why is the scale of a map important?
Answers
Answer:
The map scales are highly important for providing a sense of size and distance to readers. Most often the map scale used on a particular map is stated on the map, itself. With the help of maps, and charts it becomes easier to determine various routes between cities, countries, and continents.
Answer:
Map Scales are used to represent the relative size of objects and relative distances on the map as compared to the actual size of objects and actual distances on the ground. Map scales and classifications are important to read and interpret a map. The scale used in a map is always stated on the map so that it can be interpreted easily. In general, the map scale is given as a ratio of the map distance to the actual distance. The map scales help to represent an extensive area on the map as compared to the ground. The representative fraction is one of the most commonly used scales and is expressed as a ratio. For example, a map scale of 1 inch to 1 mile states that 1 mile on the ground is represented as 1 inch on the map.
Classification of Maps
To understand what is a map scale let us go through a few classifications of maps and map scales, first. As per the common classification of maps, there are about five types of maps that are to be understood. They are thematic maps, general maps, navigation charts, topographic maps, series maps, cadastral, and plans. The types of map scale representations are discussed below.
The basic type of representation of actual distance on maps is done by bar scales and lexical scales. In the bar scales used in maps, the distance ratio is expressed visually whereas, in lexical scales, the ratio is stated in words. There are 3 ways of representing the scale of a map, namely, representative fraction, verbal, and graphic. Of these three, the representative fraction is the most commonly used scale. For example, the topographic maps help to understand the contour and general landforms of an area and most have the scale stated in representative fraction. In topographic maps, various colours are used to represent the contour of landforms, water bodies, settlements.
I hope it's helpful.