Mathematics 116

Supplementary
Materials
Isometric Transformations

TeacherÕs Guide
Prepared by:
Olga Courtois............................ Massey Vanier High School, 1998
John Lou...................................Chateauguay Valley Regional High
School, 1998
Andre Del Castilho.....................Centennial Regional High School,
1997 - 1998
Tony Rosciano........................... Penfield Academy, 1997 - 1998
Kevin Harvey..............................Macdonald Cartier High School, 1998

Resource Personnel:
Carolyn Gould.................. MEQ, 1998
South Shore School Board, 1997
Peter Balyta...................... South Shore School Board, 1998

Secretary:
Heather Hopkins...............South Shore School Board, 1998

Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
 Isometric Transformations

These materials have been prepared to supplement the textbooks currently in

use in the field of isometric transformations.

The MEQ states that:

ÒStudents who have attained Terminal Objective 3.1 of

this program will be able to use geometry instruments
to accurately construct the image of a figure on the
basis of instructions calling for a translation, a
rotation or a reflection. By carrying out the steps
involved in constructing an image, the students learn
about the fundamental concepts of parallelism,
perpendicularity and angles. The numerous
observations that can be made about a single
construction enable students to explore the properties
of isometric transformations. They also learn that
numerous polygons can be created from the same
figure by carrying out a single transformation or a
series of similar transformations on it.Ó

ÒActivities in which students analyze a construction,

make observations (the right angles remain, the
segment and its image form an angle...), test
hypotheses (is there another translation that would
yield the same image?...) and observe special cases (the
axes of symmetry, rotations of 180°, the formation of
quadrilaterals, reciprocal (inverse) transformations...)
are consistent with the global objectives, General
Objective 3 and the educational principles. The formal
study of properties and their applications is
undertaken in a subsequent program. By setting the
students a variety of tasks, this program helps them
acquire a more precise understanding of concepts, and
develop techniques which they will be able to apply
when they study the properties of triangles and
quadrilaterals.Ó

Thus, the activities which have been prepared to examine the properties
of transformations focus on exploration and observation. The teacher
should use correct terminology in class but not require its formal use by
the students in tests.

Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
Below is a list of the properties of transformations which are explored in this
document together with a brief explanation of each.

The term ÒpreservesÓ implies that the property exhibited in the initial figure
exists in the image as well.

Eg. (1) If m∠A is 70° and m∠A | is also 70° then the angle measure is
preserved.

(2) If AB // CD and A|B| // C|D| then parallelism is preserved.

s s
D| B
|
B D

A A| A C C| A
|

Properties

1. Preserves the orientation of the plane of figures on the plane.

Eg. To test for orientation, start at any vertex and move in either a
clockwise or counterclockwise direction for the same order of sequence.

A A| D D|

C C| F F|

B B| E E|

Orientation is preserved. Orientation is not preserved.

Eg. Starting at any vertex A and Starting at Vertex D and moving

moving in a clockwise direction in a clockwise direction gives
produces the sequence ABC. DEF. The same movement in the
Starting at the corresponding image produces D|F|E|. Therefore
vertex of the image (A | ) and the orientation is different.
moving in the same clockwise
direction produces the image
A | B | C | . The orientation of the
figures in the place is preserved.

Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
2. Maps a line onto a parallel line.

B|
B B|
B

A|
A A|
A
Maps a line onto a parallel line Does not map a line onto a parallel
AB // A|B| line AB // A|B|

3. Preserves parallelism.

A B| A| D D|
B A|
A

D D|

C C| B C C| B|
AD // BC and A|D|// B|C| AB // CD but A|B|// C|D|
∴ parallelism is preserved. ∴ parallelism is not preserved.

Note the difference between properties 2 and 3. Property 3 required that there
be parallel lines within the initial figure. Property 2 does not.

4. Preserves perpendicularity.

A| A|
A A

B|
B|
B C C| B C C|
Q AB ⊥ BC and A|B|⊥ B|C| Q AB ⊥ BC and A|B|⊥ B|C|
Perpendicularity is preserved. Perpendicularity is not preserved.

Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
5. Preserves angle measures.

A A| A A|
80°
60° 60° 60°

70° 50° 50° 70° 70° 50° 60° 40°

B C C| B| B C B| C|

∠A = m∠
m∠ ∠A| ∠A ≠ m∠
m∠ ∠A|
∠
m∠B = m∠ ∠B|
∠ ∠
m∠C = m∠C| ∴ Angle measure is not preserved.
∴ Angle measures are preserved.

6. Preserves lengths.

A
B 3
2
A|
5 cm B |
C 9
5 cm B 4
6
A|
A C|
12
B |

mAB = mA|B|
mAB ≠ mA|B|
Lengths are preserved.
∴ Lengths are not preserved.

Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
 Isometric Transformations

Translations

Objective: The student should find the minimum requirements that define a
translation.

1. Find the image of each figure given the translation shown by the arrow.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
(a) (b) • • • • • • • (c)
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • •
|
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• •
A•
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2. From point C, draw the translation arrow which maps figure A onto its
image A/.

A C
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
(a) C (b) A (c) • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A C
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A/ • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A/ A/
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

From your observations:

A translation is a transformation that maps every point onto its corresponding

image such that the paths joining each point to its image have the same length,
sense and direction (same sense implies paths are parallel) .

A translation can be defined by

(a) a translation arrow .

(b) a figure and its image .

Ð1Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
 Translations

Objective: The student will:

¥ construct the image of a figure given a translation.
¥ discover the properties of a translation.

A Method of Construction
t (using a ruler, set square & compass)

1. Label the vertices.

C

B
2. Extend the translation arrow.

3. Using the set square and ruler,

A through each vertex draw dotted
t lines that are parallel to the
translation arrow.

C 4. With compass, measure the length of

the translation arrow.
B

A
5. Place compass at each vertex and
t mark off that distance on the dotted
A| lines, in the direction of the
translation arrow.
C
6. Label the image points.
B | C|
B
7. Join the image points.

8. Leave all construction lines.

Ð2Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
Construct the image of each figure. (Remember to label each figure and its
image and to show your construction lines.)
1. 2.

Compare the orientation of the Measure the angles in the initial

initial figure and its image. figure and its image. Compare
What do you notice? corresponding angles. What do
The orientation of the figures is the you notice?
same. They are congruent.

3. 4.

Are any sides in the initial figure Are there any right angles in the
parallel? Yes. initial figure? Yes.
What do you notice about the
What do you notice about the corresponding angle(s) in the
corresponding sides in the image? image?
They are parallel. They remain right angles.
Ð3Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
5. 6.

Compare one side of the initial
figure with its corresponding side
in the image. What do you notice
about these segments?
They are parallel.
Measure the sides of the initial
figure and its image. Compare
corresponding sides. What do you
notice?
Their measures are equal.

7. a) Draw the translation arrow that maps figure A onto its image A/.

b) From point C draw the transformation arrow that maps the image
A/ back onto the initial figure A.

A
-1
t
t A

t-1
C
A/
A/ C

Ð4Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
 Reflections

Objective: The student should find the minimum requirements that define a
reflection.

1. Draw the image of each figure.

s s
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
(a) (b)
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • |• • • • • • • • • • •
•
A
• • • • •
A
• • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • •
A
• • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A|• • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

s
• • • •A • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
(c) • • • • • • • • •
(d) • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A
s • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A|
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A|

s
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
(e) (f)
• • •A • • • • • • • • • • • • |• • •
A
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
s • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • • |• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• •
A
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Ð5Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
2. In each of the following cases draw the axes of reflection.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A/ A A/
• • • • • • •s • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • •/ • • • • • • • • • • • • • •s • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
s

From your observations:

A reflection is a transformation which maps a point onto its corresponding

image such that the line of reflection is the perpendicular bisector of the
segments joining each point to its corresponding image.

A reflection can be defined by:

(a) a reflection line.

(b) a figure and its image.

Ð6Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
 Reflection
Objective: The student will:

¥ construct the image of a figure given a reflection.

¥ discover the properties of a reflection.

Method of Construction
(using a ruler, set square & compass)
A

1. Label the vertices.

B
C 2. Extend the reflection line, if
necessary.

A 3. Using the set square and ruler, draw

dotted lines through each vertex
perpendicular to the reflection line
and extend beyond it.
C
B
4. With compass or ruler, measure the
perpendicular distance from the
A reflection line to each vertex. Mark
off that distance to locate the image
point on the other side of the
C
reflection line.
B
5. Label the image points.
A
A|
6. Join the image points.

Remember: Leave all construction lines.

C C|
B B|

Ð7Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
Construct the image of each figure. (Remember to label the image and to
show all construction lines.)

1.
s

Compare the orientation of the initial figure and its image. What do you
notice? The orientation is reversed.

2.

a) Are there any right angles in the initial figure? Yes, there are four.

b) What do you notice about the corresponding angles in the image?

They are also right angles.
Ð8Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
 They are also right angles.
3. 4.

Which sides in the initial figure
are parallel? IJ // HK , IH // JK.
Are the corresponding sides within
the image parallel to each other?
Yes.
5.
Compare one side of the initial
figure with its corresponding side
in the image. Are these two lines
parallel? No.
s

Compare the measures of the line segments of polygon ABCDE with

the measures of the corresponding line segments of its image. What
conjecture can you make? The corresponding sides are congruent.

Ð9Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
6.

Compare the measures of the angles of polygon TUVWX with the

measures of the corresponding angles on its image. What conjecture can
you make? The corresponding angles are congruent.

Ð 10 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
7. Draw the reflection line for each pair of triangles.

Ð 11 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
8. Do the following figures have one or more axes of symmetry? If yes, draw
the axes.

(a) (b) (c) (d)

B
9. Draw the axes of symmetry for each of the following figures (if one or
more exists).

infinite

Ð 12 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
 Rotations

Objective: The student should find the minimum requirements that define a
rotation.

1. Draw the image of the given figure under the rotation indicated by the
arrow.

(a) (b)
A|

B|

2. What is the angle and direction of rotation in each of the

transformations in #1 above? (Can you determine the angle of rotation
without using a protractor?)
(a) 80° clockwise or (Ð80°) (b) 180° counterclockwise or (180°)

3. Draw the image of the given figure under a rotation of 90° clockwise.

(a) (b)

X|

Y|

Ð 13 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
From your observations:

A rotation is a transformation which maps every point onto its corresponding

image about a given centre, angle, and direction.

A rotation can be defined by ¥ a centre, an angle, and direction.

¥ a figure and its image.

Ð 14 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
 Rotations
Objective: The student will:

¥ construct the image of a figure given a rotation.

¥ discover the properties of a rotation.

Method of Construction
(using a ruler, set square & compass)

1. Label the vertices.

2. Extend the arms of the angle.

3. With centre O, draw a circle passing

A
through vertex B and intersecting both
arms of the angle at points D and E.

4. (a) With the compass, measure the

arc between the two arms of the
B angle of rotation, as illustrated.
C O
(b) Place the compass point at the
A
D
original vertex B and use this
E
measurement to locate its image
along the circle or arc of rotation.

B 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to find the images

C O of the other points. Label the vertices
of the image.
A
Remember: Leave all construction marks.

B
C O
A

B
C
O

Ð 15 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
Construct the image of each figure. (Remember to label each figure and its
image and to show your construction lines.)

1.

Measure the lengths of the sides of both triangles. How do the lengths of
the sides of the initial triangle compare to the corresponding lengths of
the image?
The lengths of the corresponding sides are equal.

Ð 16 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
2.

B
A|

B|
C|

Draw the rotation arrow which maps the image onto the initial figure.

Ð 17 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
3.

If the initial figure has parallel sides, what observation can you make
about the corresponding sides of the image? They are parallel.

4.

What do you notice about vertex S? It maps onto itself.

Ð 18 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
5.

Which sides in the initial image are perpendicular? AD ⊥ CD

Are the corresponding sides within the image perpendicular to each

other? Yes.

6.

Compare the orientation of the initial figure and its image. What do you
notice? The orientation stays the same.
Ð 19 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
7.

Measure the angles in the initial figure and the image. How do the
measures of the corresponding angles compare?
The corresponding angles are congruent.

8.

Compare one side of the initial figure to its corresponding side in the
image. Are these two sides parallel? No.
Ð 20 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
9. Draw a rotation arrow corresponding to the rotation which maps Figure
A onto Figure B. Find the angle of rotation and its direction.

(a) m ∠a = 100° CW (-100°) (b) m ∠b = 180° CW (-180°)

260° CCW (260°) 180° CCW (180°)

a b

(c) m ∠c = 90° CW (d) m ∠d = 90° CCW

Measure the distance from the centre of rotation to the vertices of the
initial figure and then from the centre to the corresponding images in (c)
and (d).

What conclusion can you draw about the distances you have just
measured? The distance from the centre to each initial point is equal to the
distance from the centre to its corresponding image point.
Enrichment
Ð 21 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
 Enrichment
Find the centre of rotation which maps Figure A onto Figure B.

Ð 22 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
 Properties of Isometries

Summary

Indicate with a check (√) which properties pertain to which transformation.

Properties Translation Rotation Reflection

Preserves the orientation of the

figure. √ √
Maps a line onto a parallel line.
√
√ √ √
Preserves parallelism
(within a figure).

Preserves perpendicularity
(within a figure). √ √ √
Preserves angle measures. √ √ √
Preserves lengths.
√ √ √

Ð 23 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
 Generating Polygons
1. Given the following square, describe at least 3 ways to generate the
rectangle below applying a transformation or a series of the same
transformations.

(a) 5 translation (2 rt, 1 down, 2 lf)

(b) 5 rotations (about a vertex)

(c) 5 reflections (about a side)

2. Given the following equilateral triangles, construct three different

polygons using a single transformation or a series of the same
transformations. (Other possible solutions.)

(a)

rhombus

(c)

regular hexagon
(b)

isosceles trapezoid

Ð 24 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
3. Given each of the following isosceles triangles, reflect them along one of
their congruent sides.

Repeat this same transformation as many times as possible.

What figure has been generated in each case?

(a) (Regular Pentagon)

72°

(b) (Regular Octagon)

45°

Describe another way to generate the final figures applying a different

series of similar transformations to the same isosceles triangles.

a) Four 72° rotations (clockwise or counter clockwise)

b) Seven 45° rotations (clockwise or counter clockwise)

Ð 25 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
4. What polygon will be generated by the initial figure and its image?

(a)
t

rectangle

(b)
r

rectangle

(c)

s
octagon

(d)

s
quadrilateral

(e)

s
parallelogram
Ð 26 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.
5. What series of similar transformations can be applied to ∆ABC in order
to obtain the following trapezoid?

A A E

B C B C D

1. Reflect ∆ABC in AC, then reflect ∆ACD in CD.

2. Using C as a centre, rotate ∆ABC 60° CW to obtain ∆ACD and then

rotate ∆ACD 60° CW to obtain ∆DCE.

OTHER SOLUTIONS ARE POSSIBLE.

Ð 27 Ð
Math 116 materials prepared by teachers of the South Shore, Chateauguay Valley (Protestant), District of Bedford,
L’Eau-Vive and Brossard School Boards with funding provided by a PEOPT grant.