How To Draw A Scale On A Map

To depict a map with the method described herein, you practice non need to go to the objects to exist mapped to measure out object distances one by one. But those objects should be visible from a distance. Only i measure of the distance that needs to exist known every bit the reference, other distances will be known later. The tools used are:

• pencil, preferably cylindrical as easy to roll
• ruler
• paper
• distance measuring tool, if necessary

The method is similar to the method in the commodity 'Distance Measure by Paper, Ruler and Pencil', which describe how to measure the distance past triangle method with just single landscape object to make it simple and piece of cake to sympathize.

In the following example, will exist drawn a map of an surface area with some object that are: a house, a tower with a tank of water, road, tree, as shown below:

There is a road with distance marker, and it is known that distance from signal A to point B is 200 meters. On the left side of the road, or at the top of image, at that place is a house near indicate A, and a belfry with a h2o tank at near indicate B. On the left side of the road, or at the bottom of the movie, there is a tree. It is needed to have a map with scale that is accurate enough to draw the situation of that landscape.

How to draw a scale map:

Prepare a apartment and level area, can be a tabular array or lath. Table tin can be leveled past putting pencil with cylindrical trunk on that table, pencil should not exist whorl in the direction of table length, and that pencil is also not rolling along the direction of table width. This tabular array will be used as a base of operations for drawing the map. This tabular array should be moved to signal A and to bespeak B, unless there are two tables, one at bespeak A and one at point B.

At position A

Make sure the table in a flat position. Put a slice of blank newspaper on the table. Describe the a-b line that representing the path from point A to point B. Position the a-b line on the paper and so at that place is enough infinite for drawing other objects.

Ratio of the length of a-b line on the paper with path length from point A to point B will exist the scale of this map. Suppose a-b line length is 20 cm, with altitude of betoken A to B is 200 meters, then the scale of the map is:

Scale = 20 cm: 200 meters = 20: 20,000 = i: 1,000

Position the paper so that the a-b line is in line with an imaginary line from point A to point B on the route. Make sure the paper does not movement when a-b is in line with AB.

Identify the ruler at point 'a' on the paradigm, and so aim the ruller towards the house on the landscape, draw this imaginary line on the paper. This line will determine the house position on the map.

By aiming the ruler from point 'a' to the h2o tank, then the imaginary line from A to the water tank can be fatigued. Do the same for the imaginary line from point A to the tree.

At position B

Now move to position B. Brand sure the table at level position. Position the drawing newspaper so that the line a-b on the picture is in line with an imaginary line from bespeak B to point A. Make sure the paper does not move in this position.

Aim ruler from point b to the house, and then draw the line on the map. Then the intersection of the lines will prove the house location on the map, shown in the figure below every bit a red dot.

Aim ruler from point b to the tank water, so draw the line on the map. Then the intersection of the lines will show the location of water tank on the map, in the image below it looks equally blue dot. Do the same affair on the tree, seen in the figure below as light-green dot.

Now it can exist seen on the map each objects position to represent the position of objects of the landscape. You tin can erase all temporary lines, and drawing objects on the map.

To calculate the altitude of each object, we can use the scale of the map that was calculated previously, for instance:

The altitude from a home on the map is 20 cm, the distance on the mural are:
twenty cm x 1,000 = xx,000 cm = 200 meters

The distance from b to a water tank on the map is 25 cm, the distance on the landscape are:
25 cm x 1,000 = 25,000 cm = 250 meters

The altitude from a to a tree on the map is 15 cm, the altitude on the landscape are:
15 cm x 1,000 = 15,000 cm = 150 meters.

This triangle method to draw a map is quite accurate, although it'due south tools are very unproblematic and very easy procedure. The resulting map can be used for measuring distances, calculate the area of land, landscape planning, etc.. Of grade it will be much more accurate if using Theodolite or Full Station, an musical instrument which is used by surveyor, geodesy expert, cartographer, etc..

You lot tin play treasure hunt game with a map drawn by this triangle method.