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4.1. Translating 2D shapes

At the end of section, the learner should be able to:

• Translate a point on a grid.
• Translate a shape on a grid by translating one vertex at a
time.
• Fully describe a translation.

Translation is a type of transformation that changes a shape’s position by moving it left,

right, up or down. The movements are measured in units.
The movement can be described using a column vector.
4 4 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡
Column vector ( ) is ( )
2 2 units up
−5 5 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡
( ) is ( )
−3 3 units down

When a shape is translated, the original shape is known as the object. After translation,
the shape is now called the image. The shape stays the same in size, which means
both the object and the image have the same orientation. They are said to be
congruent.

During translation, all the points

should be moved by an equal
number of units and in the same
direction.

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Worked example 4.4

1. Describe fully the transformation that maps triangle ABC onto triangle AI BI CI

Triangle ABC is the object in this

translation while triangle AI BI CI is the
image.
The translation that maps triangle ABC
onto triangle AI BI CI is 2 units to the
right and 3 units down.
This translation can be represented by
𝟐
column vector ( )
−𝟑

2. Describe fully the transformation that maps triangle ABC onto triangle AI BI CI

Triangle ABC is the object in this

translation while triangle AI BI CI is the
image.
The translation that maps triangle ABC
onto triangle AI BI CI is 6 units to the
left and 2 units up.
This translation can be represented by
−𝟔
column vector ( )
𝟐

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4.2. Reflecting shapes

At the end of section, the learner should be able to:

• Reflect shapes on a coordinate grid given the equation of the
mirror line.
• Fully describe a reflection and its mirror line.

Reflection is a type of transformation where a shape is flipped to the opposite side of

the line of reflection. This line of reflection is also referred to as the mirror line. The
object and the image must be the same distance from the mirror line.
It is easier to understand reflection by making use of an example.

The coordinate grid on the left shows a

reflection across the line 𝒚 = 𝒙.
Triangle ABC is reflected to form
triangle DEF.
Triangle ABC has coordinates A (-2, 2),
B (-6, 5) and C (-3, 6). Triangle DEF
has coordinates D (2, -2), E (5, -6) and
F (6, -3).

The reflection across the line 𝒚 = 𝒙,

flips the coordinates of all points in such
a way that (𝒙, 𝒚) becomes (𝒚, 𝒙).

Below is some important information to remember during reflection:

Type of reflection Before and After reflection

Reflection about the 𝒙-axis (𝑥, 𝑦) (𝑥, −𝑦)

Reflection about the 𝒚-axis (𝑥, 𝑦) (−𝑥, 𝑦)

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Reflection about the line 𝒚 = 𝒙 (𝑥, 𝑦) (𝑦, 𝑥)

Reflection about the line 𝒚 = − 𝒙 (𝑥, 𝑦) (−𝑦, −𝑥)

Reflection about the origin (𝑥, 𝑦) (−𝑥, −𝑦)

Worked example 4.5

1. Describe fully the transformation that maps triangle ABC onto triangle DEF

Triangle ABC is reflected about the 𝑦

– axis to form triangle DEF.

Triangle ABC has coordinates A (-

4, 6), B (-6, -2) and C (-2, -4).
Triangle DEF has coordinates D
(4, -6), E (6, -2) and F (2, -4).
The reflection about the 𝑦- axis,
flips the coordinates of all points in
such a way that (𝒙, 𝒚) becomes
(−𝒙, 𝒚).

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2. Describe fully the transformation that maps triangle ABC onto triangle DEF

Triangle ABC is reflected about the 𝑥 –

axis to form triangle DEF.

Triangle ABC has coordinates A (-6,

2), B (-4, 6) and C (-2, 4). Triangle
DEF has coordinates D (-6, -2), E (-
4, -6) and F (-2, -4).
The reflection about the 𝑥- axis, flips
the coordinates of all points in such
a way that (𝒙, 𝒚) becomes (𝒙, −𝒚).

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4.3. Rotation

At the end of section, the learner should be able to:

• Understand the rotation of shapes at different angles
clockwise and anticlockwise.
• Fully describe a rotation including the centre of rotation, angle
of rotation and direction.

Rotation is a type of transformation that turns a shape around a fixed point. The shape
and size stay the same, which means both the object and the image have the same
orientation. They are said to be congruent.
There are three requirements for rotation to happen:
• A centre of rotation
• The angle of rotation
• Direction of rotation – clockwise or anticlockwise

Rotation coordinate rules

Angle of rotation Clockwise Anticlockwise

90° (𝑥, 𝑦) (𝑦, −𝑥) (𝑥, 𝑦) (−𝑦, 𝑥)

(𝑥, 𝑦) (−𝑥, − 𝑦) (𝑥, 𝑦) (−𝑥, −𝑦)

180°
(𝑥, 𝑦) (−𝑦, 𝑥) (𝑥, 𝑦) (𝑦, −𝑥)
270°
(𝑥, 𝑦) (𝑥, 𝑦) (𝑥, 𝑦) (𝑥, 𝑦)
360°

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Worked example 4.6

1. Describe fully the transformation that maps triangle ABC onto triangle DEF

The transformation on the left is a 90°

clockwise rotation about the origin (0, 0).
Triangle ABC has coordinates A (1, 4),
B (4, 6) and C (5, 2). Triangle DEF has
coordinates D (-4, 1), E (-6, 4) and
F (-2, 5).
The 90° clockwise rotation changes the
position of the coordinates of all points
such that (𝒙, 𝒚) becomes (−𝒚, 𝒙).

2. Describe fully the transformation that maps triangle ABC onto triangle DEF

The transformation on the left is a 90°

anticlockwise rotation about the origin
(0, 0).
Triangle ABC has coordinates A (1, 4),
B (4, 6) and C (5, 2). Triangle DEF has
coordinates D (4, -1), E (6, -4) and
F (2, -5).
The 90° anticlockwise rotation changes
the position of the coordinates of all
points such that (𝒙, 𝒚) becomes
(𝒚, −𝒙).

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3. Describe fully the transformation that maps triangle ABC onto triangle DEF

The transformation on the left is a 180°

rotation about the origin (0, 0).
Triangle ABC has coordinates A (1, 4),
B (4, 6) and C (5, 2). Triangle DEF has
coordinates D (-1, -4), E (-4, -6) and
F (-5, -2).
The 180° rotation changes the position
of all points such that (𝒙, 𝒚) becomes
(−𝒙, −𝒚).

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4.4. Enlarging shapes

At the end of section, the learner should be able to:

• Enlarge shapes using a positive whole number scale factor.
• Enlarge shapes using a negative scale factor.
• Enlarge shapes using a scale factor between 0 and 1.

Enlargement is a type of transformation that changes the size of a shape by making it

bigger or smaller through the use of a scale factor.
There are two key requirements for enlargement to happen:
• Scale factor
• Centre of enlargement

How to determine a scale factor and centre of enlargement when given both the object
and image

Scale factor
𝑒𝑛𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 4
You can use the formula = =2
𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 2

Centre of enlargement
To find the centre of enlargement, join up the
points that go together as you can see done in
the digram. Where they meet at, that it the centre
of enlargement. In this case, they meet at the
origin.

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Scale factor between 0 and 1

If the scale factor is between 0 and 1, the object decreases in size.

Triangle ABC has coordinates A (2, 6), B

(4, 6) and C (4, 2). Triangle DEF has
coordinates D (1, 3), E (2, 3) and F (2, 1).
Triangle ABC is enlarged by a scale
1
factor of or 0.5 to form triangle DEF.
2
The centre of enlargement is at point O.

Scale factor greater than 1

Enlarging a shape with a scale factor greater than 1 will increase the size of the shape.

Triangle ABC has coordinates A (-2, -3), B (-

3, 2) and C (3, -1). Triangle DEF has
coordinates D (-4, -6), E (-6, 4) and F (6, -2).
Triangle ABC is enlarged by a scale factor
of 2 to form triangle DEF. The centre of
enlargement is at point O.

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Negative scale factors

When multiplying an object by a negative scale factor, the centre of enlargement lies
between the object and the image. The size of the image is the same as when it would
have been when enlarged with a positive scale factor, the only difference will be that the
shape is now in the opposite direction.

Triangle ABC has coordinates A (1, 3), B (2,

3) and C (2, 1). Triangle DEF has coordinates
D (-2, -6), E (-4, -6) and F (-4, -2).
Triangle ABC is enlarged by a scale factor
of - 2 to form triangle DEF. The centre of
enlargement is at point O.

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End of section questions

1. Describe fully the transformation that maps triangle A onto triangle B.

2. Describe fully the transformation that maps triangle A onto triangle B.

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3. Describe fully the transformation that maps triangle A onto triangle B.

4. Reflect shape A with your mirror line as the 𝑦 – axis.

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5.

6
Translate triangle P by the vector ( ). Label the new triangle Q.
−1

6. Rotate triangle A 180° about the origin. Label the new triangle B.

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7.

On the grid above, enlarge the shape by scale factor 2, centre (1,1).

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