DfE statement R2 · Ratio, proportion and rates of change
Scale factors, scale diagrams and maps
Scale factors, scale diagrams and maps is content statement R2 of the DfE GCSE mathematics subject content, in the ratio, proportion and rates of change area. It is on both tiers, and it appears on both the calculator and the non-calculator papers. Below is what the specification actually requires, the 3 mistakes that cost marks on this topic most often, and practice questions written to the statement — original questions, not past papers.
What the specification says
The DfE subject content for GCSE mathematics states, verbatim: "Use scale factors, scale diagrams and maps." (statement R2). Every awarding organisation — Pearson Edexcel, AQA and OCR — must cover it, so the wording is the same whichever specification your school follows.
Tier
Both tiers. This statement is Foundation content, which means Higher students are examined on it too — Higher is Foundation plus more, never instead of it.
Calculator
This turns up on both the non-calculator and the calculator papers, so practise it both ways — the written method for Paper 1 and the efficient calculator route for Papers 2 and 3.
Common mistakes
- Reading a 1:25 000 map scale correctly but leaving the answer in centimetres when the question asks for kilometres.
- Applying the scale the wrong way, shrinking the real distance instead of enlarging the map distance.
- Measuring the map distance to the nearest centimetre when the question expects millimetre precision.
Sample questions (10 of 30)
Nearby statements
Questions people ask
Is scale factors, scale diagrams and maps on Foundation or Higher?
Both. It is Foundation content, so it can be asked on either tier.
Can I use a calculator for scale factors, scale diagrams and maps?
It depends on the paper. Paper 1 is non-calculator; Papers 2 and 3 allow one, and this topic is asked on both kinds.
What is the single most common mistake here?
Reading a 1:25 000 map scale correctly but leaving the answer in centimetres when the question asks for kilometres.
Are these past paper questions?
No. Every question is original, written to this DfE content statement and checked before publication. We do not host past papers or mark schemes.
Back to Ratio, proportion and rates of change at Foundation or at Higher.