330 Chapter 6 Linear Transformations

6.5 Applications of Linear Transformations

Identify linear transformations defined by reflections, expansions,
contractions, or shears in R 2.
Use a linear transformation to rotate a figure in R 3.
a. y
THE GEOMETRY OF LINEAR TRANSFORMATIONS IN R 2
(−x, y) (x, y)
This section gives geometric interpretations of linear transformations represented by 2 3 2
elementary matrices. Following a summary of the various types of 2 3 2 elementary
x matrices are examples that examine each type of matrix in more detail.

Elementary Matrices for Linear Transformations in R 2

Reflection in y-Axis Reflection in x-Axis

3 4 30 4
21 0 1 0
b. y A5 A5
0 1 21
(x, y)
Reflection in Line y 5 x

31 4
0 1
A5
x 0

Horizontal Expansion sk > 1d Vertical Expansion sk > 1d

or Contraction s0 < k < 1d or Contraction s0 < k < 1d
(x, − y)

30 4 30 4
k 0 1 0
A5 A5
1 k
c. y
Horizontal Shear Vertical Shear
(x, y)

30 4 3k 4
1 k 1 0
A5 A5
(y, x) 1 1
x

Reflections in R 2

The transformations defined by the following matrices are called reflections. These
Reflections in R2 have the effect of mapping a point in the xy-plane to its “mirror image” with respect to
Figure 6.11 one of the coordinate axes or the line y 5 x, as shown in Figure 6.11.
a. Reflection in the y-axis:
Tsx, yd 5 s2x, yd

3 43 4 3 4
21 0 x 2x
5
0 1 y y
b. Reflection in the x-axis:
Tsx, yd 5 sx, 2yd

30 43 4 3 4
1 0 x x
5
21 y 2y
c. Reflection in the line y 5 x:
Tsx, yd 5 s y, xd

3 43 4 3 4
0 1 x y
5
1 0 y x
 6.5 Applications of Linear Transformations 331

Expansions and Contractions in R 2

The transformations defined by the following matrices are called expansions or

contractions, depending on the value of the positive scalar k.
a. Horizontal contractions and expansions: Tsx, yd 5 skx, yd

30 43 4 3 4
k 0 x kx
5
1 y y
b. Vertical contractions and expansions: Tsx, yd 5 sx, kyd

30 43 4 3 4
1 0 x x
5
k y ky
Note in Figures 6.12 and 6.13 that the distance the point sx, yd moves by a contraction
or an expansion is proportional to its x- or y-coordinate. For instance, under the
transformation represented by
Tsx, yd 5 s2x, yd
the point s1, 3d would move one unit to the right, but the point s4, 3d would move
four units to the right. Under the transformation represented by
Tsx, yd 5 sx, 12 yd
the point s1, 4d would move two units down, but the point s1, 2d would move one unit
down.

y y

(k x, y) (x, y) (x, y) (kx, y)

x x

Contraction (0 < k < 1) Expansion (k > 1)

Figure 6.12

y y
(x, ky)

(x, y) (x, y)

(x, ky)

x x

Contraction (0 < k < 1) Expansion (k > 1)

Figure 6.13

Another type of linear transformation in R2 corresponding to an elementary matrix is

called a shear, as described in Example 3.
332 Chapter 6 Linear Transformations

Shears in R 2

The transformations defined by the following matrices are shears.

Tsx, yd 5 sx 1 ky, yd Tsx, yd 5 sx, y 1 kxd

30 43 4 3 4 3k 43 4 3 4
1 k x x 1 ky 1 0 x x
5 5
1 y y 1 y kx 1 y
a. A horizontal shear represented by y

Tsx, yd 5 sx 1 2y, yd 4 (x, y) (x + 2y, y)

3
is shown in Figure 6.14. Under
2
this transformation, points in the
1
upper half-plane “shear” to the right
by amounts proportional to their x
− 4 − 3 −2 1 2 3 4
y-coordinates. Points in the lower
half-plane “shear” to the left by
amounts proportional to the absolute
values of their y-coordinates. Points −4
on the x-axis do not move by this
transformation. Figure 6.14

b. A vertical shear represented by

Tsx, yd 5 sx, y 1 2xd
is shown in Figure 6.15. Here, points in the right half-plane “shear” upward by
amounts proportional to their x-coordinates. Points in the left half-plane “shear”
downward by amounts proportional to the absolute values of their x-coordinates.
Points on the y-axis do not move.

y
(x, y + 2 x)
4
3
2
1
(x, y)
x
−4 −3 − 2 − 1 1 2 3 4

−4

Figure 6.15

LINEAR The use of computer graphics is common in many fields.

ALGEBRA By using graphics software, a designer can “see” an object
APPLIED before it is physically created. Linear transformations can be
useful in computer graphics. To illustrate with a simplified
example, only 23 points in R 3 make up the images of the toy
boat shown in the figure at the left. Most graphics software
can use such minimal information to generate views of an
image from any perspective, as well as color, shade, and
render as appropriate. Linear transformations, specifically
those that produce rotations in R 3, can represent the
different views. The remainder of this section discusses
rotation in R 3.
 6.5 Applications of Linear Transformations 333
z
ROTATION IN R 3
(x, y, z) (x′, y ′, z′) In Example 7 in Section 6.1, you saw how a linear transformation can be used to rotate
figures in R2. Here you will see how linear transformations can be used to rotate
figures in R3.
Suppose you want to rotate the point sx, y, zd counterclockwise about the z-axis
through an angle u, as shown in Figure 6.16. Letting the coordinates of the rotated point
be sx9, y9, z9d, you have
θ

34 3 43 4 3 4
x y x9 cos u 2sin u 0 x x cos u 2 y sin u
y9 5 sin u cos u 0 y 5 x sin u 1 y cos u .
Figure 6.16 z9 0 0 1 z z
Example 4 shows how to use this matrix to rotate a figure in three-dimensional
space.

Rotation About the z-Axis

The eight vertices of the rectangular prism z

shown in Figure 6.17 are as follows.
V1s0, 0, 0d V2s1, 0, 0d
V3s1, 2, 0d V4s0, 2, 0d
V5s0, 0, 3d V6s1, 0, 3d
V7s1, 2, 3d V8s0, 2, 3d
Find the coordinates of the vertices after the x y
a. z prism is rotated counterclockwise about the
z-axis through (a) u 5 608, (b) u 5 908, and Figure 6.17
(c) u 5 1208.
SOLUTION
a. The matrix that yields a rotation of 608 is

3 4 3 4
60° cos 608 2sin 608 0 1y2 2 !3y2 0
x y A 5 sin 608 cos 608 0 5 !3y2 1y2 0 .
0 0 1 0 0 1
b. z
Multiplying this matrix by the column vectors corresponding to each vertex produces
the following rotated vertices.
V19 s0, 0, 0d V29 s0.5, 0.87, 0d V39 s21.23, 1.87, 0d V49 s21.73, 1, 0d
V59 s 0, 0, 3d V69 s0.5, 0.87, 3d V79 s21.23, 1.87, 3d V89 s21.73, 1, 3d

90° Figure 6.18(a) shows a graph of the rotated prism.

x y b. The matrix that yields a rotation of 908 is

3 4 3 4
cos 908 2sin 908 0 0 21 0
c. z A 5 sin 908 cos 908 0 5 1 0 0
0 0 1 0 0 1
and Figure 6.18(b) shows a graph of the rotated prism.
c. The matrix that yields a rotation of 1208 is

3 4 3 4
cos 1208 2sin 1208 0 21y2 2 !3y2 0
120° A 5 sin 1208 cos 1208 0 5 !3y2 21y2 0
x y 0 0 1 0 0 1
Figure 6.18 and Figure 6.18(c) shows a graph of the rotated prism.
334 Chapter 6 Linear Transformations
REMARK
To illustrate the right-hand rule,
imagine the thumb of your right
hand pointing in the positive
direction of an axis. The cupped
fingers will point in the direction
of counterclockwise rotation.
The figure below shows
counterclockwise rotation
about the z-axis.
z
x Rotation about x-axis
Simulation
Explore this concept further with
an electronic simulation available
at www.cengagebrain.com.
90°
120°
x Figure 6.20
y
Figure 6.21
Example 4 uses matrices to perform rotations about the z-axis. Similarly, you can
use matrices to rotate figures about the x- or y-axis. The following summarizes all three
types of rotations.
Rotation About the x-Axis Rotation About the y-Axis Rotation About the z-Axis
3 4 3 4 3 4
1 0 0 cos u 0 sin u cos u 2sin u 0
0 cos u 2sin u 0 1 0 sin u cos u 0
0 sin u cos u 2sin u 0 cos u 0 0 1
In each case, the rotation is oriented counterclockwise (using the “right-hand rule”)
relative to the indicated axis, as shown in Figure 6.19.
z z z
x y x y x y
Rotation about y-axis Rotation about z-axis
Figure 6.19
Rotation About the x-Axis and y-Axis
a. The matrix that yields a rotation of 908 about the x-axis is
3 4 3 4
1 0 0 1 0 0
A5 0 cos 908 2sin 908 5 0 0 21 .
0 sin 908 cos 908 0 1 0
Figure 6.20(a) shows the prism from Example 4 rotated 908 about the x-axis.
b. The matrix that yields a rotation of 908 about the y-axis is
3 4 3 4
cos 908 0 sin 908 0 0 1
A5 0 1 0 5 0 1 0 .
2sin 908 0 cos 908 21 0 0
Figure 6.20(b) shows the prism from Example 4 rotated 908 about the y-axis.
a. z b. z
90° 90°
x y x y
Rotations about the coordinate axes can be combined to produce any desired view
of a figure. For instance, Figure 6.21 shows the prism from Example 4 rotated 908 about
the y-axis and then 1208 about the z-axis.