# Units used in Excel



## alder343 (Jan 31, 2003)

This probably sounds like a silly question. BUT,when one reads the width of a column in excell lets say it reads 8.14 units/ 62 pixels and looks to be abut 1 1/4 inches.
And/or a row height may read 12.75 units, 17 pixels and looks to be about 1/4 inch in height.
Just what measurement is used for the 8.14 and as.75 units.

My problem is how to reassonably easy divide 8 1/2 inches page width into 10 equal columns.
Or, say I want a 1/2 inch margin right and left and want 12 equal columns in the remaining 7 1/2 inches.

Same similar problem when dividing rows into a given page height.

How many pixels to an inch ???
How many column units to an inch???
How many row units to an inch??
Believe it or not I am a retired math major but have never heard what the size of a pixel is.
In addition a row pixel must have a different dimension than a column pixel since the 12.75 row pixels is about 1/4 th the visual size in inches as the column pixel.??????

Would appreciate any enlightment on the subject.
TKS in advance for you prompt replies.
Bob


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## Gram123 (Mar 15, 2001)

1 inch is roughly 96 pixels, although pixels per inch can be different depending on your screen resolution and monitor size. Plus your printer may have a different idea of how many pixels it should print in an inch's space.

Column width is the number of characters that will fit in the cell, using a fixed-width font (such as Lucida Console, Courier, FixedSys, Letter Gothic, Pica etc).
I've heard that 1 inch = 13 units on one site, but only 10 units on another, so perhaps someone can clarify.
I've also seen a column width unit described as equal to the width of the number *2* in 12 point Arial font (which is great cos Arial isn't a fixed-width font!).

Row height is measured in Points (PostScript).
1 inches = 72 points, but Excel rounds off to a quarter of a point.

Take a look here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=/servicedesks/bin/kbsearch.asp?Article=214394

HTH
Gram


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