In a 1:500,000 VNC, 2 inches would correspond to approximately how many nautical miles?

• A. 5 NM
• B. 21 NM
• C. 28 NM
• D. 14 NM

Answer: (D)

Converting chart distance to real-world nautical miles using the map’s scale and unit conversions. On a 1:500,000 chart, 2 inches on the chart represent 2 × 500,000 inches in reality = 1,000,000 inches. There are about 72,913 inches in one nautical mile (1 NM ≈ 6076.115 feet; 6076.115 × 12 ≈ 72,913 inches). So 1,000,000 inches ÷ 72,913 inches per NM ≈ 13.72 NM, which rounds to about 14 NM. Therefore, 2 inches on this scale corresponds to approximately 14 nautical miles.