7 replies to this topic

[Odex]

What is the ratio of the length of one side of A4 paper to the other, and why?

No Measuring

Spoiler for Hint

Same for all A series

[Grayven]

What is the ratio of the length of one side of A4 paper to the other, and why?

No Measuring

Spoiler for Hint

Same for all A series

Spoiler for I know

It's an international standard with a ratio of 1:sqrt 2. (used to work in an office supply store) The why of it eludes me.

[bonanova]

Spoiler for Well it could be that

when you fold it in half, it has the same aspect ratio.
But why would that be useful or important?

[andromeda]

Spoiler for ...

Maybe it has to do with envelopes?? I'm just rambling...

[sanssheriff]

Spoiler for Well it could be that

when you fold it in half, it has the same aspect ratio.
But why would that be useful or important?

That is right on bonanova.

Spoiler for the why

scalalability. the aspect ratio of √2 is maintained each time you fold the paper in half.

[Odex]

That is right on bonanova.

Spoiler for the why

scalalability. the aspect ratio of √2 is maintained each time you fold the paper in half.

Eggsellent

Still not sure why its so important

But perhaps if you ran a factory producing various sizes of paper it would be nice to be able to cut a large sheet in half
to make 2 smaller sheets and so on with no wastage

is there any other advantages

or can this system be applied any where else

I dont know by the way, just discussion

Odex

[dedhed]

That is right on bonanova.

Spoiler for the why

scalalability. the aspect ratio of √2 is maintained each time you fold the paper in half.

Which you can only do 6 times to any A4 piece of paper (7 with a vice)

[HoustonHokie]

I know that's a pretty useful advantage for ANSI size papers. You can fold an ANSI D (22"x34") in half twice to get an ANSI B (11"x17"), and the B folded in half is an A (8.5"x11"). Very useful for reports in the architecture/engineering business where the text is on A size, but large tables may be B size, small drawings could be C size (17" x 22"), and "full size" drawings are often D size. I presume the same philosophy is employed for the A series of papers, which is a metric equivalent of the ANSI series.