The centimetre is a unit of length and is a multiple of the metre; an SI derived unit. It has the symbol cm.
A centimetre is equal to 0.01m. It is also ≈ 0.3937in.
Centimetres are used in maps to scale up conversions to real world measurements.
The inch is a unit of length in the imperial unit system with the symbol in.
There are 12 inches in a foot and 3 feet in a yard. Therefore there are 36 inches in a yard. There are exactly 2.54 centimetres in an inch.
Borrowed from the Latin 'uncia' - the English word 'inch', the origination of the word came from the Old English word for 'ounce' which was related to the Roman phrase for "one twelfth".
The inch is still a commonly used unit in the UK, USA and Canada - and is also still used in the production of electronic equipment, still very evident in the measuring of monitor and screen sizing.