GEOMETRIC
TRANSFORMATIONS –
DEFINITIONS, TYPES,
EXAMPLES, AND QUIZ
Sep 3, 2024
From the steady spin of Earth to seeing your reflection in a mirror,
geometric transformations are more than just lessons in your math
book—they’re tools that help us understand how objects change
position, size, and shape in our world.
We've prepared this overview to help you explore or brush up on
geometric transformations with clear definitions, relatable
examples, and a fun quiz to test your knowledge.
Find Top-Rated Geometry Tutors at Mathnasium
WHAT ARE
GEOMETRIC
TRANSFORMATION
S?
Geometric transformations are the changes we make to the
position, size, or shape of geometric figures including triangles,
squares, circles, or any other shape.
Before we make any transformation, the figure we start with is
called the "pre-image," and after we complete the transformation,
the resulting figure is known as the "image."
The key principles of each geometric transformation are:
Size and Shape: The transformed image maintains the same angles and proportional
sides as the original figure.
Conservation of Properties: Geometric properties like side lengths, angle
measurements, and area do not change with translations, reflections and rotations.
Mathematical Representation: Transformations can be defined using formulas or
coordinates on the coordinate plane that map each point of the pre-image to its
corresponding point in the transformed image.
TYPES OF
GEOMETRIC
TRANSFORMATION
S
There are four main types of geometric transformations based on
how we want to move or change shapes:
Translation
Reflection
Rotation
Dilation
Three of these transformations—translation, reflection, and rotation
—are rigid transformations that keep the shape and size of the
figure the same before and after the change.
Dilation is a non-rigid transformation that changes the size of the
figure while preserving its shape.
Since each geometric transformation follows specific rules, let’s look
at them separately:
Translation
Translation is a type of geometric transformation where we move or
slide a figure from one place to another without rotating or
changing its size.
This movement occurs in a straight line, either horizontally,
vertically, or diagonally.
In a translation, every point of the figure shifts by the same distance
and in the same direction along parallel lines.
Explore Translation, Including Definitions, Rules, and Solved
Examples →
Reflection
Reflection is a geometric transformation where we flip a figure
across a line called "the line of reflection."
This creates a mirror image that keeps the original size and shape of
the figure but appears flipped or mirrored.
Explore Reflection, Including Definitions, Rules, and Solved
Examples →
Rotation
Rotation is a geometric transformation where we turn a figure
around a fixed point called the "center of rotation."
Following a rotation, the size and shape of the figure remains the
same.
We measure the amount of rotation in degrees, with the most
common rotations being 90°, 180°, 270°, and 360°.
The direction of rotation can either be clockwise or
counterclockwise.
Explore Rotation, Including Definitions, Rules, and Solved Examples
→
Dilation
Dilation is a geometric transformation where we change the size of a
figure but keep its shape.
The resulting figure can either enlarge or shrink.
In dilation, we move each point away from or towards a fixed center,
called “the center of dilation”, and scale by a factor that determines
how much larger or smaller the figure gets.
Explore Dilation, Including Definitions, Rules, and Solved
Examples →
EXAMPLES OF
GEOMETRIC
TRANSFORMATION
S IN EVERYDAY
LIFE
Understanding geometric transformations is easier when you see
how they appear in everyday scenarios. Let’s look at several
examples.
Translations in Real
Life
When you slide a book across a table or push a shopping cart or a
toy car in a straight line, you are most likely demonstrating
translations in action.
Why "most likely"?
Because for it to be an example of translation, you have to move the
object—your book, cart, or toy car—from one position to another
without changing its orientation.
Pushing a toy car along a straight path is a great example of
translation.
Reflections in Real Life
Mirrors and water surfaces are some of the most straightforward
examples of reflections in everyday life.
When you look into a mirror, you see a clear reflection of yourself, or
whatever you place in front of it.
Similarly, calm waters like ponds or lakes reflect the world around
them, giving us those stock-image-worthy moments like these:
When light rays bounce off the water surface, they create a
mirrored image of the scenery, demonstrating reflections in real life.
Rotations in Real Life
As you are reading this, the Earth spins around its axis and rotates
around the sun along with the rest of our solar system.
Rotation is everywhere.
We use this motion to open doors or to steer cars using the steering
wheel.
Analog clocks, carousels, merry-go-rounds—these are all examples
of rotation we encounter around us.
Spinning car wheels and steering wheels are great examples of
rotation.
Dilations in Real Life
Dilation, while less obvious in everyday life, plays an important role
in various tech-related tasks.
Photo editing apps, for instance, use dilation to resize images
seamlessly while maintaining their original proportions. Likewise,
in cartography and mapmaking, dilation ensures geographical
features show accurately across maps of different scales.
When cropping or resizing photos in apps, dilation helps keep their
original properties.
QUIZ TIME - PUT
YOUR KNOWLEDGE
TO THE TEST!
Ready to test what you’ve learned? We've put together a fun quiz to
see how well you grasp geometric transformations.
Choose the correct answer for each multiple-choice question. Good
luck!
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FAQS ABOUT
GEOMETRIC
TRANSFORMATION
S
We've compiled some frequently asked questions about geometric
transformations to help you understand these concepts even better.
1) What is the
difference between
rigid and non-rigid
transformations?
Rigid transformations keep the shape and size of a figure the same
but can move it around, flip it, or rotate it.
Non-rigid transformations change the size of the figure, but keep the
shape the same.
2) What is the
difference between
translation and
rotation?
Translation moves a figure from one place to another without
changing its size, shape, or orientation.
Rotation turns a figure around a fixed point. After a rotation, the
size and shape of the figure stay the same.
3) Can multiple
transformations be
applied to one figure?
Yes, multiple transformations can be applied to one figure in
sequence. For example, a figure can be translated, then rotated,
and finally reflected. Applying the same transformations in a
different order can affect the final image.
4) Can we do geometric
transformations
outside the coordinate
plane?
Yes, we can do transformations outside the coordinate plane.
For instance, when you move or rotate furniture in a room or change
a design on paper, you're applying transformations.
Even without a coordinate grid, like in art or architecture, the same
principles of geometric transformations still apply.
BONUS! CHEAT
SHEET WITH
GEOMETRIC
TRANSFORMATION
S FORMULAS
To support your studies, we’re including a cheat sheet with the
essential formulas for geometric transformations as a handy bonus.
At Mathnasium, we encourage students to understand the
why behind a formula rather than simply memorizing it.
So, we invite you to go through our guides and then use this cheat
sheet as a helpful sidekick to refresh your memory.
Understand the math behind:
Translation
Reflection
Rotation
Dilation
