Geography · Grades 8–12
Map area and scale
Square the length scale when converting area.
The key idea
Square the length scale when converting area.
real area = map area × (linear scale)²
Worked examples
On a map, 1 cm represents 4 km. A region covers 32 cm² on the map. Find its real area in km².
32 × 4² = 512
512 km²
On a map, 1 cm represents 10 km. A region covers 28 cm² on the map. Find its real area in km².
28 × 10² = 2800
2800 km²
Try it yourself
On a map, 1 cm represents 6 km. A region covers 29 cm² on the map. Find its real area in km².
On a map, 1 cm represents 10 km. A region covers 19 cm² on the map. Find its real area in km².
Check your understanding
Answers and marking notes
- 1044 km²
29 × 6² = 1044
- 1900 km²
19 × 10² = 1900
Learning preview · teacher review required. Grade bands are approximate, not official curriculum alignment.