To convert decimeters to picas, multiply by 23.62204724. That factor is the whole relationship: both units measure length, so the conversion is a proportion with no offset and no substance-specific constant.
Twelve points, or 1/6 inch — the column-width unit of print layout. One tenth of a metre; rare in daily use but common in fluid and timber specifications.
The mil and the millimetre are not the same thing and are out by a factor of about forty. A mil is one thousandth of an inch — 0.0254 mm — and a spec sheet that quotes film thickness in mils means the small unit. British drawings write the same size as "thou". Two tables follow: rounded steps for quick lookup, and a set of real reference quantities converted into picas, which is usually more useful than the bare number.
The formula
decimeters- The amount you are converting, in decimeters
23.6220472441- The exact number of picas in one decimeter
picas- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in decimeters.
- It is multiplied by 23.6220472441, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in picas, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
The Eiffel Tower: 3300 dm in picas
Take the eiffel tower, roughly 3300 dm. The conversion is a single multiplication — 3300 × 23.622 — giving 77,952.8 pica. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 155,906 pica.
A marathon: 4.22e+05 dm in picas
A marathon comes to about 4.22e+05 dm. Multiplying by the factor: 4.22e+05 × 23.622 = 9.9685e+06 pica. Dividing the answer back by 23.622 returns the figure you started with, which is the quickest way to check you have the factor the right way up.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many picas are in one decimeter?
Exactly 23.6220472441. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert decimeters to picas?
picas = decimeters × 23.6220472441. Reversed, decimeters = picas ÷ 23.6220472441, which is the same as multiplying by 0.0423333333333.
Which is the bigger unit, the decimeter or the pica?
The decimeter. One decimeter equals 23.622 picas.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure length. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a decimeter?
One tenth of a metre; rare in daily use but common in fluid and timber specifications.
What is a pica?
Twelve points, or 1/6 inch — the column-width unit of print layout.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Is there a quick way to do dm to pica in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: multiply by 24 instead of using the exact factor 23.62204724. At 100 that shortcut gives 2400 picas, off by 37.8 picas or about 1.60%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Decimeters to picas reference tables
| Decimeters | Picas |
|---|---|
| 0.5 dm | 11.811 pica |
| 1 dm | 23.622 pica |
| 2 dm | 47.2441 pica |
| 3 dm | 70.8661 pica |
| 5 dm | 118.11 pica |
| 10 dm | 236.22 pica |
| 20 dm | 472.441 pica |
| 25 dm | 590.551 pica |
| 50 dm | 1181.1 pica |
| 75 dm | 1771.65 pica |
| 100 dm | 2362.2 pica |
| 250 dm | 5905.51 pica |
| 500 dm | 11,811 pica |
| 1000 dm | 23,622 pica |
| 5000 dm | 118,110 pica |
Exact factor: 1 decimeter = 23.6220472441 picas.
| Quantity | dm | pica |
|---|---|---|
| A credit card’s long edge | 0.856 dm | 20.22 pica |
| A door height | 20.32 dm | 480 pica |
| An Olympic pool | 500 dm | 1.181e+04 pica |
| The Eiffel Tower | 3300 dm | 7.795e+04 pica |
| A marathon | 4.22e+05 dm | 9.967e+06 pica |
| Earth’s diameter | 1.274e+08 dm | 3.01e+09 pica |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.