1/17/21

Ateneo de Davao University

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Mathematics in the Modern World

Lesson 3.6: Transformation Matrices - Translation

R.R.G. Olarte
Professor, M a t h e m a t i c s D e p a r t m e n t

Ateneo de Davao University

Second semester of S.Y. 2020-2021

f Ateneo de Davao University Mathematics in the Modern World 2 nd Semester, S.Y. 2020-2021

What is a Translation?

A translation denoted by 𝑇!,# is a

transformation which "slides" a figure a
fixed distance in a given direction. In a
translation, All of the points move the
same distance in the same direction. A
translation is called a rigid
transformation or isometry because the
image is the same size and shape as the
pre-image.

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Ateneo de Davao University

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Translation by Matrix Addition

EXAMPLE 1. A point 𝐴 2,1 is translated 3 units to the right and 2 units up. a) Find the coordinates of the image 𝐴′.

T!,# 𝐴 = 𝐴 + 𝑣 = 𝐴′

𝑥$ 𝑥 𝑎
= 𝑦 +
𝑦$ 𝑏

2 3
= +
1 2

2+3
=
1+3

5
=
3

f Ateneo de Davao University Mathematics in the Modern World 2 nd Semester, S.Y. 2020-2021 Page 4

Translation by Matrix Addition

EXAMPLE 2. A square 𝑃 with vertices 𝐴 0,0 , 𝐵 1,0 , 𝐶 1,1 , 𝐷 0,1 is mapped onto the square 𝑄 by the translation 2
4
a) Find the coordinates of square 𝑄. b)On the diagram, draw and label square 𝑄.
Solution:
Step 1. Create a vertex matrix by plugging in each ordered pair into each
column of a 4-column matrix:
𝑥% 𝑥# 𝑥! 𝑥& 0 1 1 0
𝑦% 𝑦# 𝑦! 𝑦& = 0 0 1 1
𝑎 2
Step 2. Add the translation matrix (or vector) = to each coordinate in
𝑏 4
the vertex matrix.

𝑥% + 2 𝑥# + 2 𝑥! + 2 𝑥& + 2 0+2 1+2 1+2 0+2

=
𝑦% + 4 𝑦# + 4 𝑦! + 4 𝑦& + 4 0+4 0+4 1+4 1+4

2 3 3 2
=
4 4 5 5
Thus, 𝐴$ = 2,4 , 𝐵 $ = 3,4 , 𝐶′ = 3,5 , and 𝐷 $ = (2,5)
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Ateneo de Davao University

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Translation by Matrix Multiplication

𝑥 𝑥+𝑎
Observe that the Translation 𝑎, 𝑏 : 𝑦 ⟶ 𝑦 + 𝑏 cannot be achieved using a 2𝑥2 matrix. So we use

homogeneous coordinates to represent a translation of a vector space with matrix multiplication.

We first describe the homogeneous transformation matrices for translations in the plane and the space.
1 0 𝑎
𝑇',( = 0 1 𝑏
0 0 1
Then
1 0 𝑎 𝑥 𝑥+𝑎
0 1 𝑏 𝑦 = 𝑦+𝑏
0 0 1 1 1
𝑥 𝑥+𝑎
Which verifies that the point 𝑦 is translated to 𝑦 + 𝑏

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Translation by Matrix Multiplication

Example 3. Triangle △ 𝐴𝐵𝐶 has coordinates 𝐴(3, −1), 𝐵(7, − 5) and 𝐶(−2, −2). Translate △ 𝐴𝐵𝐶 using the translation (−10,8).
Determine the coordinates of △ 𝐴′ 𝐵′ 𝐶′.
Step 1. Write the vertices of the given Δ𝐴𝐵𝐶 in matrix form (Homogeneous Coordinates) as given below:
3 7 −2
−1 −5 −2
1 1 1

Step 2. The triangle Δ𝐴𝐵𝐶 is translated by the vector (−10, 8), to get the
translated image, multiply the above matrix by translation matrix
given below:
1 0 −10
𝑇!"#,% = 0 1 8
0 0 1
Thus,
1 0 −10 3 7 −2 7 −3 −12
0 1 8 −1 −5 −2 = −7 3 6
0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Step 3. Get the vertices of the translated image Δ𝐴′𝐵′𝐶′ from the resultant matrix. Vertices of the reflected image are
𝐴′ = 7, −7 , 𝐵′ = −3,3 and 𝐶′ = (−12,6).

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