Map Scale

Is this to scale?

Large Scale and Small Scale Maps Scale determines the amount of detail a map will show. Large Scale Maps: show a large amount of detail and a small area. e.g. 1:50 000, 1:25 000 Small Scale Maps: show a small amount of detail over a large area. e.g. 1:250 000, 1:500 000 *a map of the world that fits on an 8.5 x 11 inch piece of paper has a scale of 1: 100 million.

Scale Area Detail Example Large Scale Maps (1:50 000 or less) Small A lot (LOTS) (streets, schools, railways, …) Topographic maps, road maps, city bus maps Small Scale Maps (1:250 000 or more) Large A little (SMALL) (borders, lakes, large rivers, …) Globes, world maps, atlases

Scale – Mapping Our Location Woodroffe High School You are here!

Scale – Mapping Our Location Woodroffe HS You are here! 1 cm= 100 m

Scale – Mapping Our Location Woodroffe HS You are here! 1 cm= 200 m

Scale – Mapping Our Location Woodroffe HS You are here! 1 cm= 5 km

Scale – Mapping Our Location Woodroffe HS You are here! 1 cm= 20 km

Scale – Mapping Our Location Eastern Ontario Map You are here!

Scale – Mapping Our Location Ontario Map You are here!

Scale – Mapping Our Location Canada Map You are here!

Scale – Mapping Our Location World Map You are here!

Map Scale Direct Statement (DS): a sentence about a distance on a map compared to the actual distance in real life. e.g. “one centimetre represents four kilometres” “three centimetres represents eight kilometres”

Map Scale Linear Scale (LS): a straight line divided into units which can be used for measuring distance on a map.

Map Scale Representative Fraction (RF): a fraction that involves no mention of units. Because units are ignored, whatever you assign to one side must be assigned to the other. e.g. 1: 50 000 could become, 1 cm : 50 000 cm or, 1 m : 50 000 m or, 1 “size 11 boot” : 50 000 “size eleven boots”

Scale: Overview