Drawing and reflecting shapes on the coordinate grid
In a nutshell
You will look at moving shapes by reflection in the x or y axis. Like a mirror, a reflection will flip the position of an object to the opposite side. Therefore, to reflect points or shapes, you will be learning to use all four quadrants.
Reflection in the x axis
The x axis is the horizontal axis on the coordinate plane. It can be written as the line y=0.
Example 1
Reflect the triangle ABC in the x axis. Identify the new coordinates.
A′:(3,−2)
B′:(5,−5)
C′:(7,−2)
Note:Sometimes shapes will look different after being reflected.
Reflection in the y axis
The y axis is the vertical axis on the coordinate plane. It can be written as the line x=0.
Example 2
Reflect parallelogram one in the y axis.
Note: Each corner should be an equal distance from the line of reflection; in this case this is the y axis.
Multiple-step reflections
You may be asked to reflect a shape multiple times. The order you reflect a shape is very important to determine its final position.
Example 3
In the coordinate plane below, reflect square one in the line x=0 followed by the line y=0.
Note:First you reflect the square in the y axis, then the x axis.
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Learn with Basics
Learn the basics with theory units and practise what you learned with exercise sets!
Length:
Unit 1
Coordinates in the first quadrant
Unit 2
Coordinate polygons
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Optional
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Unit 3
Drawing and reflecting shapes on the coordinate grid
Final Test
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FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
How can I check if I have reflected a shape properly?
Each corner should be an equal distance from the line of reflection.