What engineering paper is
Engineering computation paper is the pad engineering students do their problem sets on: a light grid of five squares per inch with a heavier line every inch, and a heading for name, date and page number. The five-to-an-inch grid makes tenths easy (two squares = 0.4 inch) and keeps hand calculations in tidy columns.
Traditional pads are pale green with the grid printed on the back of the sheet, so it shows faintly through the paper and does not reproduce when the page is photocopied. On a home printer the next best thing is light green lines on the front; if your work will be scanned, choose Light weight so the grid fades and your writing stays.
Conventions worth keeping
- Write on one side only, and number pages "1 of 3" in the heading.
- Box final answers and carry units through every line.
- Sketch free-body diagrams to the grid so lengths and angles stay readable.