically before early XIX V. paper was made by hand, using a method that came from China. The raw material used was rags - rags made of linen or cotton. The use of wood has already become widespread at the beginning of the 19th century. And by the end of the century, paper production would become the largest industry industrial production, which uses advances in mechanical engineering and chemistry.

Pre-war paper machine

When preparing images for printing, many users have questions about sizes and aspect ratios. And, if people are familiar with generally accepted paper formats and their sizes (A4 is a sheet of 297x210 mm), then difficulties arise when converting them into pixels.

The number of pixels for an A4 sheet depends on the DPI setting you apply:

• at dpi=75, A4 has 877×620 px
• at dpi=150, A4 has 1754×1240 px
• at dpi=300, A4 has 3508×2480 px

In a similar way, the correspondence of the points to the size of the A3 sheet is established:

• at dpi=75, A4 has 877×1240 px
• at dpi=150, A4 has 1754×2480 px
• at dpi=300, A4 has 3508×4961 px

How is the number of points corresponding to the format determined?

Let's take a closer look at where these numbers come from and how they are calculated.

To begin with, it is important to understand one simple thing– it is impossible to convert the linear dimensions of a paper sheet into pixels without additional data for the following reason:

IN linear dimensions(mm, cm) does not take into account such characteristics as image quality. The quality of the picture is determined by the number of dots per unit area. You can make a pixel 1 square mm in size, then the A4 sheet will be equal to 297x210 pixels (this is an example that does not meet the standards, in reality there are generally accepted standards).

Image quality is usually measured in dots per square inch (DPI). 1 inch is equal to 25.4 mm.

Standard DPI sizes used in printing:

• 75 is suitable for documents with text;
• 150 is the minimum for printing photographs;
• 300 – optimal quality for printing pictures;

Let's look at examples of how all this is calculated. When we have quality data, we can put everything together and calculate how many pixels will fit into our A4 (297x210 mm).

Calculation of A4 size in pixels at 150 dpi

• height – 297*150/25.4=1754 px
• width – 210*150/25.4=1240 px

Calculation of A4 size in pixels at 300 dpi

• height – 297*300/25.4=3508 px
• width – 210*300/25.4=2480 px

If the original image initially has a smaller number of pixels, you can still print it on A4 sheet, but you must understand that clarity will suffer. To minimize the negative effect when printing in such situations, try to apply multiple resizing (2, 4, 8, etc. times).

In order to avoid various distortions (elongated or flattened objects), the proportions of the sides should be observed (the height and width must be reduced or increased at the same time by the same factor)

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