What is the term for a map scale where 1 cm on the map represents 1 km on the ground?

• A. A graphic scale
• B. A ratio scale
• C. An equivalence scale
• D. A natural scale

Answer: (C)

Understanding how map distances relate to real distances when described in words helps you read maps more intuitively. Saying that 1 centimeter on the map represents 1 kilometer on the ground expresses the relationship in words rather than as a numeric ratio or a drawn bar. This verbal or equivalence way of stating the scale is what the term equivalence scale captures: it conveys that those two units are equivalent in the map-to-ground relationship without converting it to a formal ratio or a graphic scale.

A graphic scale would appear as a bar with marked segments, not as a worded statement. A ratio scale would be written as a numeral ratio like 1:100000, which is a different way of expressing the same relationship. The term natural scale isn’t a standard label for this concept. So the description aligns with an equivalence (verbal) scale.