How to Find Distance on a Map
Knowing the distance between any two points on a map helps when planning a trip. Knowing the distance lets you determine how many tanks of gas you will need, how far you will drive each day and where you will need to stop in a hotel overnight. Knowing the distance also helps you calculate your destination arrival time and how much gas money you should charge the other passengers.
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Instructions
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Locate the map key. The map key looks like a tiny ruler, and it's usually located in one of the four corners of a map. The map key tells you how many inches or centimeters on the map equals a specific number of miles or kilometers. For example, one inch might equal 20 miles.
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Locate your starting and ending points on the map.
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Place one end of the ruler at the location you are leaving from and the other end at your destination location. Depending on how far you are traveling you may need to move the ruler several times. If so, keep track of the number of times you moved the ruler.
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Multiply the inches between the two locations by the distance information on the map key. For example, if one inch equals 20 miles and you are traveling four inches as measured by the ruler, multiply 20 by 4 to get a travel distance of 80 miles.
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Tips & Warnings
The distance might vary slightly because roads don't travel in straight lines.
If the distance between the two locations on the map is curvy, run a piece of string along the road you will take. Measure the string, then multiply according to the map key.
Resources
- Photo Credit Thumbtack in a map image by Nikolay Okhitin from Fotolia.com
