Calculating Distances: Challenge & Extension

Mathematics
GCSE Higher
11 questions
~22 mins
1 views0 downloads

About This Worksheet

A worksheet designed to challenge students on calculating distances using map scales, including procedural, reasoning, and real-world application questions.

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Full preview • 11 questions

Calculating Distances: Challenge & Extension

Subject: MathematicsGrade: GCSE Higher
Name:
Date:
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Untitled Worksheet

Grade GCSE Higher
A

Introduction

Review the key formula for calculating actual distances from map measurements: Actual Distance = Map Distance × Scale Factor. Use this formula to solve the following questions, showing all your working.
B

Practice Questions

Answer all questions. Show your working in the grid spaces provided.
1.
A map has a scale of 1:50,000. If the distance between two towns on the map is 4.2 cm, what is the actual distance in km?
[3 marks]
2.
Calculate the real-world distance if a road appears 7.5 cm long on a map with a scale of 1:25,000.
[3 marks]
3.
On a certain map, 1 cm represents 2 km in reality. If the distance between two points on the map is 5.5 cm, what is the actual distance?
[2 marks]
4.
A city is 120 km away from another on a map with a scale of 1:100,000. What is the distance between these cities on the map in cm?
[3 marks]
5.
A map scale is 1:75,000. If the actual distance between two landmarks is 15 km, what length should the map show between them?
[3 marks]
6.
A hiking trail on a map measures 8 cm. If the scale is 1:40,000, what is the actual length of the trail in km?
[3 marks]
7.
A city block on a map measures 3.5 cm. The scale of the map is 1:10,000. What is the real-world length of the block in meters?
[3 marks]
8.
A map shows a route of 6.25 cm between two locations. The scale of the map is 1:50,000. Determine the actual distance in km.
[3 marks]
9.
A satellite image has a scale of 1:1,000,000. If a feature measures 2.4 cm on the image, what is its real size in km?
[3 marks]
10.
A photograph taken from an airplane shows a river that appears 4.8 cm long on the photograph. If the scale of the photograph is 1:200,000, what is the actual length of the river in km?
[4 marks]
11.
A map's scale is 1:75,000. Two points are 9.6 cm apart on the map. If the actual distance between them is 7.2 km, identify and correct the mistake in the calculation: Actual Distance = Map Distance × Scale Factor.
[4 marks]

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Details

Created
1/1/2026
Updated
1/1/2026
Type
worksheet