Understanding Map Scales Understanding Map Scales Maps must accurately show distance and location. A map must also be a convenient and usable size. This means that all the information must be shown proportionately smaller than it actually is.
Scale is the relationship between distances on the map and distances in the 'real world'.
One unit of measurement on the map represents 100,000 of the same unit of measurement on the ground. The first number is always '1' and the second number is different for each scale. Most geographical areas have been mapped at different scales. When choosing a map, its intended use should be considered before deciding on which scale to use. Following is a short list of map scales.