Loading please wait

The smart way to improve grades

Comprehensive & curriculum aligned

Try an activity or get started for free

Solving Scale Drawing Problems

In this worksheet, students use ratios to solve problems involving scale drawings.

'Solving Scale Drawing Problems' worksheet

Key stage:  KS 2

Year:  Year 6 Maths worksheets

Curriculum topic:   Ratio and Proportion

Curriculum subtopic:   Solve Shape Problems

Difficulty level:  

Worksheet Overview

The scale in a scale drawing is often shown as a ratio.

A ratio of 1:100 means that 1 cm on the drawing represents 100 cm in actual real life.

This could also be written as 1 cm:1 m or 1 cm to 1 m.

 

This means that a scale of 1 cm to 5 m could also be written as 1:500.

 

 

Example 1

Betty makes a scale drawing of her classroom.

She uses a scale of 1 cm to 2 m.

The actual length of her classroom is 10 m.

How long should she make her classroom, in cm, on her drawing?

 

Answer

The ratio is 1 cm to 2 m.

Every 2 m in real life is shown as 1 cm on the drawing.

10 m is 5 × 2 m.

On the drawing, this should be 5 cm.

 

 

Example 2

Charlie makes a scale drawing of the school hall.

The actual length of the hall is 25 m.

On his drawing, he makes the hall 5 cm long.

What scale is Charlie using?

 

Answer

The ratio is 5 cm to 25 m.

This simplifies like a fraction by dividing both numbers by 5.

So the ratio is 1 cm to 5 m.

This is 1 cm to 500 cm or 1:500.

What is EdPlace?

We're your National Curriculum aligned online education content provider helping each child succeed in English, maths and science from year 1 to GCSE. With an EdPlace account you’ll be able to track and measure progress, helping each child achieve their best. We build confidence and attainment by personalising each child’s learning at a level that suits them.

Get started
laptop

Try an activity or get started for free