Why is paper the size that it is?

[grebgonebad]

Hi!

I know that this is a weird sort of question, but I'm genuinely intrigued as to why paper sizes are what they are. I mean, if you take A4 for example, it has a metric size of 210mm x 297mm. WHy is it this size? Why isn't it a simpler size, such as 200 x 300? Surely this would make more sense?

Obviously there is a reason for this, and me just saying 'this size would be simpler' is a bit half assed, as nothing is as simple as it seems in practice. =P

So if anyone knows why al paper sizes are what they are, I would appreciate an answer. =)

Thanks for those who take this seriously!

 

[rolli59]

Here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_size

 

[Dragoic]

I can't say why. But the wiki might help a little: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_size

 

[ssddx]

i completely agree with you. 200x300, 400x300, 400x600 are all much nicer numbers.

if you think practically... this is the way that things should be made as it makes the most sense.

like... why are north american 2x4 lumber actually 1.5 by 3.5? the answer is because 2x4 is the rough cut size and the finished size is 1/2 inch smaller after cutting but this is just plain silly if you think about it. practical perhaps for the milling but not so much for the end user (its just as easy to worth with a 2.5x4.5 rough cut piece)

in any case... wikipedia has a good article on it as rolli suggested. a good read and it highlights the reasons however i dont agree with the methodology used to create them any more than you do.

 

[WyomingKnott]

Because otherwise it wouldn't fit into the printers?

Most of the reasons are that that's what size Dagmar the printer was using back in 1500, or some other case where something meaningless but common was made into a standard. The source of the inch has something to do with barleycorns. Even the oh-so-rational meter started out as something grossly variable, re-quoting from Wikipedia the French defined "the metre as one ten-millionth of the length of the Earth's meridian along a quadrant; that is, the distance from the Equator to the North Pole." Well, if you travel through Africa you will get a different meter than you will get if you travel through the Americas, because old Earth isn't perfectly rotationally symmetric.

"Why are manhole covers round?" "Because if they were square, they wouldn't fit the manholes."

Actually, with a square hole and cover the cover could fall into the hole, but it can't happen with a round one.

 

[ssddx]

its quite possible to change standards... but everyone just deals with it and plays it safe because it would cost money to update everything to the new standards. hence we will always be stuck with them.

actually there are square and rectangular manhole covers but round is the norm. a square cover which covers a round hole will not fall through. it is physically impossible since the narrowest point (the edges) would be larger by an inch or two than the diameter of the hole.

 

[WyomingKnott]

I did write "a square hole and cover." But you reminded me of a magic trick - do you know how to cut a circular hole the size of a nickel in a piece of paper and then pass a quarter through it without ripping (or stretching) the paper?

 

[ssddx]

you need to fold the paper.