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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."

7 of 1,461 comments (clear)

  1. Paper and Condoms by Basehart · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    When I used to live in the UK the metric paper system used to make so much sense, yet three thousand miles later, in possibly the most technologically advanced nation in the world, I'm working with Victorian era weights and measures.

    Unfortunately that's not the only Victorian era throwback that Americans are living with

    I saw some ads this morning that recently aired in the UK, ads for condoms, that are smart and funny, yet would not be aired on US television because of all the sick and twisted censorship this land of the free is having to deal with right now.

    At least God gave us the internet, and the christian right can't take away away, right!?

    Trojan Games

  2. Re:Psst. by MightyYar · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Who modded this guy off-topic. Sheesh - I'm gonna go meta-moderate.

    --
    W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
  3. Re:It's official... by halivar · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I think I've gone beyond 'geek'.

    I feel dirty.


    It's ok. Some people read sci-fi written by William Shatner. Others but his music album.

    There, don't we feel better, now?

  4. Re:Drugs teach American kids the metric system. by carlos_benj · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Nick berg's head is useful for so many things...

    Perhaps, some day, your head will be marginally as useful....

    --

    --

    As a matter of fact, I am a lawyer. But I play an actor on TV.

  5. Re:Neat - Excellant Karma Whoring Troll by pla · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I am actually quiet impressed with how you fool the moderators. Skillfull indeed you are with your time. Quiet funny actually.

    I don't know that I'd consider him a troll, from the examples you gave.

    Sure, they all got modded down as trolls, but IMO, very mild ones. At worst, too short and a tad uninformed, the sort of thing I might have modded "overrated" (or more likely, just ignored completely) but certainly not as a troll.

    We all post stupid comments occasionally, or comments that people take wrong (comparing with my own posting history, almost everything I've posted in an Apple-related topic end up modded down as troll or flamebait, despite my intending them as neither). Seems a bit harsh to assume he trolls deliberately, when he has an otherwise good track record.


    Of course, having mentioned my posting history, you might call me a karma-whoring troll as well. I generally get modded up, have exellent karma, yet occasionally the mods crucify me. Yet, I neither post for karma, nor deliberately troll (at worst, in a foul mood, you could accuse me of the occasional flame).


    That said, looking at some of his positive mods, I have to suspect him as a bit of a braggart. He has apparently done everything and knows it all. Now, he may actually tell the truth in that regard (one of my grandfathers, for example, really has "done it all"). But as long as he remains factually correct, I'd say he still doesn't warrant a "troll" label.

  6. You Europeans and your perfect ratios... by default+luser · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Funny that, I always thought the A6 was TWICE the car the A4 was, and the A8 was THREE TIMES the car the A4 was.

    At least, that's the impression you got from the sticker price. YOWZA!

    But once you get a good look at them, you realize that 1.46 * A4 = A6, and 2.68 * A4 = A8. You crazy Europeans always have such inconsistent conversion factors!

    --

    Man is the animal that laughs.
    And occasionally whores for Karma.

  7. the trouble with metric by amwassil · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    is nothing's quite right:

    1. the mm and cm are too small, the meter too long and you can't divide it into thirds

    3. the kilometer is too short

    4. the metric ton is too big

    5. A4 paper is too small, A3 is too big

    6. the gram is too small, the kilogram too large

    7. and on and on...

    All of which are due to using some arbitrarily determined base with no reference to human dimensions. Sure, the metric system is mathematically more convenient to work with, which is why scientists use it. But for the real world of work and commerce the so-called "imperial" system is far more useful.