Convert Pica to Twip
Convert picas to twips instantly. 1 pica = 239.9999981102 twip — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Twip to Pica converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
Pica
A pica is a typographic unit equal to exactly 12 points, or 1/6 inch (about 4.233 mm). It is used for measuring column widths and large typographic elements.
The PostScript pica of 12 points = 1/6 inch was standardised in 1984 alongside the PostScript point. Traditional pre-1984 picas varied slightly (e.g., the American pica was 0.166 inch, very close but not identical).
Picas are used for column widths in newspaper and magazine layout (typical column is 11–15 picas), line spacing in book design, and large typographic measurements. Mostly used by professional typesetters.
Modern PostScript pica defined in 1984 at 12 points = 1/6 inch; older typographic systems used slightly different pica values.
Twip
A twip is a typographic unit equal to 1/1440 of an inch (about 17.64 µm). It is used in legacy Microsoft Windows graphics APIs and PostScript typography.
The name twip is a contraction of 'twentieth of a point' (point being 1/72 inch). Adopted in Microsoft's GDI and OLE specifications for screen-resolution-independent measurement.
Twips appear in Visual Basic, legacy Windows API code, and some PostScript-derived typesetting systems. They allow whole-number arithmetic at sub-pixel precision for typographic layout.
Adopted by Microsoft in the 1980s for screen-typography APIs; remains in use in legacy Windows GDI and Visual Basic code.
Pica to Twip conversion formula
The relationship between picas and twips:
To convert picas to twips, multiply the value in picas by 239.9999981102. To reverse, multiply twips by 0.0041666667.
How to use this converter
Type a value into the calculator. The result in twips updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Twip to Pica converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert picas to twips
- Write down the value in picas (pc).
- Multiply that value by the factor 239.9999981102.
- The product is the equivalent value in twips (twip).
- To reverse, multiply the twip value by 0.0041666667.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 pc to twip:
1 × 239.9999981102 = 239.9999981102 twip
Example 2 — Convert 100 pc to twip:
100 × 239.9999981102 = 23999.9998110235 twip
Real-world example — Adjacent metric sub-units
One pica equals 1,000 twips. Engineers move between these scales constantly: PCB feature sizes in the larger unit, wire-bond diameters in the smaller.
1 pc × 239.9999981102 = 239.9999981102 twip
Real-world example — Adjacent small-scale precision
One pica equals 1,000 twips — the standard sub-millimeter precision conversion that materials engineers use whenever they switch between bulk material thickness specs (larger unit) and surface-finish characteristics (smaller unit).
1 pc × 239.9999981102 = 239.9999981102 twip
Pica to Twip conversion table
Standard reference values for converting picas to twips:
| Pica [pc] | Twip [twip] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 2.3999999811 |
| 0.1 | 23.999999811 |
| 1 | 239.9999981102 |
| 2 | 479.9999962205 |
| 3 | 719.9999943307 |
| 4 | 959.9999924409 |
| 5 | 1199.9999905512 |
| 10 | 2399.9999811023 |
| 20 | 4799.9999622047 |
| 30 | 7199.999943307 |
| 40 | 9599.9999244094 |
| 50 | 11999.9999055117 |
| 100 | 23999.9998110235 |
| 500 | 119999.9990551174 |
| 1000 | 239999.9981102347 |
Frequently asked questions
How many twips is 1 pica?
How do I convert picas to twips?
How do I convert twips back to picas?
How many twips is 100 picas?
Popular length unit conversions
Convert Pica to other length units
Show all Pica conversions
Metric / SI (4 units)
Imperial / US Customary (4 units)
Typographic (2 units)
Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 pc = 239.9999981102 twip) verified against the following authoritative sources:
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure 9th ed.)
Official BIPM publication defining the seven SI base units (including the meter) and the rules for their use. The global authority on units of measurement.
- NIST — Guide to the SI
US National Institute of Standards and Technology reference covering the SI base and derived units with definitions and usage rules for US technical practice.
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units
Detailed NIST guide covering exact conversion factors between SI and US customary units along with formatting and rounding conventions.
- NIST — Refinement of values for the yard and pound (Federal Register 1959)
The treaty (signed by US
- International Hydrographic Organization — Resolution on the Nautical Mile
International authority that standardised the nautical mile at exactly 1852 m in 1929 — the value adopted worldwide for sea and air navigation.