Microsoft KB Archive/65109

Works: Pitch Versus Point Sizes PSS ID Number: Q65109 Article last modified on 04-03-1991 PSS database name: D_WorKs

1.00 1.05 2.00

MS-DOS

Summary:

Microsoft Works and Microsoft Word use “points,” a typographical measurement equal to 1/72 inch, to measure font sizes. Points is a unit of measurement used to describe the height of a character.

The term “pitch” describes the width of a character. The pitch value equals the number of characters that can fit side-by-side within one inch; for example, 10 pitch equals ten characters-per-inch or 10 CPI. Pitch is generally used to describe monospaced or fixed-width fonts because the character widths do not vary.

When trying to determine how many characters will fit on a line, it may be necessary to convert the size of a font from points to pitch, or vice versa.

To convert points to pitch, divide 120 by the points, for example:

10 points = 12 pitch (120/10 = 12)

To convert pitch to points, divide 120 by the pitch, for example:

12 pitch = 10 points (120/12 = 10)

The following table shows the relationship between points and pitch:

Point                 Pitch (1/72 Inch) (Characters Per Inch) ———– ———————

6                      20  7.5                     16  8                       15  8.5                     14  9                       13 10                       12 11                       10.9 12                       10 13                        9.2 14.5                      8.3 15                        8 16                        7.5 18                        6.7 20                        6 24                        5 30                        4 Reference(s):

“Microsoft Works Reference” version 2.00, pages 60, 120, 206, 295. “Microsoft Works Reference” version 1.05, page 47, appendex B. “Printer Information for Microsoft Word,” Version 5.00, Page 17.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1991.