Apparently there is a significant amount of literature on "Canons of
Page Construction":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canons_of_page_construction
Some folks assert that medieval page size and design was base on the
Golden Ratio (modern symbol, lowercase phi):
phi = (1 + sqrt(5))/2 = ~1.618
Out of curiosity I did some playing around with common page sizes and
the ratio of their sides to the Golden Ratio.
Ratio Deviation Type
1.294` -20.0 % US letter* -- deviated the most
1.414 -12.6 % A4 -- somewhat closer than US letter
1.545 - 4.5 % half-sheet of US letter
1.647 + 1.8 % US legal size** -- closest yet!
1.600 - 1.1 % US "large" index card*** -- even closer!!!
* 8.5 in x 11 in
** 8.5 in x 14 in
*** 5 in x 8 in
Of course we know that the ISO "A" series for paper is not intended to
emulate the Golden Ratio. Rather, the principle there is that
halfsheets, cut the short way, are in the same proportion as the full
sheets they are cut from. If anything, it can be said to be based on a
sqrt(2) series, rather than a sqrt(5) series.
But we also know that the "A" series is no more SI-based than my
Great-Aunt Penelope's petunia patch. So, this is indeed an off-topic
email. Apologies given, if you feel you deserve them. Grin.
Jim
--
James R. Frysinger
632 Stony Point Mountain Road
Doyle, TN 38559-3030
(C) 931.212.0267
(H) 931.657.3107
(F) 931.657.3108
