Maths Transformations Test Guide
Translations are the simplest transformation - you're just sliding a shape to a new position without changing its size or orientation. The translation vector tells you exactly where to move each point, written as a column with two numbers.
The top number shows horizontal movement positive=right,negative=left, whilst the bottom number shows vertical movement positive=up,negative=down. So a vector like (−4 2) means move 4 units left and 2 units up.
Reflections create mirror images of shapes across a line. You'll need to identify the equation of the line of reflection, such as x = 4 (a vertical line) or y = 6 (a horizontal line). The reflected shape will be the exact same distance from the line as the original, just on the opposite side.
For rotations, you need three crucial pieces of information: the direction (clockwise or anticlockwise), the number of degrees, and the centre of rotation. Enlargements require two key details: the scale factor (how much bigger or smaller the shape becomes) and the centre of enlargement (the fixed point from which the scaling happens).
Quick Tip: Remember TRRE - Translations need vectors, Reflections need line equations, Rotations need direction/degrees/centre, and Enlargements need scale factor/centre!