MATHEMATICAL LITERACY
GRADE 12
MAPS AND PLANS - SCALE
ACTIVITY
1. A map has been given with the following bar scale:
0km 15km 30km
a. What does 1 cm on this map equal?
b. Anya has written on her map a ratio scale of 1 : 150 000. Check if she has converted the bar scale
to a ratio scale correctly.
c. Using the bar scale, calculate the distance (in km) between two points on land that are 4,5 cm
apart on the map.
d. If the distance along a road is 83 km, what would this measure on the map (in cm)?
2. The map below shows an area in Johannesburg. The line scale for the map is on the bottom right
corner.
[Link]
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MATHEMATICAL LITERACY
GRADE 12
MAPS AND PLANS - SCALE
a. Use the line scale to determine the ratio scale for this map.
b. Measure the straight-line distance between Rembrandt Park and Eastleigh (to the nearest cm).
c. Calculate the real-life distance between these two points (in km).
d. Calculate the length of the portion of the N3 shown on the map (in m).
e. If this map is resized, could you still use the line scale and the ratio scale? Explain your answer.
3. Complete the following table:
Scale Map measurement Actual distance
a. 1 : 25 000 6 cm km
b. 1 : 125 000 12 cm m
c. 1 : 5 000 cm 18 km
d. 1 : 40 000 cm 485 m
e. 1 : 1 235 000 18 cm m
a.
b.
c.
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MATHEMATICAL LITERACY
GRADE 12
MAPS AND PLANS - SCALE
d.
e.
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MATHEMATICAL LITERACY
GRADE 12
MAPS AND PLANS - SCALE
MEMORANDUM
1. A map has been given with the following bar scale:
0km 15km 30km
a. What does 1 cm on this map equal?
3 cm on map = 15 km on land
1 cm on map = 5 km on land
b. Anya has written on her map a ratio scale of 1 : 150 000. Check if she has converted the bar scale
to a ratio scale correctly.
1 cm on map = 5 km on land
[1 km = 100 000 cm]
5 x 100 000 = 500 000 cm on land
1 : 500 000
she has calculated her ratio scale incorrectly
c. Using the bar scale, calculate the distance (in km) between two points on land that are 4,5 cm
apart on the map.
4,5 x 5 = 22,5 km on land
d. If the distance along a road is 83 km, what would this measure on the map (in cm)?
83 km ÷ 5 = 16,6 cm on the map
2. The map below shows an area in Johannesburg. The line scale for the map is on the bottom right
corner.
[Link]
a. Use the line scale to determine the ratio scale for this map.
2 cm on map = 100 m on land
1 cm on map = 50 m on land
50 x 100 = 5 000 cm
1 : 5 000
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MATHEMATICAL LITERACY
GRADE 12
MAPS AND PLANS - SCALE
b. Measure the straight-line distance between Rembrandt Park and Eastleigh (to the nearest cm).
6 cm
c. Calculate the real-life distance between these two points (in km).
6 x 5 000 = 30 000 cm
30 000 ÷ 1 00 000 = 0,3 km
d. Calculate the length of the portion of the N3 shown on the map (in m).
8,5 cm
8,5 x 5 000 = 42 500
42 500 ÷ 1 00 = 425 m
e. If this map is resized, could you still use the line scale and the ratio scale? Explain your answer.
You could still use the line scale as it would be resized in proportion with the map and would
still be accurate. The ratio scale could no longer be used as 1 cm on the map would now
represent a different distance on land.
3. Complete the following table:
Scale Map measurement Actual distance
a. 1 : 25 000 6 cm 1,5 km
b. 1 : 125 000 12 cm 15 000 m
c. 1 : 5 000 360 cm 18 km
d. 1 : 40 000 1,2 cm 485 m
e. 1 : 1 235 000 18 cm 222,3 m
a. 6 x 25 000 = 150 000 cm
150 000 ÷ 100 000 = 1,5 km
b. 12 x 125 000 = 1 500 000 cm
150 000 ÷ 100 = 15 000 m
c. 18 x 100 000 = 1 800 000 cm
1 800 000 ÷ 5 000 = 360 cm
d. 485 x 100 = 48 500 cm
48 500 ÷ 40 000 = 1,2 cm
e. 18 x 1 235 000 = 22 230 000 cm
22 230 000 ÷ 100 000 = 222,3 km
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