Grade 9 Applied Geography – Unit 1 Mapping Skills
The scale of a map can be expressed as a RATIO (1:25,000), a STATEMENT (e.g., one centimetre equals 63 kilometres) or as a DIVIDED LINE SCALE noted in kilometres.
Large-Scale Map
A large-scale map could have a scale of 1:25,000 – the map shows one kilometre of the earth’s surface in four centimetres OR the distance on the map is ONLY 25,000 X smaller than the actual distance it represents. Note: a great amount of detail can be shown on a large-scale map because it depicts only a small portion of the earth’s surface.
To calculate scale as a ratio -
If a distance of four centimetres on a map represents a distance of one kilometre on the ground, how many times longer is the kilometre than the four centimetres?
If a square showing one square kilometre were cut from a map of scale 1:50,000, what would a side of the square measure?
Check
1.
A map scale of 1:25,000 means that one centimetre on the map stands for
_______________ centimetres on the ground.
2.
A map scale of 1:25,000 means that one centimetre on the map stands for
_______________ millimetres on the ground.
3.
Measure the distance between A and B map in centimetres. If you paddled a canoe in a straight line from A to B, how many actual centimetres would you have travelled? The “map scale” is 1:25,000.
A B
Large-scale maps are associated with LOW numbers AFTER the colon (e.g., 1:25,000,
1:50,000 and 1:100,000)
Small-Scale Maps
This map shows almost 30,000,000 km 2 on the earth’s surface inside a square with sides measuring only seven centimetres each. The scale for this map is 1:75,000,000. This is considered a SMALL-SCALE MAP because the distance on the map is 75,000,000 X smaller than the actual distance it represents. There is not much detail on a small-scale map.
Small-scale maps are associated with HIGH numbers AFTER the colon (e.g., 1:1,000,000 and 1:16,000,000).

1.
We have a map with a scale of 1:50,000. We measure the distance along a property boundary as 1.7 cm. What is the length in the real world?
2.
A particular map shows a scale of 1:5,000. What is the actual distance if the map distance is 8 cm?
3.
A particular map shows a scale of 1:500,000. What would the map distance (in cm) be if the actual distance is 14 km?
4.
Ground Distance = 8.546 km and Map Distance = 36.5 cm. What is the scale?
5.
The distance on a map between Madrid, Spain and Paris, France is 4.25 cm. What is the actual distance for a round trip if 1 cm equals 15,800,000 cm?
6.
Joy is taking a trip and finds out that on a map the distance between the two cities is
4.625 cm. Find the actual distance of her trip if Map Scale is 1: 72,000,000.
7.
The distance on a map between San Diego and Los Angeles is 0.875 cm. The actual distance between the two cities is 110.25 km. What is the Map Scale?
8.
You have a model of Chris Paul stuffing a basketball. You measure the model. It is
5.625 cm in height. From the Internet, you learn Chris Paul’s actual height is 1.83 m.
What is the scale of the model?

1.
We have a map with a scale of 1:50,000. We measure the distance along a property boundary as 1.7 cm. What is the length in the real world?
0.85 km
2.
A particular map shows a scale of 1:5,000. What is the actual distance if the map distance is 8 cm?
0.4 km
3.
A particular map shows a scale of 1:500,000. What would the map distance (in cm) be if the actual distance is 14 km?
2.8 cm
4.
Ground Distance = 8.546 km and Map Distance = 36.5 cm. What is the scale?
1:23,414
5.
The distance on a map between Madrid, Spain and Paris, France is 4.25 cm. What is the actual distance for a round trip if 1 cm equals 15,800,000 cm?
671.5 km X 2 (Round Trip) = 1343 km
6.
Joy is taking a trip and finds out that on a map the distance between the two cities is
4.625 cm. Find the actual distance of her trip if Map Scale is 1: 72,000,000.
3,300 km
7.
The distance on a map between San Diego and Los Angeles is 0.875 cm. The actual distance between the two cities is 110.25 km. What is the Map Scale?
1:12,600,000
8.
You have a model of Chris Paul stuffing a basketball. You measure the model. It is
5.625 cm in height. From the Internet, you learn Chris Paul’s actual height is 1.83 m.
What is the scale of the model?
1 :32.5