If a map scale is 1:50,000, how many ground units does one map unit represent?

If a map scale is 1:50,000, how many ground units does one map unit represent?

• A. 50,000 ground units
• B. 5,000 ground units
• C. 500 ground units
• D. 100,000 ground units

Answer: (A)

A map scale of 1:50,000 means that every unit on the map corresponds to 50,000 of those same units on the ground. The units cancel, so the exact type of unit doesn't matter—1 centimeter on the map equals 50,000 centimeters on the ground (about 500 meters), or 1 inch on the map equals 50,000 inches on the ground (about 0.79 miles). The essential point is that one map unit represents 50,000 ground units.

A map scale of 1:50,000 means that every unit on the map corresponds to 50,000 of those same units on the ground. The units cancel, so the exact type of unit doesn't matter—1 centimeter on the map equals 50,000 centimeters on the ground (about 500 meters), or 1 inch on the map equals 50,000 inches on the ground (about 0.79 miles). The essential point is that one map unit represents 50,000 ground units.