Notes on column ratios

I needed an idea of the pixels used for different column ratios, so I’ve taken the liberty of working out the possible layouts needed. I’ve limited these to 4 columns, and I’ve also listed some extra rounding to the nearest ten/five for neatness.

The pixel ratios are based on a width of 900 pixels.

Full ratio list

# Columns Block ratio Pixel ratio Rounded Rounding
2 col 1:1 450:450
3 col 2:1 600:300
1:1:1 300:300:300
4 col 3:1 675:225
2:1:1 450:225:225
5 col 4:1 720:180
3:2 540:360
3:1:1 540:180:180
2:2:1 360:180:180
6 col 5:1 750:150
4:1:1 600:150:150
3:2:1 450:300:150
2:2:1:1 300:300:150:150
7 col 6:1 771:129 770:130 / tens ±1
5:2 643:257 640:260 / tens ±3
5:1:1 642:129:129 640:130:130 / tens ±1-2
4:3 514:386 510:390 / tens ±4-6
4:2:1 514:257:129 510:260:130 / tens ±1-4
4:1:1:1 513:129:129:129 510:130:130:130 / tens ±1-3
3:3:1 386:386:128 385:385:130 / fives ±1-2
3:2:2 386:257:257 390:255:255 / fives ±2-4
3:2:1:1 386:257:129:129 385:255:130:130 / fives ±1-2
8 col 7:1 788:112 790:110 / tens ±2
6:1:1 676:112:112 680:110:110 / tens ±2-4
5:3 562:338 560:340 / tens ±2
5:2:1 563:225:112 560:230:110 / tens, or 565:225:110 / fives
4:3:1 450:338:112 450:340:110 / tens ±2
4:2:1:1 450:226:112:112 450:230:110:110 / tens ±2-4
3:3:2 338:338:224 340:340:220 / tens ±2-4
3:2:2:1 338:225:225:112 340:225:225:110 / fives ±2
9 col 8:1 800:100
7:2 700:200
7:1:1 700:100:100
6:2:1 600:200:100
5:4 500:400
5:3:1 500:300:100
5:2:2 500:200:200
5:2:1:1 500:200:100:100
4:4:1 400:400:100
4:3:2 400:300:200
4:3:1:1 400:300:100:100
4:2:2:1 400:200:200:100
3:3:2:1 300:300:200:100
3:2:2:2 300:200:200:200

List of possible two-column layout ratios

Ordered by #column structure

# Columns Block Ratio Pixel Ratio Roundings
3 2:1 600:300
4 3:1 675:225
5 4:1 720:180
5 3:2 540:360
6 5:1 750:150
7 6:1 771:129 (770:130 / tens ±1)
7 5:2 643:257 (640:260 / tens ±3)
7 4:3 514:386 (510:390 / tens ±4-6)
8 7:1 788:112 (790:110 / tens ±2)
8 5:3 562:338 (560:340 / tens ±2)
9 8:1 800:100
9 7:2 700:200
9 5:4 500:400

Two columns, in order of left column size, with :1 ratios calculated

The normalised value at :1 will give a better idea of how each row lies relative to each other – and as you can see, it is perfectly in order, as expected when ordering by the first column width.

# columns Block ratio Pixel ratio Rounding
9 8:1 800:100
8 7:1 788:112 (790:110 / tens ±2)
7 6:1 771:129 (770:130 / tens ±1)
6 5:1 750:150
5 4:1 720:180
9 7:2 (3.5:1) 700:200
4 3:1 675:225
7 5:2 (2.5:1) 643:257 (640:260 / tens ±3)
3 2:1 600:300
8 5:3 (1.67:1) 562:338 (560:340 / tens ±2)
5 3:2 (1.5:1) 540:360
7 4:3 (1.33:1) 514:386 (510:390 / tens ±4-6)
9 5:4 (1.25:1) 500:400

It’s worth noting that the golden ratio is approximately 1.618:1. This gives it a pixel ratio (using a width of 900) of 556:344. Rounded to the nearest tens, this is 560:340. The 8-column 5:3 ratio is the closest to the golden ratio on the above list.