LESSON 8

Reflections

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

Definition
Reflection 𝝈ℒ in the line 𝓛 is the mapping
2 2 𝑃, if point 𝑃 is on ℒ
𝝈ℒ : 𝐸 ⟶ 𝐸 , 𝑃⟼
𝑄, if point 𝑃 is off ℒ and ℒ is the perpendicular bisector of 𝑃𝑄
The line ℒ is usually referred to as the mirror of the reflection.

Remarks
(a)We do not use the word reflection to denote the image of a point or of a set of points. A
reflection is a transformation and never a set of points. Point 𝜎ℒ (𝑃) is the image of point 𝑃
under the reflection 𝜎ℒ .
(b)Reflection 𝜎ℒ is an isometry, i.e., 𝑑 𝜎ℒ 𝑃 , 𝜎ℒ 𝑄 = 𝑑(𝑃, 𝑄).
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Theorem 1
If line ℒ has equation 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 + 𝑐 = 0, then reflection 𝜎ℒ has equations:

′
2𝑎(𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 + 𝑐)
𝑥 =𝑥−
𝑎2 + 𝑏2
′
2𝑏(𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 + 𝑐)
𝑦 =𝑦−
𝑎2 + 𝑏2

Example 1
The reflection 𝜎𝑦=0 in the 𝑥-axis is defined by (𝑥, 𝑦) ⟼ (𝑥, −𝑦).
ℒ: 𝑦 = 0 (𝑎 = 0, 𝑏 = 1, 𝑐 = 0) By Theorem 1, 𝜎𝑦=0 has equations
𝑥’ = 𝑥
𝑦’ = −𝑦
This transformation can also be represented
using matrix multiplication:
𝑥 1 0 𝑥 𝑥
𝜎𝑦=0 𝑦 = = −𝑦
0 −1 𝑦
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Example 2
The reflection 𝜎𝑥=0 in the 𝑦-axis is defined by (𝑥, 𝑦) ⟼ (−𝑥, 𝑦).
ℒ: 𝑥 = 0 (𝑎 = 1, 𝑏 = 0, 𝑐 = 0) By Theorem 1, 𝜎𝑥=0 has equations
𝑥’ = −𝑥
𝑦’ = 𝑦
This transformation can also be represented
using matrix multiplication:
𝑥 −1 0 𝑥 −𝑥
𝜎𝑦=0 𝑦 = =
0 1 𝑦 𝑦

Example 3
The reflection 𝜎𝑦=𝑥 in the line 𝑦 = 𝑥 is defined by (𝑥, 𝑦) ⟼ (𝑦, 𝑥).
ℒ: 𝑦 = 𝑥 (𝑎 = −1, 𝑏 = 1, 𝑐 = 0) By Theorem 1, 𝜎𝑦=𝑥 has equations
𝑥’ = 𝑦
𝑦’ = 𝑥
This transformation can also be represented
using matrix multiplication:
𝑥 0 1 𝑥 𝑦
𝜎𝑦=0 𝑦 = =
1 0 𝑦 𝑥
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Example 4
The reflection 𝜎𝑦=−𝑥 in the line 𝑦 = −𝑥 is defined by (𝑥, 𝑦) ⟼ (−𝑦, −𝑥).
ℒ: 𝑦 = −𝑥 (𝑎 = 1, 𝑏 = 1, 𝑐 = 0) By Theorem 1, 𝜎𝑦=−𝑥 has equations
𝑥’ = −𝑦
𝑦’ = −𝑥
This transformation can also be represented
using matrix multiplication:
𝑥 0 −1 𝑥 −𝑦
𝜎𝑦=0 𝑦 = =
−1 0 𝑦 −𝑥

Example 5
Find the equations of reflection 𝜎𝑥−𝑦+1=0
ℒ: 𝑥 − 𝑦 + 1 = 0 (𝑎 = 1, 𝑏 = −1, 𝑐 = 1) By Theorem 1,𝜎𝑥−𝑦+1=0 has equations
2𝑎 𝑎𝑥+𝑏𝑦+𝑐 2 𝑥−𝑦+1 2 𝑥−𝑦+1
𝑥′ = 𝑥 − =𝑥− =𝑥− = 𝑦−1
𝑎2 +𝑏2 12 + −1 2 2
2𝑏 𝑎𝑥+𝑏𝑦+𝑐 −2 𝑥−𝑦+1 −2 𝑥−𝑦+1
𝑦′ = 𝑦 − = 𝑦− =𝑦 − =𝑥+1
𝑎2 +𝑏2 12 + −1 2 2
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Example 6
Find the coordinates of the image of (2, −3) under the following reflections.
(a) 𝜎𝑦=0 (reflection in the 𝑥-axis)
(b) 𝜎𝑥=0 (reflection in the 𝑦-axis)
(c) 𝜎𝑦=𝑥 (reflection in the line 𝑦 = 𝑥)
(d) 𝜎𝑦=−𝑥 (reflection in the line 𝑦 = −𝑥)
Solution:
(a) (𝑥, 𝑦) ⟼ (𝑥, −𝑦) (c) (𝑥, 𝑦) ⟼ (𝑦, 𝑥)
(2, −3) ⟼ (2, 3) (2, −3) ⟼ (−3, 2)
(b) (𝑥, 𝑦) ⟼ (−𝑥, 𝑦) (d) (𝑥, 𝑦) ⟼ (−𝑦, −𝑥)
(2, −3) ⟼ (−2, −3) (2, −3) ⟼ (3, −2)
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Example 7
The image of 𝐴(−1, 9) is 𝐴’(11, 3). Determine the equation of the axis of reflection and give the
rule for reflecting in this line.
Solution: The axis of reflection is the perpendicular bisector of 𝐴𝐴′. Because the perpendicular
bisector goes through the segment’s midpoint, the first thing we need to do is to find the
midpoint of the line segment 𝐴𝐴′.
𝑥 +𝑥 𝑦 +𝑦 −1+11 9+3
𝑀𝑖𝑑𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 = 1 2 2 , 1 2 2 = , 2 = (5, 6)
2
Next, we need to find the slope of line segment 𝐴𝐴′:
𝑦 −𝑦 3−9 1
𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 = 𝑥2−𝑥1 = 11−(−1) = − 2
2 1
The slope of the perpendicular bisector of 𝐴𝐴′ is the negative reciprocal of the slope of 𝐴𝐴′.
Thus, the slope of the perpendicular bisector is 2.
Finally, substitute the slope 2 and the point (5, 6) into the point-slope form:
𝑦 − 𝑦1 = 𝑚(𝑥 − 𝑥1 )
𝑦 − 6 = 2 𝑥 − 5 ⟹ 𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 10 + 6 ⟹ 𝒚 = 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟒
−3𝑥+4𝑦+16 4𝑥+3𝑦−8
By Theorem 1, the rule for reflection is defined by 𝑥, 𝑦 ⟼ , . (Verify!)
5 5
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Example 8
Find the image equation of 𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 1 under the reflection in the line 𝑦 = −𝑥.
Solution:
A reflection in the line 𝑦 = −𝑥 has equations
𝑥’ = −𝑦
𝑦’ = −𝑥
Solve for 𝑥 and 𝑦 in terms of 𝑥’ and 𝑦’.
𝑥 = −𝑦’
𝑦 = −𝑥′
Substitute to find the image equation.
𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 1
⟹ −𝑥 ′ = 2 −𝑦 ′ + 1
1 1
⟹ 𝑦′ = 2 𝑥′ + 2
State the image equation without the primes.
1 1
𝑦= 𝑥+
2 2
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Example 9
Find the image equation of the graph of 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 + 1 2 = 9 under the reflection in the line 𝑦 = 0.
Solution:
A reflection in the line 𝑦 = 0 has equations
𝑥’ = 𝑥
𝑦’ = −𝑦
Solve for 𝑥 and 𝑦 in terms of 𝑥’ and 𝑦’.
𝑥 = 𝑥′
𝑦 = −𝑦′
Substitute to find the image equation.
𝑥2 + 𝑦 + 1 2 = 9
⟹ 𝑥 ′ 2 + −𝑦 ′ + 1 2 = 9
⟹ 𝑥 ′ 2 + −𝑦 ′ 2 − 2𝑦 ′ + 1 = 9
⟹ 𝑥 ′ 2 + 𝑦 ′ 2 − 2𝑦 ′ − 8 = 0
State the image equation without the primes.
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 − 2𝑦 − 8 = 0 or 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 − 1 2 = 9
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Theorem 2 (Reflection in the line 𝑦 = 𝑥 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝛉)
Let 𝜃 be the angle between the positive direction of the 𝑥-axis and the line 𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥. Then 𝑚 =
tan 𝜃 and so 𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 = 𝑥 tan 𝜃.
Then the reflection in the line 𝑦 = 𝑥 tan 𝜃 is given by
𝑥 cos(2𝜃) sin(2𝜃) 𝑥
𝜎 𝑦 =
sin(2𝜃) − cos(2𝜃) 𝑦

Example 10
Find the matrix that will reflect the point (𝑥, 𝑦) in the line through the origin at an angle of 30° to
the positive direction of the 𝑥-axis.
Solution:
Let 𝜃 = 30°. Then the required reflection matrix is
1 3
cos(2𝜃) sin(2𝜃) cos 60° sin 60° 2 2
= =
sin(2𝜃) − cos(2𝜃) sin 60° − cos 60° 3 −1
2 2
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Example 11
Find the matrix that will reflect the point (𝑥, 𝑦) in the line 𝑦 = 2𝑥.
Solution:
2
Since tan 𝜃 = 2 = 1 , we draw a right triangle with opposite and adjacent lengths 2 and
1 respectively.
Pythagorean’s theorem gives the hypotenuse as 5. Therefore
1 2
cos 𝜃 = and sin 𝜃 =
5 5
We then use the double angle formulas to show that
1 2 2 3
cos 2𝜃 = 2cos 2 𝜃 −1=2 −1 = 5− 1 = −5
5
2 1 4
sin 2𝜃 = 2 sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃 = 2 =5
5 5
Therefore the required reflection matrix is
3 4
cos(2𝜃) sin(2𝜃) −5 5
= 4 3
sin(2𝜃) − cos(2𝜃)
5 5
(Note that you can also use Theorem 1 and express it as a product of matrices)
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Reflection in the line 𝑦 = 𝑥 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝛉 + 𝒃
To reflect the plane in a line 𝑦 = 𝑥 tan 𝜃 + 𝑏 that does not go through the origin, we do the
following steps:
0
Step 1: Translate the plane so that the line passes through the origin, by adding .
−𝑏
cos(2𝜃) sin(2𝜃)
Step 2: Reflect the plane in the line 𝑦 = 𝑥 tan 𝜃, by multiplying by .
sin(2𝜃) − cos(2𝜃)
0
Step 3: Translate the plane back to its original position, by adding .
𝑏
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Example 12
a) Find the transformation that reflect the plane in the line 𝑦 = −𝑥 + 1.
b) Find the image of the point (1, 1).
Solution:
a) We do this in a sequence of three steps, starting with the initial point (𝑥, 𝑦).

This gives the overall transformation