E-Series Preferred Values (E6, E12, E24, E96)
Preferred values for resistors and capacitors: E6, E12, E24 and E96, with ideal positions and typical tolerances.
Resistors and capacitors are made in a fixed set of preferred values (the E series, IEC 60063) so that the values are spaced evenly on a logarithmic scale and the tolerance bands just touch. E6 has six values per decade, E12 twelve, E24 twenty-four and E96 ninety-six; a higher number means a finer spacing and a tighter tolerance.
The table lists every value of the four series between 1.0 and 9.99, with the ideal value 10n/N it approximates. Multiply by 1, 10, 100 and so on to get the full range: 4.7 becomes 47 Ω, 4.7 kΩ or 4.7 µF.
The table
| Series | Position in decade | Value (multiply by 1, 10, 100 ...) | Ideal 10^(n/N) | Typical tolerance (percent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 20 |
| E6 | 2 | 1.5 | 1.4678 | 20 |
| E6 | 3 | 2.2 | 2.1544 | 20 |
| E6 | 4 | 3.3 | 3.1623 | 20 |
| E6 | 5 | 4.7 | 4.6416 | 20 |
| E6 | 6 | 6.8 | 6.8129 | 20 |
| E12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| E12 | 2 | 1.2 | 1.2115 | 10 |
| E12 | 3 | 1.5 | 1.4678 | 10 |
| E12 | 4 | 1.8 | 1.7783 | 10 |
| E12 | 5 | 2.2 | 2.1544 | 10 |
| E12 | 6 | 2.7 | 2.6102 | 10 |
| E12 | 7 | 3.3 | 3.1623 | 10 |
| E12 | 8 | 3.9 | 3.8312 | 10 |
| E12 | 9 | 4.7 | 4.6416 | 10 |
| E12 | 10 | 5.6 | 5.6234 | 10 |
| E12 | 11 | 6.8 | 6.8129 | 10 |
| E12 | 12 | 8.2 | 8.254 | 10 |
| E24 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| E24 | 2 | 1.1 | 1.1007 | 5 |
| E24 | 3 | 1.2 | 1.2115 | 5 |
| E24 | 4 | 1.3 | 1.3335 | 5 |
| E24 | 5 | 1.5 | 1.4678 | 5 |
| E24 | 6 | 1.6 | 1.6156 | 5 |
| E24 | 7 | 1.8 | 1.7783 | 5 |
| E24 | 8 | 2 | 1.9573 | 5 |
| E24 | 9 | 2.2 | 2.1544 | 5 |
| E24 | 10 | 2.4 | 2.3714 | 5 |
| E24 | 11 | 2.7 | 2.6102 | 5 |
| E24 | 12 | 3 | 2.873 | 5 |
| E24 | 13 | 3.3 | 3.1623 | 5 |
| E24 | 14 | 3.6 | 3.4807 | 5 |
| E24 | 15 | 3.9 | 3.8312 | 5 |
| E24 | 16 | 4.3 | 4.217 | 5 |
| E24 | 17 | 4.7 | 4.6416 | 5 |
| E24 | 18 | 5.1 | 5.109 | 5 |
| E24 | 19 | 5.6 | 5.6234 | 5 |
| E24 | 20 | 6.2 | 6.1897 | 5 |
| E24 | 21 | 6.8 | 6.8129 | 5 |
| E24 | 22 | 7.5 | 7.4989 | 5 |
| E24 | 23 | 8.2 | 8.254 | 5 |
| E24 | 24 | 9.1 | 9.0852 | 5 |
| E96 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| E96 | 2 | 1.02 | 1.0243 | 1 |
| E96 | 3 | 1.05 | 1.0491 | 1 |
| E96 | 4 | 1.07 | 1.0746 | 1 |
| E96 | 5 | 1.1 | 1.1007 | 1 |
| E96 | 6 | 1.13 | 1.1274 | 1 |
| E96 | 7 | 1.15 | 1.1548 | 1 |
| E96 | 8 | 1.18 | 1.1828 | 1 |
| E96 | 9 | 1.21 | 1.2115 | 1 |
| E96 | 10 | 1.24 | 1.2409 | 1 |
| E96 | 11 | 1.27 | 1.2711 | 1 |
| E96 | 12 | 1.3 | 1.3019 | 1 |
| E96 | 13 | 1.33 | 1.3335 | 1 |
| E96 | 14 | 1.37 | 1.3659 | 1 |
| E96 | 15 | 1.4 | 1.3991 | 1 |
| E96 | 16 | 1.43 | 1.433 | 1 |
| E96 | 17 | 1.47 | 1.4678 | 1 |
| E96 | 18 | 1.5 | 1.5034 | 1 |
| E96 | 19 | 1.54 | 1.5399 | 1 |
| E96 | 20 | 1.58 | 1.5773 | 1 |
| E96 | 21 | 1.62 | 1.6156 | 1 |
| E96 | 22 | 1.65 | 1.6548 | 1 |
| E96 | 23 | 1.69 | 1.695 | 1 |
| E96 | 24 | 1.74 | 1.7361 | 1 |
| E96 | 25 | 1.78 | 1.7783 | 1 |
| E96 | 26 | 1.82 | 1.8214 | 1 |
| E96 | 27 | 1.87 | 1.8657 | 1 |
| E96 | 28 | 1.91 | 1.911 | 1 |
| E96 | 29 | 1.96 | 1.9573 | 1 |
| E96 | 30 | 2 | 2.0049 | 1 |
| E96 | 31 | 2.05 | 2.0535 | 1 |
| E96 | 32 | 2.1 | 2.1034 | 1 |
| E96 | 33 | 2.15 | 2.1544 | 1 |
| E96 | 34 | 2.21 | 2.2067 | 1 |
| E96 | 35 | 2.26 | 2.2603 | 1 |
| E96 | 36 | 2.32 | 2.3152 | 1 |
| E96 | 37 | 2.37 | 2.3714 | 1 |
| E96 | 38 | 2.43 | 2.4289 | 1 |
| E96 | 39 | 2.49 | 2.4879 | 1 |
| E96 | 40 | 2.55 | 2.5483 | 1 |
| E96 | 41 | 2.61 | 2.6102 | 1 |
| E96 | 42 | 2.67 | 2.6735 | 1 |
| E96 | 43 | 2.74 | 2.7384 | 1 |
| E96 | 44 | 2.8 | 2.8049 | 1 |
| E96 | 45 | 2.87 | 2.873 | 1 |
| E96 | 46 | 2.94 | 2.9427 | 1 |
| E96 | 47 | 3.01 | 3.0142 | 1 |
| E96 | 48 | 3.09 | 3.0873 | 1 |
| E96 | 49 | 3.16 | 3.1623 | 1 |
| E96 | 50 | 3.24 | 3.239 | 1 |
| E96 | 51 | 3.32 | 3.3177 | 1 |
| E96 | 52 | 3.4 | 3.3982 | 1 |
| E96 | 53 | 3.48 | 3.4807 | 1 |
| E96 | 54 | 3.57 | 3.5652 | 1 |
| E96 | 55 | 3.65 | 3.6517 | 1 |
| E96 | 56 | 3.74 | 3.7404 | 1 |
| E96 | 57 | 3.83 | 3.8312 | 1 |
| E96 | 58 | 3.92 | 3.9242 | 1 |
| E96 | 59 | 4.02 | 4.0195 | 1 |
| E96 | 60 | 4.12 | 4.117 | 1 |
| E96 | 61 | 4.22 | 4.217 | 1 |
| E96 | 62 | 4.32 | 4.3193 | 1 |
| E96 | 63 | 4.42 | 4.4242 | 1 |
| E96 | 64 | 4.53 | 4.5316 | 1 |
| E96 | 65 | 4.64 | 4.6416 | 1 |
| E96 | 66 | 4.75 | 4.7543 | 1 |
| E96 | 67 | 4.87 | 4.8697 | 1 |
| E96 | 68 | 4.99 | 4.9879 | 1 |
| E96 | 69 | 5.11 | 5.109 | 1 |
| E96 | 70 | 5.23 | 5.233 | 1 |
| E96 | 71 | 5.36 | 5.36 | 1 |
| E96 | 72 | 5.49 | 5.4901 | 1 |
| E96 | 73 | 5.62 | 5.6234 | 1 |
| E96 | 74 | 5.76 | 5.7599 | 1 |
| E96 | 75 | 5.9 | 5.8997 | 1 |
| E96 | 76 | 6.04 | 6.043 | 1 |
| E96 | 77 | 6.19 | 6.1897 | 1 |
| E96 | 78 | 6.34 | 6.3399 | 1 |
| E96 | 79 | 6.49 | 6.4938 | 1 |
| E96 | 80 | 6.65 | 6.6515 | 1 |
| E96 | 81 | 6.81 | 6.8129 | 1 |
| E96 | 82 | 6.98 | 6.9783 | 1 |
| E96 | 83 | 7.15 | 7.1477 | 1 |
| E96 | 84 | 7.32 | 7.3212 | 1 |
| E96 | 85 | 7.5 | 7.4989 | 1 |
| E96 | 86 | 7.68 | 7.681 | 1 |
| E96 | 87 | 7.87 | 7.8674 | 1 |
| E96 | 88 | 8.06 | 8.0584 | 1 |
| E96 | 89 | 8.25 | 8.254 | 1 |
| E96 | 90 | 8.45 | 8.4544 | 1 |
| E96 | 91 | 8.66 | 8.6596 | 1 |
| E96 | 92 | 8.87 | 8.8699 | 1 |
| E96 | 93 | 9.09 | 9.0852 | 1 |
| E96 | 94 | 9.31 | 9.3057 | 1 |
| E96 | 95 | 9.53 | 9.5316 | 1 |
| E96 | 96 | 9.76 | 9.763 | 1 |
Source and notes: IEC 60063 preferred number series. The tolerances shown are the usual ones for resistors of that series.
How to use this table
- Pick the series that matches the tolerance you need: E12 for 10 percent parts, E24 for 5 percent, E96 for 1 percent.
- Find the standard value nearest to the value you calculated.
- Check the error: the difference between your calculated value and the standard value, as a percentage.
Worked example: you need 3.2 kΩ
- E12: nearest value 3.300 kΩ, an error of 3.1 percent.
- E24: nearest value 3.300 kΩ, an error of 3.1 percent.
- E96: nearest value 3.160 kΩ, an error of -1.3 percent.
Notes and cautions
- The values are rounded to two digits (E96 to three), so a few differ visibly from the ideal: the E24 values 2.7 and 3.0 stand for the ideal 2.61 and 2.87.
- To get a value that is not in a series, combine two resistors in series or parallel: see the resistor network calculator.
Related tools and guides
- Resistor Network and Standard Value Calculator
- Resistor Color Code Calculator
- Voltage Divider and LED Resistor Calculator
- All reference tables
FAQ
What is E12?
The preferred-number series with 12 values per decade (1.0, 1.2, 1.5, 1.8, 2.2, 2.7, 3.3, 3.9, 4.7, 5.6, 6.8, 8.2), used for resistors and capacitors with a 10 percent tolerance.
Why are the values not evenly spaced numbers?
They are evenly spaced on a logarithmic scale. In E12 each value is about 21 percent larger than the one before (E24: 10 percent, E96: 2.4 percent), which is about twice the tolerance, so the tolerance bands of neighboring values just meet and every resistance is covered.
Sources
- IEC 60063, Preferred number series for resistors and capacitors.
- IEC 60063 preferred number series. The tolerances shown are the usual ones for resistors of that series.