How Maps Use Math

Every map is full of math. Scales tell you how distances on the map match real distances. Coordinates help you find exact locations. Math even helps flatten the round Earth onto a flat piece of paper.

Scales and Distances

A map scale tells you how to convert map distances to real distances. If the scale says 1 inch equals 100 miles, two cities that are 3 inches apart on the map are 300 miles apart in real life.

To find real distances, you measure on the map and then multiply. This is math in action every time you look at a map.

Coordinates and Projections

Latitude and longitude are coordinates that pinpoint any spot on Earth. They work like an x-y grid wrapped around a globe. The equator is at 0 degrees latitude, and the prime meridian is at 0 degrees longitude.

Making a flat map from a round globe requires math called projections. No projection is perfect. Some stretch the poles, and others change the shapes of continents. Mapmakers choose the best projection for their purpose.

Fun Facts

• GPS systems use math to triangulate your position using signals from at least 4 satellites.
• The Mercator projection makes Greenland look as big as Africa, but Africa is actually 14 times bigger.
• The oldest known map is from ancient Babylon and is about 2,600 years old.

Did You Know?

It is mathematically impossible to make a perfectly accurate flat map of the round Earth. Every flat map has some kind of distortion!