Which of these maps would have the smallest scale?(1 point)

Responses

A map of the United States

A map of North America

A map of Pinellas County

A map of Florida

A map of Pinellas County

The map of Pinellas County would have the smallest scale.

To determine which map would have the smallest scale, we need to understand what scale means in the context of maps. Scale refers to the relationship between the distance on a map and the actual distance on the ground.

Typically, maps are represented using a scale ratio or bar scale. A scale ratio indicates how many units on the map correspond to one unit on the ground. For example, a scale ratio of 1:100,000 means that 1 unit on the map represents 100,000 units on the ground.

Now, let's analyze the given options:

1. A map of the United States: The United States is a large country, and to fit it on a map, the scale would typically be relatively small to maintain legibility. Therefore, this map likely has a larger scale compared to the other options.

2. A map of North America: North America includes more than just the United States, so it would also need to accommodate Canada, Mexico, and other neighboring countries. Similar to the map of the United States, the scale on a map of North America may be larger.

3. A map of Pinellas County: Pinellas County is a specific geographical area within the state of Florida. Generally, maps of smaller areas provide more detail, and therefore, require a larger scale. Consequently, the scale on a map of Pinellas County would likely be larger than the previous two options.

4. A map of Florida: Florida is a state that is smaller in size compared to the United States or North America as a whole. Therefore, to fit the whole state on a map while showing sufficient detail, a smaller scale can be used compared to the larger-scale maps of the United States or North America.

Based on these considerations, the map of Florida is the most likely to have the smallest scale among the provided options.