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The Logic Behind Metric Paper Sizes

Oily Pakora writes "Those of us in the United States are so used to our Letter and Legal paper sizes. We've seen the A4 paper size option in our printer trays and in printer preference menus. Metric sizes used almost everywhere in the world, save for the US and Canada. Here is an interesting article that discusses all of the aspects of metric paper. For those who enjoy a bit of math, did you know that in the Metric paper system, the height-to-width ratio of all pages is the square root of 2? This means that you can place two sheets of A4 side-by-side and they will equal an A3 sheet exactly, and two sheets of A3 will equal an A2."

33 of 1,461 comments (clear)

  1. It's articles like this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    That make me happy my rolling paper is not metric
    -B

    1. Re:It's articles like this by justforaday · · Score: 5, Funny

      That make me happy my rolling paper is not metric

      oh, i dunno...can't say i'd mind something rolled with a sheet of A0... @_@

      --
      I'll turn into a supernova and burn up everything. Well I'll turn into a black little hole and you'll turn into string.
  2. Obligatory by swordboy · · Score: 5, Funny

    PC Load Letter!? WTF does that mean?!

    --

    Life is the leading cause of death in America.
  3. Audi A4 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    There's also an Audi A4, and if you put two of those side by side, people say "Look, isn't that a coincidence".

    1. Re:Audi A4 by Golias · · Score: 5, Funny
      Two Mini Coopers side by side == One Audi A4
      Two Audis == One BAM ("Big Assed Mercedes")
      Two Mercedes == One average European house.

      Wow, those Europeans can apply simple metric system math to everything!

      Meanwhile, in America:
      Two Mini Coopers side by side == One speed bump for a Hummer H2.
      Two Audis in the driveway == A good house to break into.
      Two Mercedes == Really, really tacky.
      Two Hummers == The energy consumption of a typical third-world country
      Two thrid world countries == A re-unified Germany. (I keed!)

      --

      Information wants to be anthropomorphized.

  4. Re:2 x A4 = A3 by Leffe · · Score: 5, Funny

    Not at all, I thought everyone knew this... I don't live in America though...

  5. The Metric System Sucks!! by USAPatriot · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am of the firm belief that the metric system sucks. It is a global conspiracy created to cause the downfall of all things that we know and love. Upon careful examination it is clear that the metric system is at least indirectly responsible for most of the world's problems, including but not limited to:

    * Government conspiracy
    * Microsoft Windows
    * Rap Music
    * Hondas and their drivers
    * Transistors
    * Pokemon
    * Jerry Springer
    * Televangelism
    * Toxic waste
    * The Republicans
    * The Democrats
    * Defective and bogus hardware
    * Wrenches that dont fit
    * Starbucks coffee
    * Communism
    * Soccer
    * The Euro

    --

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  6. It's official... by Your_Mom · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can't deny it anymore.

    I just read an article on metric pages and found it incredibly intresting.

    At one point I said "Wow, Cool"

    I think I've gone beyond 'geek'.

    I feel dirty.

    --
    Objects in the blog are closer then they ap
    1. Re:It's official... by PaschalNee · · Score: 4, Funny
      I feel dirty.
      Luckily you can clean yourself up while being compliant to the standard!
      In some countries (e.g., Germany) even many brands of toilet paper have format A6.
  7. Mod parent up. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Jeez, must be a slow day. I'll go search the net for something that was new 30 years ago and post it on Slashdot!

  8. If you enjoy math.. by teamhasnoi · · Score: 4, Funny

    remember that two 8 1/2 x 11 sheets equal an 11 x 17 sheet and four 4 x 5 cards can fit on a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. A ream of paper is 500 sheets and if you divide that by two, you get 250 sheets which really means nothing; I needed two extra facts for my post about math.

  9. the metric system is fun by revery · · Score: 5, Funny

    This means that you can place two sheets of A4 side-by-side and they will equal an A3 sheet exactly, and two sheets of A3 will equal an A2."

    And of course, 5 sheets of almost any metric sized paper folded into origami lions will inevitably merge to form Voltron, a robot so powerful that it will usually let it's enemies kick it's butt around for a good 15 to 20 minutes before it forms the blazing sword and finishes the fight.

  10. Re:Neat by the+MaD+HuNGaRIaN · · Score: 5, Funny

    did you get a box of 11.69" envelopes to go with that?

  11. Re:I will fight this metric paper with every OUNCE by Frothy+Walrus · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now is that a solid ounce, a fluid ounce, or an apothecary ounce?

  12. Re:Just in case the server crashes and burns... by BillyZ · · Score: 4, Funny

    hmmm Original site must have been a vampire.. cause I don't see it in your mirror. ;o)

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    I take no responsibility for any spelling mistakes in the above post.
  13. Obligatory homer paraphrasing by bperkins · · Score: 4, Funny

    OOOoo! Look at me! I use the metric system!

    I only know how to divide by ten!

  14. I love it. It helped me get more points on a Chem by MisanthropicProgram · · Score: 4, Funny
    test.
    This happened years ago. I had a Chem. test and the question had something to do with densities - I can't remember. But the point is, I remembered that the density of water is one, all the units where metric, and calculating the density, volume, and mass were a no brainer with the metric system.

    I once got into a friendly argument with an engineer over the merits of the metric system. His argument "Foot-Lbs. I know what that is - that's obvious! Newton - what the fuck is a Newton."

  15. Re:Drugs teach American kids the metric system. by WormholeFiend · · Score: 4, Funny

    but metric paper makes much better airplanes.

  16. Re:Yet another reason for the US to switch to metr by forrestt · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually, it has to do with apple pie. Since there is nothing more American than apple pie, the apple pie recipe is considered sacred. It has been passed down from generation to generation since the start of this glorious nation. Unfortunatly, it has been passed down on the female side of our ancestry, and we men have been telling our women that:

    |------| = 10 inches, when in fact
    |---------| = 10 inches.

    This has caused them to become totally confused with regard to units of measure, and they are thus unable to convert imperial to metric units. Thus, if we were to switch to using the metric system, we would no longer be able to bake apple pies, a situation we are just not willing to accept.

  17. Re:A complex way to point out simplity. by mrzaph0d · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'll be ready, cause I saw the movie in school, 'splaining that we'd be all metric by 1976

    weird thing is, i saw that same movie in 1987

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  18. Re:A complex way to point out simplity. by Grooby · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does this apply to Volumes?!?! cut a D-Cup size bra to get 2 C-cCup size bra?!?!

  19. Re:Drugs teach American kids the metric system. by poot_rootbeer · · Score: 5, Funny

    504 gallons to go 1 mile!

    Yep, sounds like a True American car to me.

  20. Re:Side-by-sideness by ajs · · Score: 4, Funny

    Also, if you take 3 8.5x11 sheets, line them up along their longer sides, attach them to eachother, put a staple through the middle of the first and second sheet join and then hang them from a height of approximately eye-level it makes the idea place for a picture of a naked "girl next door".

    My buddy Heff taught me that trick.

  21. Re:Yes, but... by ChrisMaple · · Score: 4, Funny

    If Fermat had used American paper, we wouldn't have had to wait 350 years for a proof of his last theorem.

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  22. Re:2 x A4 = A3 by huchida · · Score: 4, Funny
    This whole thing reminds me of a thing Jerry Seinfeld did, making fun of chinese people eating with sticks. He said something about that he could not understand why they kept eating with sticks, since "they have seen the fork".

    I wonder why Westerners insist on using both a fork and spoon to eat after they've seen the Spork.

  23. Re:A complex way to point out simplity. by servognome · · Score: 5, Funny

    maybe its strictly designed for slingshot use. Probably take down a medieval castle with that thing.

    --
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  24. Re:Drugs teach American kids the metric system. by Oliver+Wendell+Jones · · Score: 4, Funny

    Consequently, I speculate that his vehicle must be an aircraft carrier...operating on land. My only question is, where the hell does he park it?

    If it's still fully equipped and armed, then the correct answer is:

    Wherever he wants to.

    --
    A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing -- Emo Phillips
  25. Re:A complex way to point out simplity. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah... and there's countries that aren't part of the US, too.

    It's called "The Rest Of The World". You'll find we do a lot of things differently here, if you ever bother to look.

    Um. Sorry. Bad day. :-/

  26. Re:A complex way to point out simplity. by iminplaya · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah... and there's countries that aren't part of the US, too.

    Not for long...

    --
    What?
  27. Re:Metric & The US by Idarubicin · · Score: 5, Funny
    From this perspective, a human perspective, it makes complete sense to have differing systems of measurement. There would be obvious advantages if we all spoke the same language, but no one is proposing that we make everyone learn Chinese (quit being ethnocentric!).

    Don't tell George Bush that he's using Arabic numerals...

    --
    ~Idarubicin
  28. Re:Not English by Kulaid982 · · Score: 5, Funny


    "PC Load Letter? What the fuck does that mean?!?"

    --

    Isn't it interesting how you come to recognize posters based solely on their sigs???
  29. Re:2 x A4 = A3 by honkycat · · Score: 4, Funny

    Go to your nearest outdoor store and if you're lucky you can find the wondrous eating implement that is the Titanium Spork! I never leave home without mine...

  30. When I was in the army by empaler · · Score: 4, Funny

    we saw a movie that warned us about the dangers of Trench Foot - it was made around the time of WWII, in the US.

    My first day in the army was the 3rd of December, 2001. Ahem.