MAPS: DIRECTION, SCALE, LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE

DETERMINING DISTANCE WITH A STATEMENT OF EQUIVALENCE

CONVERSION UNITS
12 inches = 1 foot or 12" = 1'
 
5,280 feet = 1 mile or 5,280' = 1m
 
1mile = 1.6 kilometers or 1m = 1.6km
 
EXAMPLE 1 - Determine the horizontal distance (straight line) between Lansing and Toronto in feet.To do this exercise, the first thing that we have to note is that statement of equivalency states that one inch on the map is equal to 125 miles on the ground.Then we measure the distance in inches from Lansing to Toronto, which in this case comes up to be 1 1/4 inches.

From the the calculations shown on the graph below, we can determine that the distance from Lansing to Toronto measured in feet is equal to 825,000 feet.

 

EXAMPLE 2 - Determine the horizontal distance (straight line) between Indianapolis and New York in miles.To do this exercise, the first thing that we have to note is that statement of equivalency states that one inch on the map is equal to 125 miles on the ground.Then we measure the distance in inches from Indianapolis to New York, which in this case comes up to be 3 inches.

From the the calculations shown on the graph below, we can determine that the distance from Indianapolis to New York measured in miles is equal to 375 miles.

 

EXAMPLE 3 - Determine the horizontal distance (straight line) between Indianapolis and Washington in kilometers.To do this exercise, the first thing that we have to note is that statement of equivalency states that one inch on the map is equal to 125 miles on the ground.Then we measure the distance in inches from Indianapolis to Washington, which in this case comes up to be 2 5/16 inches.

From the the calculations shown on the graph below, we can determine that the distance from Indianapolis to Washington measured in kilometers is equal to 463 kilometers.

 

 

 

 

 

©David Leveson and Guillermo Rocha/Brooklyn College - Earth and Environmental Sciences