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Scale decides how much fits on a map
A map scale relates distance on the map to distance on the ground.
The idea
At 1:100,000, one unit on the map represents 100,000 of the same units on the ground.
An example
At that scale, 1 centimetre represents 1 kilometre.
Put it into practice
Check scale before estimating distance or expecting detail.
Further reading: USGS · Map Scales ↗
Test yourself: At 1:100,000, what does 1 cm represent?
1 km
100,000 centimetres equals 1 kilometre.
Explanation and illustrative examples by One Card Wiser. Source linked for further reading.
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