Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!ncar!boulder!spot!wu
From: wu@spot.Colorado.EDU (WU SHI-KUEI)
Newsgroups: comp.text
Subject: Re: Definition of Point
Message-ID: <4036@boulder.Colorado.EDU>
Date: 13 Oct 88 17:23:18 GMT
References: <2610015@hpsal2.HP.COM>
Sender: news@boulder.Colorado.EDU
Reply-To: wu@spot.Colorado.EDU (WU SHI-KUEI)
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
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In article <2610015@hpsal2.HP.COM> morrell@hpsal2.HP.COM (Michael Morrell) writes:
>Does anyone know the exact definition of "point" (as in a 12-point font)?
>Some references (most nroff manuals) say there are 72 points to the inch,
>but others simply say (including my Webster's!!!) that a point is "nearly"
>equal to 1/72 of an inch.  Who is right?
>
>  Michael

Both. In "The ABC's of TYPOGRAPHY", the author writes:

	"...There are approximately 72 points to an inch.  One point
	equals .0138 inch, which is close enough to 1/72 inch for the
	kinds of calculations we will be doing."

Note: 1/.0138 = 72.4638 and 72/72.4638 = .9936, or not to worry!

Just a guest here.  In real life
Carl Brandauer
ncar!nbires!bdaemon!carl