Question

 In what ways is the scale represented on a map?

Answer 1

Representation of Map Scale: Map scales are represented in the three forms:
(i) A Statement: This is the easiest method of describing a map scale. It is usually written on maps as 1 cm., to 10 km.
(ii) A Ratio: In this method the map scale is expressed as a numeric ratio. The numerator represents the map distance and it is always expressed as a unit. The denominator represents the corresponding ground distance, i.e., one unit on the map is equivalent to a number of units on the ground.
It is also known as ratio-scale or Representative Fraction (R.F.)

Representative Fraction (R.F.) = `"Distance on the map"/"Distance of the ground"`

(iii) A Graph: In this method, scale is represented by means of a linear (line) graph. It consists of a straight line divided into a number of equal parts (primary and secondary) which are marked to show what these divisions represents on the actual ground.