Transformations
Ages 10–15Difficulty adapts to you
Transformations
A transformation changes a shape’s position, orientation, or size. Translation slides, reflection flips, rotation turns, and enlargement scales.
Your goals
- ✓You can translate, reflect, rotate, and enlarge shapes.
- ✓You can use translation, reflection, rotation correctly.
- ✓You can track each vertex and preserve the shape unless it is enlarged.
Words to know
- translation:
- A slide that moves every point the same distance and direction.
- reflection:
- A flip across a mirror line.
- rotation:
- A turn around a fixed centre.
Examples
- 1Translate (2, 3) by vector (4, -1) to get (6, 2).
- 2Reflecting across the y-axis changes (3, 2) to (-3, 2).
More than one way to solve it
Try each method, then choose the one you can explain and check most clearly.
Method 1
Coordinate rule
- 1.Write each original coordinate.
- 2.Apply the transformation rule.
- 3.Plot and join the new points.
Example: Reflect across the y-axis with (x, y) → (-x, y).
Method 2
Tracing-paper visualisation
- 1.Trace the shape and mark the centre or mirror line.
- 2.Move or turn the tracing as instructed.
- 3.Mark the new vertices.
Example: Rotate tracing paper 90° clockwise around the marked centre.
Check these
- • Do not describe a transformation without its required direction, line, centre, angle, or scale factor.
- • Keep every number, symbol, label, and unit in its correct place.
- • Choose the method that makes each step easiest to explain and check.
Helpful habits
- • Read the whole question before choosing what to do.
- • Show one clear step at a time and check each step.
- • If you are stuck, draw a model, try smaller numbers, or revisit the example.
Now try your own
Create your own transformations example, solve it, and explain how you checked it.
Professor Wise Owl
Wisdom & Understanding“Take your time — wisdom comes from understanding, not rushing!”