Reading map scales
Objective. Convert between map distance and real distance.
- 1. Learn
- 2. Worked example
- 3. Practice
- 4. Feedback
- 5. Continue
Learn: the key idea
A scale of 1 : 50 000 means 1 cm on the map is 50 000 cm in reality, which is 500 m or 0.5 km.
Worked example
On a 1 : 25 000 map two towns are 6 cm apart. Real distance?
- 16 × 25 000 = 150 000 cm.
- 2150 000 cm = 1500 m.
- 31500 m = 1.5 km.
Answer: 1.5 km
Concept mastery
Based on your past attempts at this lesson — the question types to practise again come first.
Complete a practice set to see your concept breakdown here.
Practice
Practice happens on its own screen, one question at a time. Answers stay hidden until you submit yours, and you can stop and pick up at the same question later.
Start practisingCommon mistake. Forgetting to convert centimetres to metres and kilometres.
Your progress
Tick each step as you finish it. Your exact reading position is saved automatically, so Continue drops you back on the same line.
0 of 5 steps complete
Your place saves automatically as you read.