3.3 Maps, scale drawings and bearings
Maps, scale and bearings
Everything on maps, scale and bearings that can come up in the WJEC GCSE Mathematics and Numeracy, in all three units. Each skill below has the method, the mistake that costs the most marks, a worked example, and free practice marked the way WJEC marks it.
Practise maps, scale and bearings free
A worked example
Map scales · [2 marks]
A map has a scale of 1 : 50,000. Two villages are 2 cm apart on the map. What is the real distance between them in kilometres?
- M12 × 50,000 = 100,000 cm
- A1÷ 100 000 = 1 km
The exam skills (3)
Map scales
- 1 : 10,000 means 1 cm on the map is 10,000 cm in real life.
- Multiply the map distance by the scale.
- Convert: ÷ 100 for metres, ÷ 100,000 for km.
Watch out: Forgetting to convert the cm into km.
Bearings
- A back bearing is the opposite direction.
- Add 180° if the bearing is less than 180°; subtract 180° if it is more.
- Write it with three figures.
Watch out: Forgetting three figures: write 005°, not 5°.
Bearings and trigonometry
- Draw the north line and the right-angled triangle.
- The bearing is the angle at the start, from north.
- East is opposite that angle (sin), north is adjacent (cos).
Watch out: Using cos for the distance east. East is opposite the bearing angle.
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