Problem-Solving and Data AnalysisMediumMap scale given as a ratio
Problem-Solving and Data Analysis practice question
A map has a scale of 1 : 50,000, meaning 1 centimetre on the map represents 50,000 centimetres on the ground. Two villages are 4 centimetres apart on the map. What is the actual distance between them, in kilometres? (1 kilometre = 100,000 centimetres)
Answer: 2
4 cm × 50,000 = 200,000 cm on the ground. Divide by 100,000 cm per km: 2 km.
Common wrong answers
- If you answered 20
- 20 treats 100,000 cm as 10 km, or divides 200,000 by 10,000.
- If you answered 200
- 200 would be 200,000 cm read as metres or with a decimal slip; 200,000 cm is 2,000 m = 2 km.
- If you answered 0.5
- 0.5 divides 50,000 by 100,000 without first multiplying by the 4 cm.
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