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Convert between map distance and real-world distance for any map scale. Calculate representative fraction, real-world area from map measurements, and scale bar lengths for cartographic work.
Map scale is the ratio of map distance to ground distance. 1:50,000 means 1 cm on map = 50,000 cm = 500 m. Large-scale (small denominator) shows more detail. Small-scale (large denominator) covers more area.
| Scale | Type | Equivalent | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:1,000 | Site plan | 1 cm = 10 m | Architecture, engineering |
| 1:25,000 | Detailed topo | 1 cm = 250 m | Hiking, military |
| 1:50,000 | Standard topo | 1 cm = 500 m | Outdoor recreation |
| 1:100,000 | Regional | 1 cm = 1 km | Planning |
| 1:250,000 | Road map | 1 cm = 2.5 km | Driving |
| 1:1,000,000 | National | 1 cm = 10 km | Atlas |
Area scales as the square of linear scale. 1 cm on 1:50,000 map = 500 m. 1 cm² = 500×500 = 250,000 m² = 0.25 km². A 6 cm² parcel = 6×0.25 = 1.5 km² = 150 hectares. For digital maps use built-in measurement tools — Mercator projection distorts scale with latitude.