Free original lessons
Rectangular Prism Net on Graph Paper
This free printable gives you a real rectangular-prism net on a centimetre grid, with six rectangular faces and seven glue tabs. It is a specific 3D solid net layout, not generic square or rectangle graph paper. The pack includes separate A4 and US Letter reference, student and answer PDFs, plus per-page SVGs. All files are free.
Letter & A4
PDF & SVG
The printable is designed for labelling faces, calculating surface area without glue tabs, and calculating volume. Solid outer lines are cut guides; dashed inner lines are folds. Glue tabs are excluded from surface area. Net dimensions are actual physical millimetres at 100% printing. The reference version solves the first task as a guided example, so students can see how the six faces are labelled and how the surface-area and volume calculations are set out before trying the remaining tasks. The student version includes a deliberate blank attempt area for working, labelling and checking. The answer PDFs provide the completed calculations for each task. Use the A4 or US Letter file that matches your printer, and print at 100% so the millimetre dimensions stay correct.
Download the complete resource pack
All individual editable SVG pages (18)
- A4 reference page 1
- A4 student page 1
- A4 student page 2
- A4 student page 3
- A4 student page 4
- A4 answer page 1
- A4 answer page 2
- A4 answer page 3
- A4 answer page 4
- LETTER reference page 1
- LETTER student page 1
- LETTER student page 2
- LETTER student page 3
- LETTER student page 4
- LETTER answer page 1
- LETTER answer page 2
- LETTER answer page 3
- LETTER answer page 4
Print at 100% / actual size. Use the stated scale on any schematic diagram; physical cutting templates are identified separately. A4 and US Letter are separate files. Free access, no signup; CC BY 4.0.
How to use these pages
- Choose the A4 or US Letter reference, student or answer PDF that matches your class and printer.
- Print at 100% and check that the net dimensions match the stated millimetres before cutting.
- Use the reference sheet to walk through the guided first task: label the six faces, calculate surface area without glue tabs, and calculate volume.
- Give students the student sheet to complete the remaining tasks in the blank attempt area, using solid lines as cut guides and dashed lines as folds.
- Use the answer PDF to check surface area and volume calculations, then cut, fold and glue the net if a physical model is needed.
Four practice tasks and complete answers
Task 1
The printable net has length 40 mm, width 20 mm and height 30 mm. Label the six faces, calculate surface area without glue tabs, and calculate the box volume.
Show answer 1
Surface area 5200 square mm; volume 24000 cubic mm.
Two 40 x 20, two 40 x 30, and two 20 x 30 faces give 2(LW + LH + WH). Volume is L x W x H.
Check: 2 x (800 + 1200 + 600) = 5200; 40 x 20 x 30 = 24000.
Task 2
The printable net has length 30 mm, width 20 mm and height 20 mm. Label the six faces, calculate surface area without glue tabs, and calculate the box volume.
Show answer 2
Surface area 3200 square mm; volume 12000 cubic mm.
Two 30 x 20, two 30 x 20, and two 20 x 20 faces give 2(LW + LH + WH). Volume is L x W x H.
Check: 2 x (600 + 600 + 400) = 3200; 30 x 20 x 20 = 12000.
Task 3
The printable net has length 35 mm, width 25 mm and height 30 mm. Label the six faces, calculate surface area without glue tabs, and calculate the box volume.
Show answer 3
Surface area 5350 square mm; volume 26250 cubic mm.
Two 35 x 25, two 35 x 30, and two 25 x 30 faces give 2(LW + LH + WH). Volume is L x W x H.
Check: 2 x (875 + 1050 + 750) = 5350; 35 x 25 x 30 = 26250.
Task 4
The printable net has length 50 mm, width 20 mm and height 25 mm. Label the six faces, calculate surface area without glue tabs, and calculate the box volume.
Show answer 4
Surface area 5500 square mm; volume 25000 cubic mm.
Two 50 x 20, two 50 x 25, and two 20 x 25 faces give 2(LW + LH + WH). Volume is L x W x H.
Check: 2 x (1000 + 1250 + 500) = 5500; 50 x 20 x 25 = 25000.
Useful checks
- Printing at a reduced or enlarged scale changes the physical millimetre dimensions, so the net no longer matches the stated measurements.
- Including the seven glue tabs in the surface-area calculation gives an incorrect total; tabs are excluded.
- Cutting along dashed fold lines instead of solid outer lines damages the net and prevents clean folding.
Questions about this resource
Is this the same as generic square or rectangle graph paper?
No. It is a specific rectangular-prism net layout with six rectangular faces and seven glue tabs on a centimetre grid.
Are the glue tabs included in the surface area?
No. Glue tabs are excluded from surface area. The surface-area tasks use only the six rectangular faces.