Navigation General · Chart Datums & Projections
Which statement about chart scale is CORRECT?
- AA scale of 1:5,000 is a smaller scale than 1:500,000
- BA scale of 1:5,000 is a larger scale than 1:500,000✓ Correct
- CLarger scale charts cover a greater geographic area
- DScale has no effect on the detail shown for a given feature
Explanation
Scale is a fraction: 1:5,000 = 0.0002, while 1:500,000 = 0.000002. The larger fraction represents the larger scale. A large-scale chart (e.g., 1:5,000) covers a small geographic area but shows great detail — suitable for harbors. A small-scale chart (e.g., 1:500,000) covers a large area with less detail — suitable for ocean passage planning.
Authority: Bowditch (Pub. 9), Ch. 2
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