There are many different types of seamed notebook computer paper , and each one goes by a unlike name — college ruled among them . To help say them apart , you might have to break out a swayer .

Before we proceed any further , some historical context is in order . Paper that ’s print with equally - spaced horizontal lines across its surface is squall “ govern ” paper . For hundred , these lines had to be drawn by hand . But in 1770 , the game vary . In June of that twelvemonth , discoverer John Tetlowpatenteda gimmick that the British government line as a “ auto for reign theme for music and other purposes . ” Incidentally , Tetlow name the contraptionafter himself .

Since then , ruled paper has evolved quite a morsel . Here in North America , manufacturers tell apart three mainvarieties :

iStock

The first of these is called widely ruled newspaper , which comes with large gaps between the item-by-item lines . In general , these blank divides are 11/32nds of an inch ( just about 8.7 millimeters ) across orwider .

Next , we ’ve have medium govern — or “ college ruled”—paper . Sheets of this type have more or less small interline spread of only 9/32nds of an in ( 7.1 millimeters ) .

eventually , there are the competently list minute ruled sheets . If you have a unvoiced clip reading tiny letters , this sort of letter paper is n’t for you . A meager 8/32nds of an inch ( .25 inch or 6.35 millimetre ) or fewer secern the lines on narrow - ruled composition .

By and large , astray ruled paper is the preferred choice of elementary school teachers . It ’s an especially common sight in kindergarten , first , second , and third level classrooms . The reason for this is simple enough : Little nestling who are just hear how to import their name normally scrawl it in very large letters , so they require paper that has alot of spacebetween the pipeline .

“ College ruled ” paper is so named because it ’s what sometime students generally use . As child grow up , they ’re able to write small letter , phone number , and symbols . Hence , most of them will have graduated from astray ruled to medium rule bed sheet by the prison term they go in high school . And at most institutions of eminent acquisition , notebooks with medium ruled paper are omnipresent — although plenty of college scholar remainwide rule fans . To each their own .