Question

What is one inch on a map scale?

Answer 1

Scale is defined as the ratio of the distance on a map to the corresponding distance on the surface the map represents. This example tells us that 1-inch on the map represents 16 miles on the surface of the Earth. This is the easiest scale to understand because it generally uses familiar units.

Answer 2

If the scale were 1:63,360, for instance, then 1 inch on the map would represent 63,360inches or 1 mile on the ground (63,360 inches divided by 12 inches = 5,280 feet or 1mile). The first number (map distance) is always 1.