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Ratio, proportion and rates of changeFoundation and Higher

Maps, scales and exchange rates GCSE questions with answers

8 maps, scales and exchange rates questions to try, each with the answer and the full working one tap away. Every question here was made and worked out by the Show Working maths engine, not typed in by hand.

Map scale questions use a ratio like 1 : 100,000 to change between a distance on a map and the real distance. Exchange rate questions change money between pounds and another currency.

Quiz yourself: 8 questions

Worked example 1: exchange rates

Amir changes £65 into euros. The exchange rate is £1 = €1.15. How many euros does Amir get?

You can use a calculator for this one.

  1. £1 = €1.15, so multiply the number of pounds by 1.15.
  2. £65 × 1.15 = €74.75.

Answer €74.75

01 / Quiz yourselfTry it, then tap to check

Maps, scales and exchange rates questions to try

Work each one out on paper first. Then open the answer and compare your working with ours, step by step.

01 / Exchange ratesBoth tiers

After a holiday, Chloe changes €855 back into pounds. The exchange rate is £1 = €1.15. How much does Chloe get in pounds? Give your answer to the nearest penny.

You can use a calculator for this one.

Show the answer and working
  1. £1 = €1.15, so divide the number of euros by 1.15 to get pounds.
  2. 855 ÷ 1.15 = 743.4782…
  3. To the nearest penny: £743.48.

Answer £743.48

02 / Exchange ratesBoth tiers

Leo changes £515 into euros. The exchange rate is £1 = €1.17. How many euros does Leo get?

You can use a calculator for this one.

Show the answer and working
  1. £1 = €1.17, so multiply the number of pounds by 1.17.
  2. £515 × 1.17 = €602.55.

Answer €602.55

03 / Exchange ratesBoth tiers

After a holiday, Beth changes €65 back into pounds. The exchange rate is £1 = €1.20. How much does Beth get in pounds? Give your answer to the nearest penny.

You can use a calculator for this one.

Show the answer and working
  1. £1 = €1.20, so divide the number of euros by 1.20 to get pounds.
  2. 65 ÷ 1.20 = 54.1666…
  3. To the nearest penny: £54.17.

Answer £54.17

04 / Exchange ratesBoth tiers

Isla changes £785 into US dollars. The exchange rate is £1 = 1.32 US dollars. How many US dollars does Isla get?

You can use a calculator for this one.

Show the answer and working
  1. £1 = 1.32 US dollars, so multiply the number of pounds by 1.32.
  2. £785 × 1.32 = 1,036.20 US dollars.

Answer 1,036.20 US dollars

05 / Map scalesBoth tiers

A map has a scale of 1 : 10,000. On the map, two campsites are 1.5 cm apart. Work out the real distance between the campsites in metres.

Show the answer and working
  1. A scale of 1 : 10,000 means 1 cm on the map is 10,000 cm in real life.
  2. 1.5 cm on the map: 1.5 × 10,000 = 15,000 cm.
  3. There are 100 cm in 1 m: 15,000 ÷ 100 = 150 m.

Answer 150 m

06 / Map scalesBoth tiers

A map has a scale of 1 : 50,000. Two villages are 7 km apart in real life. How far apart are they on the map, in cm?

Show the answer and working
  1. Change the real distance into cm. There are 100,000 cm in 1 km, so 7 km = 7 × 100,000 = 700,000 cm.
  2. A scale of 1 : 50,000 means each cm on the map is 50,000 cm in real life, so divide: 700,000 ÷ 50,000 = 14 cm.

Answer 14 cm

07 / Map scalesBoth tiers

A map has a scale of 1 : 200,000. On the map, two towns are 3.5 cm apart. Work out the real distance between the towns in km.

Show the answer and working
  1. A scale of 1 : 200,000 means 1 cm on the map is 200,000 cm in real life.
  2. 3.5 cm on the map: 3.5 × 200,000 = 700,000 cm.
  3. There are 100 cm in 1 m and 1000 m in 1 km, so 100,000 cm in 1 km: 700,000 ÷ 100,000 = 7 km.

Answer 7 km

08 / Map scalesBoth tiers

A map has a scale of 1 : 500,000. On the map, two towns are 6 cm apart. Work out the real distance between the towns in km.

Show the answer and working
  1. A scale of 1 : 500,000 means 1 cm on the map is 500,000 cm in real life.
  2. 6 cm on the map: 6 × 500,000 = 3,000,000 cm.
  3. There are 100 cm in 1 m and 1000 m in 1 km, so 100,000 cm in 1 km: 3,000,000 ÷ 100,000 = 30 km.

Answer 30 km

02 / What's covered2 kinds of question

Maps, scales and exchange rates at GCSE and where marks go

  • Exchange ratesBoth tiers
  • Map scalesBoth tiers

Worked example 2: map scales

On a map, 1 cm represents 50 km. On the map, two towns are 14 cm apart. Work out the real distance between the towns in km.

  1. Each cm on the map stands for 50 km.
  2. 14 × 50 = 700 km.

Answer 700 km

A common mistake

Forgetting to change the units. On a 1 : 100,000 map, 1 cm stands for 100,000 cm, which is 1 km, so 4.5 km in real life is 4.5 cm on the map.

03 / Practise itiPhone and iPad

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