TEXT HEIGHT SCALE FACTORS

PLOT
SCALE
FULL
1/16"=1'-0"
3/32"=1'-0"
1/8"=1'-0"
3/16"=1'-0"
1/4"=1'-0"
3/8"=1'-0"
1/2"=1'-0"
3/4"=1'-0"
1"=1'-0"
1-1/2"=1'-0"
3"=1'-0"
1"=10'
1"=20'
1"=30'
1"=40'
1"=50'
1"=60'
1"=100'

PLOTTED TEXT HEIGHT

1/16"
.0625
12
8
6
4
3
2
1.5
1
.75
.5
.25
7.5
15
22.5
30
37.5
45
75

3/32"
.09375
18
12
9
6
4.5
3
2.25
1.5
1.125
.75
.375
11.25
22.5
33.75
45
56.25
68.5
112.5

1/8"
.125
24
16
12
8
6
4
3
2
1.5
1
.5
15
30
45
60
75
90
150

5/32"
.15625
30
20
15
10
7.5
5
3.75
2.5
1.875
1.25
.625
18.75
37.5
56.25
75
93.75
112.5
187.5

3/16"
.1875
36
24
18
12
9
6
4.5
3
2.25
1.5
.75
22.5
45
67.5
90
112.5
135
225

7/72"
.21875
42
28
21
14
10.5
7
5.25
3.5
2.655
1.75
.875
26.5
52.5
78.75
105
131.25
157.5
262.5

"
.25
48
32
24
16
12
8
6
4
3
2
1
30
60
90
120
150
180
300

5/16"
.3125
60
40
30
20
15
10
7.5
5
3.75
2.5
1.25
37.5
75
112.5
150
187.5
225
375

DSF
1
192
128
96
64
48
32
24
16
12
8
4
120
240
360
480
600
720
1200

Drawing Scale Factor

Although recent versions of AutoCAD include tools that reduce the need for complicated scaling
computations, calculating scale factors is a fact of life for CAD drafters. A useful number to know
is the inverse of the plot scale, referred to as the drawing scale factor. The drawing scale factor
can help you calculate text heights, line widths, etc., so that these items appear correctly in a
plotted drawing.
Note In AutoCAD, we assign a scale to a paper space viewport, so the plot scales listed
above are more accurately referred to as viewport scales. The plot scale for a layout should
always be 1:1, which is the scale for objects drawn in the layout.
It is not necessary to memorize the scale factors in the table above, because you can easily
compute the Drawing Scale Factor (or DSF). For example, consider the "=1'-0" plot scale. The
DSF for this plot scale is 48. How is that number computed? Ask yourself a simple question:

If you can't figure it out in one step, then break it into two steps.
1) How many quarter inches are there in one inch? Hint: 4
2) How many inches are in a foot? Hint: 12
3) Multiply 4 times 12, and the result is 48, the DSF for that plot scale. (Check the table if you
don't believe it.)

Another way to represent the "=1'-0" plot scale is as the ratio 1:48, or the fraction 1/48. Notice
that if you turn 1/48 upside down (called the inverse), you get 48/1, or just 48. Therefore, we say
that the DSF is the inverse of the plot scale.
How can we apply this to our drawings? Suppose you want some text to be 1/8" tall in a plotted
drawing. How tall must you draw it in Model space to make that happen? If your plot scale is
1/16"=1'-0", then the DSF is 192. Multiply the desired text height by the DSF to get the actual text
height: 1/16 * 192 = 12. Draw the text 12" high.
Plot scale and sheet size are the two factors you must consider when plotting a drawing. For
instance, if your sheet size is limited to B-size (11x17), you must choose a plot scale that will
allow your drawing to fit in that space. Likewise, if you do not wish to modify the plot scale, then
you might need a larger sheet size to make the drawing fit.