Transformations

By Martin McBride, 2020-08-23
Tags: transformations
Categories: gcse geometry


Transformations move a shape from one place to another and may have other effects too. There are four main types of transformation:

  • Translation, which slides a shape to a different position.
  • Rotation, which spins the shape about a point.
  • Reflection, which creates a mirror image of the shape.
  • Scaling, which makes the shape bigger or smaller.

You can also apply a combination of two or more transformations.

Mapping

A transformation is often described as mapping one shape onto another. For example in this case:

Translating a triangle

We can say that a translation will map shape A onto shape B. In this case, translating triangle A 5 units to the left and 4 units down will map A onto B.

This can be done as a single translation (5 to the left and 4 down at the same time).

You could also transform the shape in two or more steps. For example, you could move the shape 2 to the left, then 4 down, then 3 to the left, which would use three steps to get the same result. An exam question will often ask for the single transformation that maps one shape onto another

Here is a video that shows translations and rotations:

See also



Join the GraphicMaths Newletter

Sign up using this form to receive an email when new content is added:

Popular tags

adder adjacency matrix alu and gate angle area argand diagram binary maths cartesian equation chain rule chord circle cofactor combinations complex polygon complex power complex root cosh cosine cosine rule cpu cube decagon demorgans law derivative determinant diagonal directrix dodecagon ellipse equilateral triangle eulers formula exponent exponential exterior angle first principles flip-flop focus gabriels horn gradient graph hendecagon heptagon hexagon horizontal hyperbola hyperbolic function infinity integration by substitution interior angle inverse hyperbolic function inverse matrix irregular polygon isosceles trapezium isosceles triangle kite koch curve l system locus maclaurin series major axis matrix matrix algebra minor axis nand gate newton raphson method nonagon nor gate normal not gate octagon or gate parabola parallelogram parametric equation pentagon perimeter permutations polar coordinates polynomial power product rule pythagoras proof quadrilateral radians radius rectangle regular polygon rhombus root set set-reset flip-flop sine sine rule sinh sloping lines solving equations solving triangles square standard curves star polygon straight line graphs surface of revolution symmetry tangent tanh transformations trapezium triangle turtle graphics vertical volume of revolution xnor gate xor gate