Dilations

Determine whether a dilation is an enlargement, a reduction,

or a congruence transformation.
Determine the scale factor for a given dilation.

Vincent Van Goghs Starry

Night reduced by a factor of 2

CLASSIFY DILATIONS
A dilation is a transformation that may change the size of a
figure.
A dilation requires a center point and a scale factor.

CLASSIFY DILATIONS
A dilation is a transformation that may change the size of a
figure.
A dilation requires a center point and a scale factor.
Example:

CA = 2(CA)
CB = 2(CB)
CD = 2(CD)

r=2
A
B

center
C

CLASSIFY DILATIONS
A dilation is a transformation that may change the size of a
figure.
A dilation requires a center point and a scale factor.
Another example:
XM = (XM)

r = 1/3
M

XN = (XN)
XO = (XO)
XP = (XP)

N
O
X

center

Key Concept

Dilation

If |r| > 1, the dilation is an enlargement.

If 0 < |r| < 1, the dilation is a reduction.
If |r| = 1, the dilation is a congruence transformation.

Key Concept

Dilation

We have seen that dilations produce similar figures,

therefore dilation is a similarity transformation.
A

AB BD AD

AB
BD
AD

A
C
and

M N N O OP M P

MN
NO
OP
MP

B
D

M
P

N
M
P

ON

Theorem
If a dilation with center C and a scale factor of r
transforms A to E and B to D, then ED = |r|(AB)
A

Example 1

Determine Measures
Under Dilations

Find the measure of the dilation image AB or the preimage

AB using the given scale factor.
a. AB = 12, r = -2

b. AB = 36, r =

AB = |r|(AB)

AB = |r|(AB)

AB = 2(12)

36 = (AB)

AB = 24

AB = 144

When the scale factor is negative, the image falls on

the opposite side of the center than the preimage.

Key Concept

Dilations

If r > 0, P lies on CP, and CP = r CP

If r < 0, P lies on CP the ray opposite CP, and CP = r CP
The center of dilation is always its own image.

Example 2

Draw a Dilation

Draw the dilation image of JKL with center C and r =

K
J
L

Example 2

Draw a Dilation

Draw the dilation image of JKL with center C and r = -

K
Since 0 < |r| < 1, the
dilation is a reduction

J
L
K

C
J
L

L
J
K

Theorem
If P(x, y) is the preimage of a dilation centered at the origin
with scale factor r, then the image is P(rx, ry).

Example 3 Dilations in the Coordinate Plane

COORDINATE GEOMETRY Triangle ABC has vertices
A(7, 10), B(4, -6), and C(-2, 3). Find the image of ABC
after a dilation centered at the origin with the scale factor of
2. Sketch the preimage and the image.
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
-10

-5

-2
-4
-6
-8
-10
-12

10

15

Example 3 Dilations in the Coordinate Plane

COORDINATE GEOMETRY Triangle ABC has vertices
A(7, 10), B(4, -6), and C(-2, 3). Find the image of ABC
after a dilation centered at the origin with the scale factor of
2. Sketch the preimage and the image.

Preimage
(x, y)

Image
(2x, 2y)

A(7, 10)

A(14, 20)

B(-4, 6)

B(8, -12)

C(-2, 3)

C(-4, 6)

22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
-10

-5

-2
-4
-6
-8
-10
-12

10

15

Example 4

Identify the Scale Factor

Determine the scale factor for each dilation with center C.

Then determine whether the dilation is an enlargement,
reduction, or congruence transformation.
a.

Scale factor =
image length
preimage length

C
5

= 6 units
3 units

=2

10

12

Example 4

Identify the Scale Factor

Determine the scale factor for each dilation with center C.

Then determine whether the dilation is an enlargement,
reduction, or congruence transformation.
a.

Scale factor =
image length
preimage length

C
5

= 4 units
4 units

=1

The dilation is a congruence transformation

10

12