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Linear Transformations
Prepared by: Robin Michelle King
A transformation of an object is a change in position or dimension (or both) of the object. The resulting
object after the transformation is called the image.
If the image of the object has the same dimensions as the object, the transformation is called a congruency.
Two polygons are said to be similar when their corresponding interior angles are the same.
Vector Notation:

AB represents the vector from point A to point B on a graph. The vector can be computed by B A.
Types of Transformations:
Translation:
A translation is a transformation of an object in which each point of the object moves the same distance
and in the same direction. Translations may occur in any direction.
Properties of Translations:
A translation preserves the length and slope
 of a line.
h
A translation by a vector of the form
shifts the
k
x-coordinate of each point by h units, and the y-coordinate of
each point by k units.

Reflection:
A reflection is a transformation of an object that produces a mirror image of the object with respect
to a line. The line about which the object is reflected is called the axis of symmetry.
Properties of Reflections:
A reflection preserves length but does not preserve slope or
orientation of a line.
A reflection in the line y = 0 (x-axis) changes the point (x, y)
to (x, y)
A reflection in the line x = 0 (y-axis) changes the point (x, y)
to (x, y)
A reflection in the line y = x changes the point (x, y) to (y, x)
A reflection in the line y = x changes the point (x, y) to
(y, x)
Rotation:
A rotation is a transformation where the object is turned. The point about which the object is rotated
is called the center of rotation.
Properties of Rotations:
A rotation preserves length but does not necessarily preserve
slope of a line.
A 90 rotation ( 14 turn) anticlockwise about the origin changes
the point (x, y) to (y, x).
A 180 rotation ( 21 turn) clockwise or anticlockwise about the
origin changes the point (x, y) to (x, y).
A 270 rotation ( 43 turn) anticlockwise changes about the origin
the point (x, y) to (y, x).

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Enlargements and Reductions:
Enlargements and reductions are transformations in which the object is made larger or made smaller
by a factor of k. The factor k is called the scale factor.
Properties of Enlargement:
These transformations preserve slope but do not preserve
length or area (except when | k |=1)
If k > 1 the transformation is an enlargement and the image
is larger than the original.
If 0 < k < 1, the transformation is a reduction and the image
is smaller than the original.
if k < 0, the object is also reflected across the x axis.

Composition of Linear Transformations:

When a question requires multiple linear transformations to be performed, perform each linear transformation one at a time to find the image points, or line, after each transformation. Then the image can be used
to perform the next linear transformation.
Finding a Matrix of a Linear Transformation:
To find the matrix of a linear transformation given two points, (x1 , y1 ) and (x2 , y2 ), and (x01 , y10 ) and (x02 , y20 ):


a b
1. Let the transformation matrix be represented by: T =
c d
2. Multiply each point by the transformation matrix T and set it equal to its image. This will create
four equations of the form:
ax1 + by1 = x01
ax2 + by2 = x02
0
cx1 + dy1 = y1
cx2 + dy2 = y20
3. Then, using each pair of equations, use substitution or elimination to solve for a, b, c, and d.
Once the transformation matrix is found, we can determine the image of any point by multiplying the point
by the transformation matrix. (ie. [T ]~x)
Note: Matrix multiplication is not commutative. This means that XT 6= T X
To multiply a 2 2 matrix (a matrix with 2 rows and 2 columns) by a 2 1 matrix (a matrix with 2 rows
and
 1 column):
  

a b
x
ax + by
=
c d
y
cx + dy
Linear Transformation of a Line:
To find the equation of the image of a line under a translation, reflection, rotation, or enlargement:
1. Find the coordinates of any two points on the line.
2. Find the coordinates of the images of the two points from step 1.
3. Use the two image points from step 2 to find the slope of the image line.
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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Examples:
1. a) Suppose that A(1, 2), B(2, 1) and C(6, 2m) are three
in the xy plane and that m is a
 points


4
constant, find:
i) BA
ii) The value of m if BC =
5

b) A(3, 6), B(6, 2), and C(x, y) are three points in the xy plane. If 13 OA + OB + OC = AB, find
the coordinates of C.
Solution:

a) i) BA = A B

ii) BC = C B

= (1, 2) (2, 1)

(4, 5) = (6, 2m) (2, 1)

= (1 (2), 2 (1))

(4, 5) = (6 (2), 2m (1))

= (3, 3)

(4, 5) = (4, 2m + 1)
5 = 2m + 1

Equate the y components to solve for m

4 = 2m
m = 2

b)

1
OA + OB + OC = AB
3
1
(A O) + (B O) + (C O) = B A
3
1
[(3, 6) (0, 0)] + [(6, 2) (0, 0)] + [(x, y) (0, 0)] = (6, 2) (3, 6)
3
1
(3, 6) + (6, 2) + (x, y) = (6 3, 2 (6))
3
(1, 2) + (6, 2) + (x, y) = (3, 4)
(7, 4) + (x, y) = (3, 4)
(x, y) = (3, 4) (7, 4)
(x, y) = (4, 8)

2. a) Plot the triangle ABC with vertices A(1, 1), B(4, 1), and C(2, 3)

3
b) Draw the image 4A1 B1 C1 of 4ABC when it has been translated by the vector
2
c) Draw the image 4A2 B2 C2 of 4ABC when it has been rotated anticlockwise 90 about the origin.
d) Draw the image 4A3 B3 C3 of 4ABC when it is reflected across the line y = 0.
e) Draw the image 4A4 B4 C4 of 4ABC when it has been enlarged by a scale factor of 2.
Solution:
a)


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b)

We can find A1 , B1 , and C1 by translating the x

coordinates 3 units and the y coordinates 2 units.
A(1, 1) A1 (1 + 3, 1 + 2) = (4, 3)
B(4, 1) B1 (4 + 3, 1 + 2) = (7, 3)
C(2, 3) C1 (2 + 3, 3 + 2) = (5, 5)

c)

We can find A1 , B1 , and C1 by changing each (x, y)

to (y, x).
A(1, 1) A1 (1, 1)
B(4, 1) B1 (1, 4)
C(2, 3) C1 (3, 2)

d)

We can find A1 , B1 , and C1 by negating the y

coordinate of each pair.
A(1, 1) A1 (1, 1)
B(4, 1) B1 (4, 1)
C(2, 3) C1 (2, 3)

e)

We can find A1 , B1 , and C1 by multiplying both the

x and y coordinates by the scale factor (2).
A(1, 1) A1 (2 1, 2 1) = (2, 2)
B(4, 1) B1 (2 4, 2 1) = (8, 2)
C(2, 3) C1 (2 2, 2 3) = (4, 6)

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3. a) Graph the line 2x + y 6 = 0
b) Find the equation of the image of the line in part (a) under a 90 anticlockwise rotation about the
origin.
c) Graph the image line on the same axis as part (a).
Solution:
a)
b)
To find the equation of the image line, we first start by
finding two points that lie on the original line. Lets
choose (0, 6) and (2, 10). Then we find the image of these
two points under the transformation (a 90 anticlockwise
rotation).
The image point of (0, 6) under the rotation is (6, 0) and
the image point of (2, 10) under the rotation is (10, 2).
We can now use the two image points to find the slope of
our image line.

Slope =
=
=
=

y
x
0 (2)
6 (10)
2
4
1
2

Then, we can use the slope and one point to find the equation of the image
line. Lets use (6, 0).
The equation of a line is y = mx+b where m is slope and b is the y-intercept
y = mx + b
1
y =
x+b
plug in (6, 0) and solve for b
2
1
0 =
(6) + b
2
0 = 3 + b
b = 3

So the equation of the image line is: y = 12 x + 3 or y 12 x 3 = 0

c)

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4. A linear transformation T maps A(1, 2) to A1 (4, 6) and B(6, 3) to B1 (3, 0). Find each of the following:
a) The matrix of T .
b) The image of the point K(5, 2) under T .
Solution: 


a b
a) Let T=
. Then,
c d

  

a b
1
4
=
gives us the following equations:
c d
2
6
a + 2b = 4 .................... (1)
c + 2d
....................
 = 6 
  (2)

a b
6
3
and
=
gives us:
c d
3
0
6a + 3d = 3 .................... (3)
6c + 3d = 0 .................... (4)
Substitute (1) into (3):
6(4 2b) + 3b = 3

6(6 2d) + 3d = 0

24 12b + 3b = 3

36 12d + 3d = 0

9b = 27
b = 3
Substitute b = 3 into (1)

9d = 36
d = 4
Substitute d = 4 into (2)

a + 2(3) = 4

c + 2(4) = 6

a 6 = 4

c+8 = 6

a = 2

2 3
Therefore, T =
2 4

 


4
5
2 3
=
b)
2
2
2 4


Substitute (2) into (4):

c = 2

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Exercises:
1. Given that P (3, 1), Q(6, 1), and R(3, 3m) are three points in the xy plane and that m is a constant,
find:

a) P Q



6
b) The value of m if P R =
5
1
c) OP + OQ + 3 OR
2. Given that A(2, 4), B(5,
1),

 and C(x, y) are three points in the xy plane.

2
If AB + AC + BC =
, find the coordinates of C.
2

3. In 4DEF , DE =

3
2

and F E =

6
. Find DF .
4

4. a) Plot the triangle RST with vertices R(1, 0), S(3, 2), and T (4, 3)



1
b) Draw the image 4R1 S1 T1 of 4RST when it has been translated by the vector
3
c) Draw the image 4R2 S2 T2 of 4RST when it has been rotated clockwise 90 about the origin.
d) Draw the image 4R3 S3 T3 of 4RST when it is reflected across the line x = 2.
e) Draw the image 4R4 S4 T4 of 4RST when it has been enlarged by a scale factor of 12 about the
origin.
5. a) Graph the line 2x + y 6 = 0.
b) Determine the equation of the image of the line from part (a) under a 90 anticlockwise rotation.
c) Graph the image line on the same axis as part (a).
6. Draw each of the following on the same graph, clearly indicating the coordinates of each vertex.
a) A quadrilateral ABCD has vertices A(2, 2), B(6, 2), C(8, 8), and D(4, 8).
b) The image A1 B1 C1 D1 of quadrilateral ABCD under a reflection in the line y = x.
c) Find the equation of the line D1
7. From Examiners Report
2006.


3 4
a) Given that A =
and X = (3, 4), evaluate XA.
2 5
b) A linear transformation T maps A(3, 4) to A1 (6, 8) and B(5, 2) to B1 (10, 4). Find each of the
following:
i) The matrix of T .
ii) The image of the point K(1, 1) under T .
8. 4P QR has coordinates P (3, 1), Q(2, 4), and R(0, 4). If M is a reflection in the line x = 1, R is a
clockwise rotation of 90 about the point (2, 0) and E is an enlargement by a scale factor of 1
2 about
the origin. Find the image of 4P QR after:
a) M
b) R
c) M followed by R
d) R followed by M
e) E

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9. Determine the equation of the line 3x 5y 15 = 0 under the following linear transformations:
2
a) A translation by the vector
.
3
b) Reflection in the line y = x.
c) A 270 anticlockwise rotation.
10. A1 (5, 5), B1 (5, 10), C1 (0, 20) are the images of A(2, 2), B(2, 4), and C(0, 8) after a transformation
F.
a) Draw the triangles ABC and A1 B1 C1 on the same graph.
b) Describe fully the transformation F .
c) Find the coordinates of the image of 4ABC after a rotation of 270 clockwise about the point
(3, 2)
11. From Examiners Report 2006.
a) Using a scale of 2 cm to 2 units on both axes draw, on graph paper, two perpendicular axes 0x and
0y for 8 x 8 and 8 y 8.
b) Draw the 4P QR with vertices P (2, 5), Q(2, 1), and R(8, 4).
c) Describe fully two different transformations that map P to Q.
d) Draw the image 4P1 Q1 R1 of 4P QR under a 90 anticlockwise rotation about the origin.

e) Find the vector P P1

12. W XY Z is a quadrilateral with vertices W (1, 1), X(2, 1), Y (4, 0), and Z(3, 1).
a) Draw W XY Z and clearly label each of its vertices.
b) Draw the image W1 X1 Y1 Z1 of W XY Z under a reflection in the line y = 2. Clearly label the
coordinates of each vertex.
c) S is a transformation which maps W XY Z onto quadrilateral W2 X2 Y2 Z2 with vertices
W2 (-5,-3), X2 (-7,-3), Y2 (-8,-2), and Z2 (-6,-1). Draw W2 X2 Y2 Z2 and describe the transformation S
fully.
13. a) On the same axes, graph the two lines L1 and L2 where L1 : 2x5y+10 = 0 and L2 : 2x5y10 = 0
b) Describe a possible transformation in which L1 is the image of L2 assuming that the transformation
is a:
i) translation
ii) reflection
iii) rotation
14. a) Draw the 4P QR with vertices P (1, 2), Q(3, 4), R(6, 1).
b) Draw the image:
i) 4P1 Q1 R1 of 4P QR under a reflection in the x-axis
ii) 4P2 Q2 R2 of 4P1 Q1 R1 under a reflection in the y-axis
iii) 4P3 Q3 R3 of 4P QR under a 90 anticlockwise rotation about the origin
c) Describe fully, the single transformation that takes:
i) 4P QR to 4P2 Q2 R2
ii) 4P2 Q2 R2 to 4P3 Q3 R3
15. a) Graph the line y = 23 x 3
b) On the same axes, graph the line in part (a) after it has been reflected in the line y = x.
c) Determine the equation of the line in part (b).
d) Determine the matrix of the linear transformation.