B Series Paper Sizes From B0 to B10
| Format | Width × Height (in) | Width × Height (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| B0 | 39.4 × 55.7 in | 1000 × 1414 mm |
| B1 | 27.8 × 39.4 in | 707 × 1000 mm |
| B2 | 19.7 × 27.8 in | 500 × 707 mm |
| B3 | 13.9 × 19.7 in | 353 × 500 mm |
| B4 | 9.8 × 13.9 in | 250 × 353 mm |
| B5 | 6.9 × 9.8 in | 176 × 250 mm |
| B6 | 4.9 × 6.9 in | 125 × 176 mm |
| B7 | 3.5 × 4.9 in | 88 × 125 mm |
| B8 | 2.4 × 3.5 in | 62 × 88 mm |
| B9 | 1.7 × 2.4 in | 44 × 62 mm |
| B10 | 1.2 × 1.7 in | 31 × 44 mm |
| B11 | 0.9 × 1.2 in | 22 × 31 mm |
| B12 | 0.6 × 0.9 in | 15 × 22 mm |
| B13 | 0.4 × 0.6 in | 11 × 15 mm |
| B0+ | 44 × 62.2 in | 1118 × 1580 mm |
| B1+ | 28.3 × 40.2 in | 720 × 1020 mm |
| B2+ | 20.5 × 28.3 in | 520 × 720 mm |
In addition to the A series, there is a less common B series. The area of B series sheets is the geometric mean of successive A series sheets. So, B1 is between A0 and A1 in size, with an area of 0.707 m2 (1⁄√2 m2). As a result, B0 is 1 metre wide, and other sizes in the B series are a half, a quarter or further fractions of a metre wide. While less common in office use, it is used for a variety of special situations. Many posters use B-series paper or a close approximation, such as 50 cm × 70 cm; B5 is a relatively common choice for books. The B series is also used for envelopes and passports. The B-series is widely used in the printing industry to describe both paper sizes and printing press sizes, including digital presses. B3 paper is used to print two US letter or A4 pages side by side using imposition; four pages would be printed on B2, eight on B1, etc.
The dimensions of the B series paper sizes are defined by the ISO 216 international paper size standard. The B series is not as common as the A series. It was created to provide paper sizes that were not included in the A series. The B series uses an aspect ratio of 1:√2. The area of the B series paper sheets is the geometric mean of the A series sheets. For example, B1 is between A0 and A1 in size. While the B series is less common in office use, it is more regularly used in other special situations, such as posters, books, envelopes and passports.
ISO paper sizes in portrait view (with rounded inch values)
| Format | A series | B series | C series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | mm × mm in × in |
mm × mm in × in |
mm × mm in × in |
| 0 | 841 × 1189 mm 33.1 × 46.8 in |
1000 × 1414 mm 39.4 × 55.7 in |
917 × 1297 mm 36.1 × 51.1 in |
| 1 | 594 × 841 mm 23.4 × 33.1 in |
707 × 1000 mm 27.8 × 39.4 in |
648 × 917 mm 25.5 × 36.1 in |
| 2 | 420 × 594 mm 16.5 × 23.4 in |
500 × 707 mm 19.7 × 27.8 in |
458 × 648 mm 18.0 × 25.5 in |
| 3 | 297 × 420 mm 11.7 × 16.5 in |
353 × 500 mm 13.9 × 19.7 in |
324 × 458 mm 12.8 × 18.0 in |
| 4 | 210 × 297 mm 8.27 × 11.7 in |
250 × 353 mm 9.84 × 13.9 in |
229 × 324 mm 9.02 × 12.8 in |
| 5 | 148 × 210 mm 5.83 × 8.27 in |
176 × 250 mm 6.93 × 9.84 in |
162 × 229 mm 6.38 × 9.02 in |
| 6 | 105 × 148 mm 4.13 × 5.83 in |
125 × 176 mm 4.92 × 6.93 in |
114 × 162 mm 4.49 × 6.38 in |
| 7 | 74 × 105 mm 2.91 × 4.13 in |
88 × 125 mm 3.46 × 4.92 in |
81 × 114 mm 3.19 × 4.49 in |
| 8 | 52 × 74 mm 2.05 × 2.91 in |
62 × 88 mm 2.44 × 3.46 in |
57 × 81 mm 2.24 × 3.19 in |
| 9 | 37 × 52 mm 1.46 × 2.05 in |
44 × 62 mm 1.73 × 2.44 in |
40 × 57 mm 1.57 × 2.24 in |
| 10 | 26 × 37 mm 1.02 × 1.46 in |
31 × 44 mm 1.22 × 1.73 in |
28 × 40 mm 1.10 × 1.57 in |
The α variables are the distinct first terms in the three geometric progressions of the same common-ratio equal to the square root of two. Each of the three geometric progressions (corresponding to the three series A, B, C) is formed by all possible paper dimensions (length and width) of the series arranged in a decreasing order. This interesting arrangement of dimensions is also very useful – not only it forms a geometric progression with easy to remember formulae, it also has that each consecutive pair of values (like a sliding window of size 2) will automatically correspond to the dimensions of a standard paper format in the series.
| A series | B series | C series | US sizes | US Envelope |
| International Envelope | Photography Paper | Canadian | Japanese | Books |
| Newspaper | Chinese | Billboard | Imperial | Colombian |
| French | Raw | Transitional |
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