How many metres does 2.5 cm represent on a 1:20 000 map?

2.5 cm x 20,000 = 50000 cm = 500 m.

With a 1:12 gradient over 360 m, what is the rise?

7 x 25,000 = 175,000 cm = 1750 m = 1.75 km.

How many square kilometres does 1 cm2 cover on a 1:25 000 map?

4.5 km = 450,000 cm; 450,000 / 50,000 = 9 cm.

S4 Geography: Map Skills Paper 4 (Error Redo)

2026-11-03

S · 4

This paper reworks the five errors that cost most marks in papers 1 to 3: missing the denominator, mixing cm with km, using slope length, forgetting to square the area scale, and not undoing an enlargement.

Quick answer　1. 500 m | 2. 1,750 m (1.75 km) | 3. 9 cm | 4. 8 percent | 5. 30 m | 6. 0.0625 km2 | 7. 45 min | 8. 1,200 m | 9. south-east, back at 315° | 10. 1,000 m

01　Paper details (check answers afterwards)

Item	Detail
Questions	10 questions
Suggested time	25 minutes
Difficulty mix	Foundation 4 · Intermediate 3 · Challenge 2 · Error redo 1
Chapter	Chapter: S4 Geography – Map Skills
Level	Error redo

02　Questions (10 items)

FoundationOn a 1:20 000 map a line measures 2.5 cm. What is the ground distance in metres?
FoundationOn a 1:25 000 map, 7 cm represents how many kilometres?
FoundationA 4.5 km road on a 1:50 000 map is how many cm long?
FoundationTwo points are 1,500 m apart horizontally with a 120 m rise. What is the gradient in percent?
IntermediateA 1:12 gradient over a horizontal 360 m gives what rise?
IntermediateOne square centimetre on a 1:25 000 map covers how many square kilometres?
IntermediateWalking 3 km at 4 km per hour takes how many minutes?
ChallengeAfter a 150 percent enlargement a line measures 9 cm. What is the real distance at 1:20 000?
ChallengeWhich direction is bearing 135°? What bearing leads back from there?
Error redoA student answers 100 m for 5 cm on a 1:20 000 map, multiplying by 20 only. What is correct?

03　Answers and one-line notes

#	Answer	One-line note
1	2.5 cm x 20,000 = 50000 cm = 500 m.	Multiply by the denominator to get centimetres, then divide by 100.
2	7 x 25,000 = 175,000 cm = 1750 m = 1.75 km.	Centimetres become kilometres after dividing by 100,000.
3	4.5 km = 450,000 cm; 450,000 / 50,000 = 9 cm.	Ground to map means dividing by the scale denominator.
4	120 / 1,500 x 100 = 8 percent.	Gradient divides the rise by horizontal distance, not slope length.
5	360 / 12 = 30 m.	A 1:12 gradient means 1 m up for every 12 m across.
6	1 cm stands for 250 m, so (250 m)^2 = 0.0625 km2.	The area scale is the square of the length scale.
7	3 / 4 = 0.75 hour = 45 minutes.	Multiply the hour by 60; 0.75 hour is not 75 minutes.
8	Original 9 / 1.5 = 6 cm; 6 x 20,000 / 100 = 1200 m.	Undo the enlargement first, then apply the scale.
9	135° is south-east; adding 180° gives 315°, that is north-west.	Reverse bearings differ by 180°; subtract 360° when it overflows.
10	5 x 20,000 = 100,000 cm = 1000 m.	Multiply by the whole denominator 20,000, not by 20.

04　What to do after marking

After marking, redo only the wrong items and write down which step went wrong (formula, unit, or misread number).
Repeat the same item two days later; move to the next paper only when both attempts are correct.
Parents only need the answer and note columns; there is no need to explain every item.

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