Scale drawings and maps
Use a scale, given as a ratio (e.g. 1:50), as a statement such as '1 cm represents 2 m', or as a scale factor, to work out actual lengths from a scale drawing or map and drawing lengths from actual lengths; reproduce a scale drawing at a different scale by finding each new drawing length, either through the actual length or from the ratio of the two scales; and solve map, room-plan and design problems with consistent units, converting between mm, cm, m and km before or after scaling. Areas from scale drawings and the area factor are developed in the follow-on topic Area from scale drawings
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Scale drawings and maps means practising the idea at the table with counters or paper models and one clear check. We will demo once, then your child tries.
Materials: Two colours of counters; Paper for ratio or percent notation. 1. Say the goal of Scale drawings and maps in plain words once. 2. Adult shows 2 red : 3 blue and says the ratio (or 40% of 10). 3. Child builds three ratios or percentage amounts and records each notation. 4. Fresh check: one fresh ratio or percent reading. Record and stop. Done: three correct ratio/percent records. Proof: parent note of examples and results. Stop: End after the fresh check; keep optional challenge for another day.
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Start practiceScale drawings and maps practice
Practice key ideas from Scale drawings and maps.
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Learning resources
Extra practice links — they do not replace Gakuva’s teaching approach.
PhET Interactive Simulations · Practice link — not the full lesson
Proportion Playground
Before you open · source notes
Proportion Playground supports hands-on exploration for Scale drawings and maps. Not every lab worksheet.
Free interactive page, no sign-in required for the tested path.
Before you openAsk the learner what they changed in the sim or page and what they observed.
Opening this link does not save learning or assess mastery.
Source, access and review notes
Public PhET Interactive Simulations page. An anonymous GET on 2026-11-12 returned HTTP 200 with no login or payment prompt for this URL. Opening the link does not save practice or assess mastery. An adult should preview and guide the learner.
PhET Interactive Simulations. “Proportion Playground.” External page; Gakuva does not copy, host, embed, or redistribute materials.
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Check understanding
- On a 1:50 room plan, find that a 9 cm wall is 450 cm = 4.5 m long, and that a 1.2 m doorway should be drawn 2.4 cm wide
- Redraw a 1:50 plan at 1:100 by halving every drawing length (the 9 cm wall becomes 4.5 cm), and check one length by converting it back to the actual 4.5 m
- Find the real distance between two towns 6.5 cm apart on a 1:25,000 map and give it in kilometres (162,500 cm = 1.625 km)
“If your child looks at a house plan where 1 cm stands for 50 cm, could they work out how long a 9 cm wall really is — and redraw the plan half the size to fit a smaller sheet of paper?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Procedural
- Subject
- Mathematics
- Domain
- Ratio & Proportion
- Age range
- Ages 11–13
Standards