Map Scaling Practice

Map Scaling Practice

Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. Show your work where necessary.

Map scales help us understand the relationship between distances on a map and actual distances on the ground. A common way to write a map scale is as a ratio, like 1:100,000, meaning 1 unit on the map equals 100,000 units in real life.

1. A map scale helps us understand the relationship between distances on a map and   distances on the ground.

2. If a map has a scale of 1:50,000, it means that 1 centimeter on the map represents   centimeters in real life.

3. To find the real-world distance, you need to   the map distance by the scale factor.

4. A map has a scale of 1 cm = 10 km. If two cities are 5 cm apart on the map, what is the actual distance between them?

5. A map uses a scale of 1 inch = 2 miles. If a trail is 6 inches long on the map, how long is the actual trail?

6. A larger scale ratio (e.g., 1:1,000) shows less detail than a smaller scale ratio (e.g., 1:1,000,000).

7. You are planning a hike and have a map with a scale of 1 cm = 500 meters. If the hiking path is 8 cm long on the map, what is the actual length of the hike in kilometers?