Final answer:
To find distances on a map using a scale, set up a proportion with the map's scale and solve for the unknown distance. Using the scale of 1 cm : 7 miles, the 35-mile width of a lake is represented by 5 cm on the map, and the 102.2 miles distance between two cities is approximately 14.6 cm.
Step-by-step explanation:
Calculating Map Distances Using Scale
Understanding how to use a scale to calculate actual distances is an essential skill in geography and map reading. Let's solve the examples based on different scales.
Example Solutions
- Using the scale 1 cm : 7 miles, for a lake that is 35 miles across, we would create a proportion: 1 cm / 7 miles = x cm / 35 miles. Solving for x, we find x = 5 cm, so the lake's width on the map is 5 cm.
- For the distance between the two cities which is 102.2 miles, we use the same scale. The proportion would be: 1 cm / 7 miles = x cm / 102.2 miles. Solving for x we find that x ≈ 14.6 cm, so the distance on the map is approximately 14.6 cm.
Using proportions like this allows us to accurately represent real-world distances on scaled-down maps, ensuring the relative distances between locations are correctly depicted.