1 cm graph paper (centimeter grid)
Centimeter graph paper has 1 cm squares. In metric countries it is the classroom grid for area, perimeter, fractions and coordinate work, and it doubles as a quick scale-drawing sheet at 1 cm = 1 m.
Print at 100% / Actual size so the squares measure exactly. Printing help
What it looks like up close
Ready-made PDF downloads
Prefer a file you can save and print later? These use the default settings shown above.
How many squares per page
Each square is 0.3937 in (10 mm). With the default margin, a sheet holds:
| Paper | Portrait (across × down) | Landscape (across × down) |
|---|---|---|
| US Letter | 19 × 26 | 26 × 19 |
| A4 | 19 × 28 | 28 × 19 |
| US Legal | 19 × 33 | 33 × 19 |
| Tabloid 11×17 | 26 × 41 | 41 × 26 |
| A3 | 28 × 40 | 40 × 28 |
Example: area and perimeter
The L-shape covers 18 squares, so its area is 18 cm². The rectangle is 4 squares by 3, so 4 × 3 = 12 cm², and its perimeter is 4 + 3 + 4 + 3 = 14 cm. Students can split the L-shape into two rectangles (2 × 6 and 3 × 2) to check the count with multiplication.
Centimeter squares in math lessons
Each square is exactly one square centimeter, so students can find the area of a shape by counting squares and then check the answer with a formula. It is also the standard grid for drawing bar charts in primary school and for multiplication arrays.
Base-ten blocks are built on a 1 cm unit, so flats and rods line up with the grid when students trace them.
Scale drawings
At 1 cm = 1 m an A4 sheet with 8 mm margins holds a 19 × 28 m plan, enough for a house and garden. Use landscape for wide sites.
Need finer divisions? 5 mm paper halves each square, and millimeter paper shows every millimeter with bold centimeter lines.
Accuracy when printing
Print at 100% (no scaling). After printing, ten squares should measure exactly 10 cm. If they measure 9.7 cm, the printer applied “fit to page”; change the setting and print again.
Centimeter versus quarter-inch
A centimeter is 0.394 inch, so 1 cm squares are about 1.6 times wider than quarter-inch squares. American worksheets that mention “centimeter grid paper” mean this sheet, not 1/4 inch paper; printing the wrong one makes area answers come out wrong.
Pick 1 cm for metric worksheets, area and perimeter tasks and younger students, and 5 mm when you need more squares per page.
How to find area by counting squares
- Draw the shape with its corners on grid intersections.
- Count all the whole squares inside the shape.
- For shapes with diagonal edges, count half squares as ½ and pair up partial squares.
- Write the total with square units: cm².
- Check by splitting the shape into rectangles and multiplying length × width.
Centimeter grids for fractions and arrays
Shade 3 out of 10 squares in a row to show 3/10, or a 10 × 10 block to show percentages—each square is 1%. Multiplication arrays are drawn as rectangles: 6 × 4 is six rows of four squares, which also shows that 6 × 4 = 4 × 6 when the page is turned.
Compare with nearby sizes
Squares per page with 1/4 inch margins, portrait. All sizes are compared on the home page.
| Grid | Square (in) | Square (mm) | US Letter | A4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 per inch | 0.2 | 5.08 | 40 × 52 | 38 × 55 |
| 1/4 inch | 0.25 | 6.35 | 32 × 42 | 31 × 44 |
| 1 cm | 0.394 | 10 | 20 × 26 | 19 × 28 |
| 1/2 inch | 0.5 | 12.7 | 16 × 21 | 15 × 22 |
| 1 inch | 1 | 25.4 | 8 × 10 | 7 × 11 |
Questions
How many 1 cm squares fit on A4?
19 × 28 squares with 8 mm margins (A4 is 21 × 29.7 cm).
Is 1 cm graph paper the same as centimeter grid paper?
Yes, both names describe a grid of 1 cm squares.
Can I print it on US Letter?
Yes. Choose US Letter as the paper size; the squares stay exactly 1 cm, only the number of squares changes.
Will 1 cm squares be exact when printed?
Yes, provided the page is printed at 100%. Measure ten squares; they should span 10 cm.
Can I add bold lines every 5 cm?
Set “Bold line every” to 5 in the generator.