How To Draw A Square - WikiHow

Skip to ContentQuizzes

• PRO Courses Hot Guides Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade
• QUIZZES All Quizzes Hot Love Quizzes Personality Quizzes Trivia Quizzes Taylor Swift Quizzes
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help ProAbout UsRandom ArticleQuizzes Request a New ArticleCommunity DashboardTrendingForums Arts and EntertainmentArtworkBooksMoviesComputers and ElectronicsComputersPhone SkillsTechnology HacksHealthMen's HealthMental HealthWomen's HealthRelationshipsDatingLoveRelationship Issues Hobbies and CraftsCraftsDrawingGamesEducation & CommunicationCommunication SkillsPersonal DevelopmentStudyingPersonal Care and StyleFashionHair CarePersonal Hygiene Quizzes Love Quizzes Personality Quizzes Fun Games ForumsArts and EntertainmentFinance and BusinessHome and Garden Relationship QuizzesCars & Other VehiclesFood and EntertainingPersonal Care and Style Sports and FitnessComputers and ElectronicsHealthPets and Animals TravelEducation & CommunicationHobbies and CraftsPhilosophy and Religion Work WorldFamily LifeHolidays and TraditionsRelationships Youth
• LOG IN

  Log in

  Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. Facebook Google wikiHow Account No account yet? Create an account
• RANDOM

• Home
• Random
• Browse Articles
• TrendingNew
• Quizzes & Games
• All QuizzesHot
• Love Quizzes
• Personality Quizzes
• Fun Games
• Dating Simulator
• Learn Something New
• Forums
• Courses
• Happiness Hub
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow

• Log in / Sign up

Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow

• Categories
• Education and Communications
• Studying
• Mathematics
• Geometry

How to Draw a Square Download Article Reviewed by Jeanine Hattas Wilson

Last Updated: March 18, 2025 Fact Checked

Download Article

• Protractor Method
|
• Compass Method
|
• Video
|
• Q&A
|
• Tips
|
• Warnings
|
• Things You'll Need

|Show more |Show less X

This article was reviewed by Jeanine Hattas Wilson. Jeanine Hattas Wilson is a Professional Painter and the President of Hattas Public Murals, Inc. With nearly 20 years of experience, Jeanine specializes in creating, overseeing, designing, and painting murals. Jeanine holds a BA in Advertising from Marquette University and a Studio Painting Minor from The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. She has studied at The Atelier Artien in Paris, France, Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, and under renowned artists such as Robert Liberace, Michael Siegel, and William Cochran. To date, Hattas Public Murals has painted nearly 5,000 commissioned works of art in homes and commercial and public spaces. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 235,818 times.

A square is a quadrilateral with four right angles and four congruent sides. Easy to draw, right? Not so fast. Drawing a perfect square requires more than just a steady hand. Learning to draw a perfect square using either a protractor or compass is a useful skill.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 2:

Protractor Method

Download Article

1. 1 Draw a side of the square using ruler. Keep track of the length of this side so you can make all four sides the same length.
2. 2 Considering the side drawn in the previous step as one of the arms, construct a right angle on each end of it. Thus the end points of the side drawn in the previous step would also be the two vertices of these right angles.[1] Advertisement
3. 3 Mark a point on each of the newly drawn arms (of the two right angles), at a distance (measured from the respective vertex of the right angle) which is same as the length of the side drawn initially.[2]
   • Join these two points.
4. 4 You just drew a perfect square! Erase any extraneous constructions if you so wish.
Advertisement

Method 2 Method 2 of 2:

Compass Method

Download Article

1. 1 Construct a right angle (let's name it LMN) as described here. Ensure that each of the arms are longer than the desired side length of the square.
2. 2 Place spike of the compass on the vertex of the right angle constructed in the previous step, i.e. on the point M, and set the width of the compass equal to the desired side length of the square - this set width remains unchanged until the entire construction is completed.[3]
   • Draw an arc cutting the arm MN at some point (say P)
   • Draw another arc to cut the arm LM at some point (say Q)
3. 3 Place the spike of the compass on point Q and draw an arc somewhere below the arm MN.[4]
4. 4 Place the spike of the compass on point P and draw another arc which cuts the arc drawn in the previous step at some point (say R).[5]
5. 5 Connect the points P and R and the points Q and R using a straightedge.[6]
   • The figure PMQR is a square. You may erase other unnecessary constructions if you so wish.
Advertisement

Video

Community Q&A

Search Add New Question

• Question How do I construct a square with triangles? Donagan Top Answerer Use the triangle's 90° angle to draw a right angle. Measure from the vertex the same distance along each line you've drawn. Mark that distance on each line. Then draw a right angle vertex at each mark, and extend these new lines until they intersect at the fourth vertex. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 6 Helpful 14
• Question How do I draw a circle that has a radius of 3.6cm? Donagan Top Answerer Use a compass. Pick a point for the circle's center. draw a straight line in any direction and measure 3.6 cm along the line from the point to another point on the line. That's a radius of the circle. Put the pivot point of the compass on that first point and the pencil lead on the second point 3.6 cm away. Inscribe a circle through that second point. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 16
• Question How do I construct square whose diagonal is 5.5 cm? Donagan Top Answerer Draw a line segment 5.5 cm long. Draw a line that bisects the first line perpendicularly. Extend the second line 2.75 cm (half of 5.5 cm) in each direction from the first line. Draw four lines connecting in turn the four ends of the line segments. That's the square. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 12 Helpful 13

See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Ruler
• Protractor or Compass
• Pen or Pencil

Tips

• Do not always erase the construction lines, sometimes your teacher wants work to be shown. Thanks Helpful 9 Not Helpful 1

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

• The spike on a regular compass is potentially a safety hazard. Don't poke people with it, throw it across the room, or do anything else that could cause injury. If you are not experienced with using one, exercise increased caution. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0

Advertisement

You Might Also Like

Easy Ways to Draw a Parallelogram How toCreate a Perfect Circle Without Tracing How toConstruct a Perpendicular Line to a Given Line Through Point on the Line How toConstruct a Golden Rectangle How toDraw an Equilateral Triangle How toDraw a Hexagon How toDraw a Polygon How toConstruct a 90 Degrees Angle Using Compass and Ruler How toDraw a Rectangle How toConstruct an Isosceles Triangle How to Draw or Map Out a Perfect Octagon Every Time 2 Ways to Draw the Fibonacci Spiral How toConstruct an Octagon with a Compass How toBisect a Line With a Compass and Straightedge Advertisement

References

1. ↑ https://youtu.be/LvXIyZIGaxA?t=80
2. ↑ https://youtu.be/LvXIyZIGaxA?t=90
3. ↑ https://mathbitsnotebook.com/Geometry/Constructions/CCconstructionSquare.html
4. ↑ https://www.mathopenref.com/constsquare.html
5. ↑ https://www.mathopenref.com/constsquare.html
6. ↑ https://mathbitsnotebook.com/Geometry/Constructions/CCconstructionSquare.html

About This Article

Reviewed by: Jeanine Hattas Wilson Artist This article was reviewed by Jeanine Hattas Wilson. Jeanine Hattas Wilson is a Professional Painter and the President of Hattas Public Murals, Inc. With nearly 20 years of experience, Jeanine specializes in creating, overseeing, designing, and painting murals. Jeanine holds a BA in Advertising from Marquette University and a Studio Painting Minor from The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. She has studied at The Atelier Artien in Paris, France, Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, and under renowned artists such as Robert Liberace, Michael Siegel, and William Cochran. To date, Hattas Public Murals has painted nearly 5,000 commissioned works of art in homes and commercial and public spaces. This article has been viewed 235,818 times. 25 votes - 54% Co-authors: 30 Updated: March 18, 2025 Views: 235,818 Categories: Geometry | Drawing Shapes Article SummaryX

To draw a square, start by drawing a straight line using a ruler. Then, measure the line so you can make the other sides of the square the same length. Next, draw a line going straight up from each end of the first line that are the same length as the first line. The angle between these lines and the first line should be 90 degrees. Finally, connect the upper ends of the 2 new lines with a straight line. If you want to learn how to draw a square using a compass, keep reading the article! Did this summary help you?YesNo

In other languages German Spanish Russian Portuguese French Italian

• Print
• Send fan mail to authors

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 235,818 times.

Reader Success Stories

• 

  Anonymous

  Apr 15, 2017

  "It helped me to do my homework, it is also very easy."

More reader stories Hide reader stories Share your story

Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Reviewed by: Jeanine Hattas Wilson Artist 25 votes - 54% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 30 Updated: March 18, 2025 Views: 235,818

Anonymous

Apr 15, 2017

"It helped me to do my homework, it is also very easy."

Anonymous

Dec 30, 2016

"3,4,5, and compass both worked perfectly." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

Quizzes & Games

What Should I Draw QuizTake QuizIQ Test For KidsTake QuizMusic Notes & Symbols TestTake QuizIQ TestTake QuizWhat Is My Face Shape QuizTake QuizWhat Tarot Card Am I QuizTake Quiz

You Might Also Like

Easy Ways to Draw a ParallelogramHow toCreate a Perfect Circle Without TracingHow toConstruct a Perpendicular Line to a Given Line Through Point on the LineHow toConstruct a Golden Rectangle

Featured Articles

Your 2026 Vision: What Does Next Year Hold?Understanding the Most Attractive Face Shapes (& Determining Your Own)Type A B C D Personality Test250+ Messages to Reassure Your Partner (For Him & Her)What Is My Favorite Color Quiz215+ Funny & Creative Personalized Vanity Plate Ideas

Trending Articles

How toMake OutHow Rare Is My Birthday QuizWhat Am I Craving QuizIs Your Personality More 6 or 7?What Should My Name Really Be QuizIs a Guy You Don't Know Well Interested in You?

Featured Articles

100+ Creative Ways to Say Good NightWhy Can't I Sleep Quiz150+ Love Paragraphs to Make Him Feel SpecialWhat Does Your Tattoo Placement Mean? Spiritual & Aesthetic Meanings19 of the Rarest Wonders from around the WorldWhat Is the Fun Scale? The 3 Types of Fun & Their Benefits

Featured Articles

What Is My Aesthetic QuizHow to Celebrate Xmas: Expert Advice on Enjoying the HolidaysHilarious Clean Jokes That’ll Make Adults & Kids LaughAm I Ready For A Relationship QuizWhy Is He Ignoring Me? 12 Possible Reasons (Plus, What to Do)A Complete Style Guide for the Gamine Kibbe Body Type

Watch Articles

How toWrap a Round GiftHow toSteam in an OvenHow to Make Plant-Based Meat: 4 Incredible RecipesHow toClean a Silver Necklace4 Easy Ways to Open a Can of SodaHow toPart Your Hair

Trending Articles

Can We Guess If You're a Cat or Dog Person?30 of the Hardest Riddles on Earth: The Harvard Riddle & BeyondWhich of the Big Three Are Your Parents? (Percy Jackson)How to Perform Magic: 8 Tricks for BeginnersWhat’s My Personality Based on My K-Pop Taste?What School Subject Are You?

Quizzes & Games

Greek Alphabet QuizTake QuizHow Many Digits of Pi Do I Know QuizTake QuizQuick IQ TestTake QuizCollege Grad Intelligence Test: Can You Score An A+?Take QuizDo I Have Common Sense QuizTake QuizWhat Animal Would Go On My House Crest QuizTake Quiz

• Categories
• Education and Communications
• Studying
• Mathematics
• Geometry

wikiHow Newsletter You're all set! Helpful how-tos delivered toyour inbox every week! Sign me up! By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy.

• Home
• About wikiHow
• Experts
• Jobs
• Contact Us
• Site Map
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info
• Contribute

Follow Us

×

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Develop the tech skills you need for work and life

Let's do this! X --523