Scale 1 : 50000, 3 cm on the map

Step by step

The question

Question: with the scale 1 : 50000, how long is 3 cm on the map for real?

The scale 1 : 50000 means: 1 cm on the map is 50000 cm for real.

Everything is 50000 times bigger.

1 Multiply both sides

On the map we have 3 cm.

That is 3 times 1 cm.

So the real length is 3 times 50000 cm too.

We multiply both sides by the same number, 3.

50000 times 3 is 150000.

So the real length is 150000 cm.

2 Change the unit

150000 cm is a big number.

100 cm make 1 m, so we divide by 100.

150000 divided by 100 is 1500.

So it is 1500 m.

1000 m make 1 km, so we divide by 1000 too.

So it is 1.5 km.

3 Check

Let's check: go back.

150000 divided by 50000 should give the map length, 3.

We get it again.

So 1.5 km is right!

Let's look back.

First: multiply both sides.

Then: change the unit.

Last: check.