LESSON 9

Rotations

Prepared by: Benedict M. Estrella | College of Science | Bulacan State University

Definition
A rotation about point 𝑪 through directed angle 𝜽 is the transformation 𝜌𝐶,𝜃 that fixes
𝐶 and otherwise sends a point 𝑃 to the point 𝑃’, where d(𝐶, 𝑃’) = 𝑑(𝐶, 𝑃) and 𝜃 is the
directed angle measure of the directed angle from 𝐶𝑃 to 𝐶𝑃′.

Remarks
(a)A rotation is an isometry.
(b)The rotation 𝜌𝐶,0° is the identity.
(c)A non-identity rotation fixes exactly one point, its centre. A rotation with centre 𝐶
fixes every circle with centre 𝐶.
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Theorem 1
A rotation 𝝆𝑶,𝜽 about the origin 𝑶 at an angle 𝜽 is represented by the rotation matrix
cos 𝜃 − sin 𝜃
sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃
That is, the rotation 𝜌𝑂,𝜃 is defined by
𝑥 cos 𝜃 − sin 𝜃 𝑥 𝑥 cos 𝜃 − 𝑦 sin 𝜃
𝜌𝑂,𝜃 𝑦 = =
sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃 𝑦 𝑥 sin 𝜃 + 𝑦 cos 𝜃

Example 1
cos 90° − sin 90° 0 −1
A rotation about the origin at an angle 𝜃 = 90° is represented by =
sin 90° cos 90° 1 0
𝑥 0 −1 𝑥 −𝑦
Thus, the rotation 𝜌𝑂,90° is defined by 𝜌𝑂,90° 𝑦 = =
1 0 𝑦 𝑥
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Example 2
Find the image of the triangle with vertices 𝐴 = (0, 1), 𝐵 = (−1, −1), 𝐶 = (1, −1) under a rotation
about the origin at an angle 𝜃 = 90°.

𝑥 0 −1 𝑥 −𝑦
Solution: From example 1, we have 𝜌𝑂,90° 𝑦 = =
1 0 𝑦 𝑥
0 −1
Thus, 𝜌𝑂,90° =
1 0
−1 1
𝜌𝑂,90° = 𝜌𝑂,90° (𝐶)
−1 −1
𝜌𝑂,90°
1 1 𝜌𝑂,90° (𝐴)
𝜌𝑂,90° =
−1 1

𝜌𝑂,90° (𝐵)
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Example 3
(a) A rotation about the origin at an angle 𝜃 = 180° is represented by
cos 180° − sin 180° −1 0
=
sin 180° cos 180° 0 −1
Thus, the rotation 𝜌𝑂,180° is defined by
𝑥 −1 0 𝑥 −𝑥
𝜌𝑂,180° 𝑦 = =
0 −1 𝑦 −𝑦
(b) A rotation about the origin at an angle 𝜃 = 270° is represented by
cos 270° − sin 270° 0 1
=
sin 270° cos 270° −1 0
Thus, the rotation 𝜌𝑂,270° is defined by
𝑥 0 1 𝑥 𝑦
𝜌𝑂,270° 𝑦 = =
−1 0 𝑦 −𝑥
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Example 4
Find the image of the triangle with vertices 𝐴 = (1, 2), 𝐵 = (2, 4), 𝐶 = (4, 1) under a rotation about
the origin at an angle 𝜃 = 180°.
𝑥 −1 0 𝑥 −𝑥
Solution: From example 3, we have 𝜌𝑂,180° 𝑦 = =
0 −1 𝑦 −𝑦
1 −1
Thus, 𝜌𝑂,180° =
2 −2
2 −2
𝜌𝑂,180° =
4 −4
4 −4
𝜌𝑂,180° =
1 −1
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Example 5
Find the image of the triangle with vertices 𝐴 = (1, 2), 𝐵 = (2, 4), 𝐶 = (4, 1) under a rotation about
the origin at an angle 𝜃 = 270°.
𝑥 0 1 𝑥 𝑦
Solution: From example 3, we have 𝜌𝑂,270° 𝑦 = =
−1 0 𝑦 −𝑥
1 2
Thus, 𝜌𝑂,270° =
2 −1
2 4
𝜌𝑂,270° =
4 −2
4 1
𝜌𝑂,270° =
1 −4
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Theorem 2
A rotation 𝝆𝑪,𝜽 about the centre 𝑪 = (𝒂, 𝒃) at an angle 𝜽 has equations
𝑥 ′ = 𝑥 − 𝑎 cos 𝜃 − 𝑦 − 𝑏 sin 𝜃 + 𝑎
𝑦 ′ = 𝑥 − 𝑎 sin 𝜃 + 𝑦 − 𝑏 cos 𝜃 + 𝑏
𝑥′ cos 𝜃 − sin 𝜃 𝑥 − 𝑎 𝑎
In matrix form, = +
𝑦′ sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃 𝑦 − 𝑏 𝑏

Example 6
a) Find the transformation that rotates the plane by 90° anticlockwise about the point (1, 1).
b) Find the image of (0, 1).
Solution:
𝑥′ cos 90° − sin 90° 𝑥 − 1 1 0 −1 𝑥 − 1 1 −𝑦 + 2
a) = + = + =
𝑦′ sin 90° cos 90° 𝑦 − 1 1 1 0 𝑦−1 1 𝑥
𝑥′ −𝑦 + 2 −1 + 2 1
b) = = =
𝑦′ 𝑥 0 0
Therefore, (0, 1) ⟼ (1, 0)
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Example 7
Find the image of the point 𝐴 = (3, 6) under a rotation about 𝐶 = (−3, 5) at an angle 𝜃 = 45°.
2 2 −6+5 2
Solution: 𝑥 ′ = 3 − −3 cos 45° − 6 − 5 sin 45° + −3 = 6 − −3=
2 2 2
2 2 10+7 2
𝑦 ′ = 3 − −3 sin 45° + 6 − 5 cos 45° + 5 = 6 2
+ 2
+5= 2
−6+5 2 10+7 2
Therefore the image is the point , 2 .
2

Transformation of a Line
To find the equation of the image of a line under a rotation (it is also applicable under
translation and reflection):
Step 1: Find the coordinates of any two points on the line.
Step 2: Find the coordinates of the images of the two points from step 1.
Step 3: Use the two image points from step 2 to find the slope of the image line.
Step 4: Use one of the image points, the slope from step 3, and the equation of a line to find the
equation of the image line.
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Example 8
Find the image equation of the line 2𝑥 + 𝑦 − 6 = 0 under the rotation 𝜌𝑂,30° .
Solution:
Step 1: Find two points that lie on the original line. Let’s choose the 𝑥-intercept (3, 0) and the 𝑦-
intercept (0, 6).
Step 2: The image point of (3, 0) under the rotation is
3 1 3 3
3 cos 30° − sin 30° 3 −2 3
2 2
𝜌𝑂,30° = = =
0 sin 30° cos 30° 0 1 3 0 3
2 2 2
The image point of (0, 6) under the rotation is
3 1
0 cos 30° − sin 30° 0 −2 0 −3
2
𝜌𝑂,30° = = =
6 sin 30° cos 30° 6 1 3 6 3 3
2 2
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Example 8
3 3 3
Step 3: Find the slope of the image line using the image points , and −3, 3 3 .
2 2
3
𝑦2 −𝑦1 3 3−
2
𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 = 𝑥2 −𝑥1
= 3 3
=8−5 3
−3−
2
Step 4: Use one of the image points, the slope from step 3, and the equation of a line to find the
equation of the image line.
The equation of a line is 𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑏, where 𝑚 is slope and 𝑏 is the 𝑦-intercept.
Plug in the image point −3, 3 3 and 𝑚 = 8 − 5 3 to solve for 𝑏:
3 3 = 8 − 5 3 −3 + 𝑏 ⟹ 𝑏 = 24 − 12 3
So the equation of the image line is
𝑦 = 8 − 5 3 𝑥 + 24 − 12 3 or 8 − 5 3 𝑥 − 𝑦 + 24 − 12 3 = 0
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Definition
If 𝛼 and 𝛽 are lines passing through a point 𝐶, the isometry 𝜎𝛼 𝜎𝛽 (product of two
reflections) is called a rotation about point 𝑪, where the angle of rotation is twice the
angle from the axis of 𝛽 to the axis of 𝛼. The special case 𝛼 = 𝛽 is allowed so that the
identity is (by definition) a rotation about 𝐶 no matter what 𝐶 is. If a rotation is not the
identity, we refer to it as a nontrivial rotation. If 𝛼 ⊥ 𝛽, the rotation 𝜎𝛼 𝜎𝛽 is called a half-
turn (a rotation of 180°).

𝜶
𝑿"

𝑿′ 𝜷
In the figure, 𝜎𝛼 𝜎𝛽 is the rotation about 𝐶 by
twice 𝜃 . Three successive positions 𝑋, 𝑋’ and 𝜽 𝑿
𝑋’’ of a typical point are shown. 𝑪
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Theorem 3
The set of all rotations about the origin is an abelian group called the Special
Orthogonal Group of 𝑬𝟐 , and is denoted by 𝑺𝑶(𝟐).
Proof:
 𝜌𝑂,𝜃 𝜌𝑂,𝜑 = 𝜌𝑂,𝜃+𝜑 = 𝜌𝑂,𝜑+𝜃 = 𝜌𝑂,𝜑 𝜌𝑂,𝜃
 𝜌𝑂,0° is the identity
 𝜌𝑂,𝜃 −1 = 𝜌𝑂,−𝜃

Theorem 4
(a) The set of all rotations about the origin and reflections in lines through the origin is a
group called the Orthogonal Group, and is denoted by 𝑶(𝟐).
(b) 𝑆𝑂(2) is a subgroup of index 2 in 𝑂(2).
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Theorem 5 (Representation Theorem for Rotations)
Let 𝑅 = 𝜎𝛼 𝜎𝛽 be any rotation about point 𝑃, and let ℓ be any line through 𝑃. Then there
exist unique lines 𝑚 and 𝑚’ through 𝑃 such that
𝑅 = 𝜎ℓ 𝜎𝑚 = 𝜎𝑚′ 𝜎ℓ
Proof: This is similar to the proof for translations.
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Definition
Let ℒ be a line and 𝛼 be a vector parallel to ℒ. Then, an isometry ℊℒ,𝛼 (𝑃)

ℊℒ,𝛼 = 𝜏𝛼 𝜎ℒ
is called a glide reflection.
A glide reflection is a reflection followed by
a translation parallel to the reflection line.

Remarks
(a)If 𝛼 = 0, then ℊℒ,𝛼 is a reflection. Therefore, every reflection is also a glide reflection.
(b)Since any translation 𝜏𝛼 is a product of two
reflections 𝜎𝑁 and 𝜎𝑀 , a glide reflection is
a product of three reflections, ℊℒ,𝛼 = 𝜎𝑁 𝜎𝑀 𝜎ℒ
where lines 𝑀, 𝑁 and ℒ are shown in the figure.
The converse also holds.
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Theorem 6
Let 𝑇 be a glide reflection, and let 𝜎ℓ be any reflection. Then 𝜎ℓ 𝑇 is a translation or
rotation.

Definition
An isometry that is the product of a finite number of reflections is called a motion.

Theorem 7
Every motion is the product of two or three suitable chosen reflections.

Corollary
The group of motions consists of all translations, rotations, reflections, and glide
reflections.
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Theorem 8
Every isometry of 𝐸 2 is a motion.

Definition
(a) An isometry that is a product of an even number of reflections is said to be
orientation-preserving.
(b) An isometry that is a product of an odd number of reflections is said to be
orientation-reversing.

Remarks
(a) Translations and rotations are orientation-preserving.
(b) Mirror reflections and glide reflections are orientation-reversing.