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Easily calculate vertical exaggeration online with our free calculator. Get accurate results with steps, examples, and scale interpretation in seconds.
Understanding elevation differences on maps is important for geologists, engineers, and geography students. That's where vertical exaggeration comes in. It helps make subtle terrain features more visible by stretching the vertical scale compared to the horizontal scale. Our Vertical Exaggeration Calculator is a free, easy-to-use online tool that helps you instantly calculate vertical exaggeration for any map or drawing. Whether you're working on a cross-section or analyzing a topographic map, this calculator gives you precise results along with interpretation.
Vertical exaggeration is the ratio between the vertical scale and the horizontal scale used in a map or profile. It highlights elevation changes that are too subtle to notice when both axes are drawn to the same scale. This is especially useful when drawing elevation profiles of landscapes, roads, tunnels, or geological sections.
In simple terms, vertical exaggeration (VE) tells you how many times taller the vertical elements of a map appear compared to reality.
The formula to calculate vertical exaggeration is:
Vertical Exaggeration (VE) = Horizontal Scale ÷ Vertical Scale
Both scales must be expressed in the same format, usually as representative fractions (RF). For example, if your horizontal scale is 1:50,000 and vertical scale is 1:5,000:
VE = 50,000 ÷ 5,000 = 10
This means the vertical features are shown 10 times taller than the horizontal ones.
If you're using units (like cm and meters), convert both map and real distances to the same unit (e.g., meters), then apply the formula:
VE = (Real Horizontal Distance / Map Horizontal Distance) ÷ (Real Vertical Distance / Map Vertical Distance)
Let’s say on a topographic profile:
Convert both to meters:
Horizontal scale = 100 ÷ 0.01 = 10,000
Vertical scale = 20 ÷ 0.01 = 2,000
Now apply the formula:
VE = 10,000 ÷ 2,000 = 5
This means the vertical features are exaggerated 5 times.
Our calculator instantly gives you the vertical exaggeration value along with a clear interpretation, like whether your map has no exaggeration, is stretched, or compressed.
Using vertical exaggeration helps reveal important terrain features that might otherwise be too subtle to notice. With our free Vertical Exaggeration Calculator, you can calculate VE instantly without doing complex math. Whether you’re a student, cartographer, or researcher, this tool will simplify your work and improve your map analysis.
Vertical exaggeration makes subtle elevation differences more visible in maps and profiles, especially when the horizontal distance is much larger than vertical elevation changes.
Use the formula VE = Horizontal Scale ÷ Vertical Scale. Ensure both scales are in the same units before dividing.
Yes. If the vertical scale is larger than the horizontal scale, the VE will be less than 1, meaning vertical features are compressed.
Yes, vertical exaggeration is a ratio and doesn’t have units.
If horizontal scale is 1:100000 and vertical scale is 1:5000, VE = 100000 ÷ 5000 = 20. This means vertical features are 20 times taller than they actually are.
You apply vertical exaggeration by adjusting the vertical scale of your drawing or using software that allows you to change the vertical scale independently from the horizontal one.
Then VE = 1. That means there's no exaggeration and the profile is drawn to true scale.