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Scale (measurement)

A scale is both a device used for measurement of weights, and a series of ratios against which different measurements can be compared. The latter need not always be a linear ratio, and is often logarithmic.

A draughtsman's scale refers to a ruler-like device, often with a triangular cross-section, that permits him to represent items in the same relative dimensions.

The scale of a map or enlarged or reduced model indicates the ratio between the distances on the map or model and the corresponding distances in reality or the original. E.g. a map of scale 1:50,000 shows a distance of 1 km as 2 cm, and a model on a scale 1:25 of a building with a height of 30 m has a height of 1.20 m. In model railways a number of standard scales are indicated by letters such as "G", "O", "HO", "N" and "Z".

Scales with special uses are often named after the person who invented them.

See Also

Add more examples here... A history of the measuring scale would be good too