Map distance equals five point seven cm. Real distance equals a highlighted question mark., A map scale is 1 : 400,000. The distance between two places on the map is 5∙7 cm.

A measurement-based scale, eg where 1 cm represents 50 km. A ratio scale in the form 1 : 𝑛, eg the ratio 1 : 30,000 means that every centimetre on the map represents 30,000 cm in real life.