What do you want to understand today?

PEAZIT Aha card

Map scales: use the same units on both sides

A scale of 1 : 10,000 means 1 cm on the map represents 10,000 cm in reality.

Map at a scale of 1 : 10,000.

On the map	In reality	After conversion
1 cm	10 000 cm	100 m
3 cm	30 000 cm	300 m

One worked example

3 × 10 000 = 30 000 cmMultiply the map distance by the scale factor.
30 000 ÷ 100 = 300 mConvert centimetres to metres.

Watch out: The numerical scale applies to the original map size. Resizing changes it; a scale bar resized with the map remains usable.

Goal, prerequisites and card origin

What you will learn: Convert a distance on a map into a real distance.

What you need first: Multiplication and 100 cm = 1 m.

An original PEAZIT working card. Independent expert review and effectiveness testing have not yet taken place. · v1

Show connections

One length, different units

Measured length — can be expressed in — Metre: m

Metre: m — 1 m = 100 cm — Centimetre: cm

Centimetre: cm — 1 cm = 10 mm — Millimetre: mm

Metre: m — 1 m = 1,000 mm — Millimetre: mm

A scale of 1 : 10,000 means 1 cm on the map represents 10,000 cm in reality.

Without JavaScript, write your answer elsewhere before opening the solution.On a 1 : 25,000 map, a line measures 4 cm. How many metres does it represent?

Solution — open after your own attempt

1 000 m 4 × 25,000 = 100,000 cm = 1,000 m.

A question for your next return: On a 1 : 50,000 map, the distance is 2 cm. How many kilometres is that?

Solution — open after your own attempt

1 km 2 × 50,000 = 100,000 cm = 1,000 m = 1 km.

Catalogue

Nothing here just yet.

Try a shorter search, another language or fewer filters.

Clear filters

Find your own way. Resources open directly on their authors’ websites. Order reflects search relevance, not a teaching-quality rating.

47,636 resources to explore

15 independent sources

3 resource languages

EXPLORE / EN

Where will curiosity take you?

Start with a subject. Then find your way.

All topics