What are vectors?

● A vector is a type of number that has both a size and a direction

● Here we only deal with two-dimensional vectors, although it is possible to
have vectors with any number of dimensions

Representing vectors
● Vectors are represented as arrows, with the arrowhead indicating the direction
of the vector, and the length of the arrow indicating the vector’s magnitude (ie
its size)

● In print vectors are usually represented by bold letters (as with vector a in the
diagram above), although in handwritten workings underlined letters are
normally used, a.
● Another way to indicate a vector is to write its starting and ending points with

an arrow symbol over the top such as

 ● Note that the order of the letters is important! Vector in the above
diagram would point in the opposite direction (ie with its ‘tail’ at point B, and
the arrowhead at point A).

Vectors and transformation geometry

In transformation geometry, translations are indicated in the form of a column vector:

● In the following diagram, Shape A has been translated six squares to the right
and 3 squares up to create Shape B

● This transformation is indicated by the translation vector :

● Note: ‘Vector’ is a word from Latin that means ‘carrier’

● In this case, the vector ‘carries’ shape A to shape B, so that meaning makes
perfect sense!
Vectors on a grid
● You also need to be able to work with vectors on their own, outside of the
transformation geometry context
● When vectors are drawn on a grid (with or without x and y axes), the vectors
can be represented in the same (x y) column vector form as above

Multiplying a vector by a scalar

● A scalar is a number with a magnitude but no direction – ie the regular
numbers you are used to using
● When a vector is multiplied by a positive scalar, the magnitude of the vector
changes, but its direction stays the same
● If the vector is represented as a column vector, then each of the numbers in
the column vector gets multiplied by the scalar
 ● Note that multiplying by a negative scalar also changes the direction of the
vector:

● Note in particular that vector -a is the the same size as vector a, but points in
the opposite direction!

Adding and subtracting vectors

● Adding two vectors is defined geometrically, like this:

● Subtracting one vector from another is thought of as adding a negative vector

a – b = a + (-b)
 ● When vectors are represented as column vectors, adding or subtracting is
simply a matter of adding or subtracting the vectors’ x and y coordinates

● For example:

Finding Vector Paths

Finding paths in vector diagrams
● It is important to be able to describe vectors by following paths through a
geometric diagram
● The following grid is made up entirely of parallelograms, with the vectors a
and b defined as marked in the diagram:
● Getting from point to point we have to go the 'wrong way' down and then the
'right way' along
 ​ It follows that:
○
​ and of course then

○
● Keeping those things in mind, it is possible to describe any vector that goes
from one point to another in the above diagram in terms of a and b

Translations
What are transformations in maths?
● There are 4 transformations in GCSE Maths – rotation, reflection, translation and
enlargement
● All 4 change a shape in some way, useful in things like computer graphics.
● There is some language and notation often used in this topic – the original shape is
called the object and the transformed shape is called the image
● Vertices are labelled to show corresponding points
○ Vertices on the object are labelled A, B, C, etc.
○ Vertices on the image are labelled A’, B’, C’ etc.
○ If there is a second transformation then they will become A”, B”, C” etc.

What is a translation?
● A translation is the movement of a shape
● The size, shape and orientation (which way up it is) of the shape stays the same

How do I translate a shape?

● The movement of a translation is described by a vector
● You need to know how to write a translation using a vector (rather than words)

● Vectors are written as column vectors in the form where:

 ○ x is the distance moved horizontally
■ Negative means move to the left
■ Positive means move to the right
○ y is the distance moved vertically
■ Negative means move down
■ Positive means move up
● STEP 1:
Select a vertex on the original object, move it according to the information given in
the column vector
● STEP 2:
Repeat STEP 1 for each of the vertices on the original object
● STEP 3:
Connect the translated vertices and label the translated image
● In some cases, where the vectors are small enough, the image can overlap the
object
● The vector is how the shape moves not the size of the gap between the object and
the image, watch out for this common error!

How do I describe a translation?

● It is important to fully describe a transformation in order to get full marks
● For a translation, you must:
○ State that the transformation is a translation
○ Give the column vector that describes the movement

Reflections
What is a reflection?
● A reflection is a mirror image of an object across a line of reflection/mirror line
● The reflected image is the same shape and size as the original object but it
has been "flipped" across the mirror line to a new position and orientation
● Points on the mirror line do not move, they stay where they are!

How do I reflect a shape?

● You need to be able to perform a reflection (on a coordinate grid)
● The perpendicular distance between a point on the original object and the
mirror line, should be the same as the perpendicular distance between the
corresponding point on the reflected image and the mirror line

● STEP 1:
From a point on the original object measure the perpendicular distance to the
mirror line
● STEP 2:
Continuing from that point on the mirror line, and in the same direction,
measure the same distance again
 ● STEP 3:
Mark the corresponding point on the reflected image at the position you have
reached
● STEP 4:
Join together the reflected points and label the reflected image

5. Regular polygons

○ Squares and other regular polygons can look identical even after a
reflection (and other transformations too) – there is no obvious sign the
shape has been reflected – you may think a shape has been translated
○ The way to identify these is to look at one vertex (point) on the shape
and its corresponding position
 ■ If it is a reflection it will be “back-to-front” on the other side

How do I describe a reflection?

● You will need to be able to identify and describe a reflection when presented
with one
● You must fully describe a transformation to get full marks
● For a reflection, you must:
○ State that the transformation is a reflection
○ Give the mathematical equation of the mirror line

Rotations
What is a rotation?
● A rotation is the movement of an object around a point
● The rotated image is the same size and shape as the original image, but it will
have a new position and orientation

How do I rotate a shape?

● You need to be able to perform a rotation (on a coordinate grid)
● The easiest way to draw a rotation is to use tracing paper, this should be
available to you in an exam but you may have to ask an invigilator for it
● STEP 1:
Place the tracing paper over page and draw over the original object
● STEP 2:
Place the point of your pencil on the centre of rotation
● STEP 3:
Rotate the tracing paper the angle that has been asked for in the question, it
will usually be an "easy" angle such as 90o, 180o or 270o
● STEP 4:
Your tracing paper is in the position showing you where to draw the rotated
image, carefully draw the image onto the coordinate grid
How do I describe a rotation?
● You will need to be able to identify and describe a rotation when presented
with one
● You must fully describe a transformation to get full marks
● For a rotation you must:
○ State that the transformation is a rotation
○ State the centre of rotation (the point about which the object is rotated)
○ State the angle of rotation (how many degrees around the point that
the object has been rotated)
○ State the direction of rotation (clockwise or anticlockwise, unless the
angle is 180o, then a direction is not required)

Enlargements
What is an enlargement?
● An enlargement is a transformation that changes the size of the shape
○ The scale factor tells you how many times bigger each edge of the
enlarged image will be compared to the corresponding edge on the
original object
○ If the scale factor is greater than 1, the enlarged image will be bigger
than the original object
○ If the scale factor is less than 1, the enlarged image will be smaller
than the original object
● The position of a shape will also change with enlargement
● The orientation of the shape will be the same for a positive enlargement

How do I enlarge a shape?

● You need to be able to perform an enlargement (on a coordinate grid)
● STEP 1:
Starting from the centre of enlargement, count the horizontal and vertical
distances to
one vertex on the original object
 ● STEP 2:
Multiply the distances by the given scale factor
● STEP 3:
Starting again from the centre of enlargement, measure the new distances
and mark the position on the grid of the corresponding vertex on the enlarged
image
○ The distances from the centre of enlargement to the enlarged image
will be in the same direction for a positive scale factor and the opposite
direction for a negative scale factor
● STEP 4:
Repeat STEPs 1 to 3 for the remaining vertices
● STEP 5:
Connect the vertices on the enlarged image and label it

How do I describe an enlargement?

● You need to be able to identify and describe an enlargement when presented
with one
● You must fully describe a transformation to get full marks
● For an enlargement, you must:
○ State that the transformation is an enlargement
○ State the scale factor
○ Give the coordinates of the centre of enlargement