Maps and Scale Drawings

  • Maps and scale drawings are used to represent real-world objects or places at a reduced or enlarged scale.

  • The scale of a map or drawing is the ratio of any length on the map to the corresponding actual length. For example, a scale of 1:50 means that 1cm on the map represents 50cm in real life.

  • There are three types of scale drawings: full scale (1:1, where the drawing is the same size as the object), reduced scale (such as 1:50, where the drawing is smaller than the actual object) and enlarged scale (like 2:1, where the drawing is larger than the object)

  • In order to draw objects to scale, you must be able to convert measurements from one scale to another. This can be done by setting up an equivalent ratio and cross multiplying to solve for the missing measurement.

  • When reading maps, it’s important to understand how distance on the map translates to the actual distance. This can be done using the map’s scale and a ruler or a pair of compasses.

  • The ability to calculate area and volume from a scale drawing is also essential. Firstly, determine the scale factor then square it to find the area scale factor, and cube it to find the volume scale factor.

  • When comparing two scaled drawings, understand that they must have the same scale to make a valid comparison. If the scales are different, one drawing will need to be resized.

  • Practice makes perfect - Regularly interpret and draw to scale on graph paper or with a ruler to hone your skills in this area.

  • It’s also important to consider the units of measure used. Scales can represent centimetres, metres, kilometres, inches, feet, or miles. Always use the same units of measure when converting and comparing scales.

  • Always pay attention to proportion- A correctly scaled drawing or map maintains identical proportions to its real-world counterpart in all dimensions. If any one dimension is out of sync, the whole map or drawing becomes distorted and inaccurate.

  • Real life application - Map reading skills are not only important for your mathematics assessments - they are also vital in fields such as architecture, engineering, and geography.