7.vectors and Transformations

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7. Vectors & Transformations ⬇
CONTENTS
7.1 VECTORS
7.1 Vectors
.1.1 Vectors – Basics
7.1.1 VECTORS - BASICS
.1.2 Vectors – Modulus
What– Finding
.1.3 Vectors are vectors?
Paths
.1.4 Vectors – Proving Things

A vector is a type of number that has both a size and a direction
7.2 Transformations
At GCSE we only deal with two-dimensional vectors, although it is possible to have vectors
.2.1 Transformations
with any–number
Rotationof dimensions
.2.2 Transformations – Reflection
.2.3 Transformations – Translation
.2.4 Transformations – Enlargement
.2.5 Combined Transformations
.2.6 Transformations – Enlargement (Negative Scale Factor)
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REVISION NOTES TOPIC QUESTIONS PAST PAPERS
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Representing vectors
Vectors are represented as arrows, with the arrowhead indicating the direction of the vector,
and the length of the arrow indicating the vector’s magnitude (ie its size):
In print vectors are usually represented by bold letters (as with vector a in the diagram
above), although in handwritten workings underlined letters are normally used.

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Another way to indicate a vector is to write its starting and ending points with an arrow
symbol over the top, as with the vector AB in the diagram below:
Note that the order of the letters is important! Vector BA in the above diagram would point in
the opposite direction (ie with its ‘tail’ at point B, and the arrowhead at point A).
Vectors and transformation geometry

In transformation geometry, translations are indicated in the form of a column vector:

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In the following diagram, Shape A has been translated six squares to the right and 3 squares
up to create Shape B
This transformation is indicated by the translation vector (6 3) :
Note: ‘Vector’ is a word from Latin that means ‘carrier’
In this case, the vector ‘carries’ shape A to shape B, so that meaning makes perfect sense!

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Vectors on a grid
You also need to be able to work with vectors on their own, outside of the transformation
geometry context
When vectors are drawn on a grid (with or without x and y axes), the vectors can be
represented in the same (x y) column vector form as above
a = (3 4) b = (2 – 4) c = (2 0)

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Multiplying a vector by a scalar

A scalar is a number with a magnitude but no direction – ie the regular numbers you are used
to using
When a vector is multiplied by a scalar, the magnitude of the vector changes, but its
direction stays the same
If the vector is represented as a column vector, then each of the numbers in the column
vector gets multiplied by the scalar
a = (4 – 2)
2a = 2 × (4 – 2) = (2 × 4 2 × (-2)) = (8 – 4)
½a= ½ × (4 – 2) = (½ × 4 ½ × (-2)) = (2 – 1)

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Note that multiplying by a negative scalar also changes the direction of the vector:
a = (4 – 2)
-a = -1 × (4 – 2) = (-1 × 4 –1 × (-2)) = (-4 2)
-2a = -2 × (4 – 2) = (-2 × 4 – 2 × (-2)) = (-8 4)
Note in particular that vector -a is the the same size as vector a, but points in the opposite
direction!

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Adding and subtracting vectors

Adding two vectors is defined geometrically, like this:
Subtracting one vector from another is defined as addition of the negative of the subtracted
vector
a – b = a + (-b)

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When vectors are represented as column vectors, adding or subtracting is simply a matter of
adding or subtracting the vectors’ x and y coordinates
For example:
a = (2 – 4) b = (3 2)
a + b = (2 – 4) + (3 2) = (2 + 3 -4 +2) = (5 – 2)
a – b = (2 – 4) – (3 2) = (2 – 3 -4 -2) = (-1 – 6)

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Worked Example

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7.1.2 VECTORS - MODULUS
What is a vector?
Vectors have various uses in mathematics

In mechanics vectors represent velocity, acceleration and forces
At IGCSE vectors are used in geometry – eg. translation
Ensure you are familiar with the Revision Notes Vectors – Basics
Vectors have magnitude and direction

These notes look at finding the magnitude, or modulus, of a vector Vectors
are given in column vector form

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What is the magnitude or modulus of a vector?
This depends on the use of the vector

For velocity, magnitude would be speed
For a force, magnitude would be the strength of the force (in Newtons)
The words magnitude and modulus mean the same thing with vectors
In geometry magnitude and modulus mean the distance of the vector
This is always a positive value
The direction of the vector is irrelevant
Magnitude or modulus is indicated by vertical lines

|a| would mean the magnitude of vector a

Exam Tip CIE IGCSE Maths Revision Notes savemyexams.co.uk
Sketch a vector to help, it does not have to be to scale, then you can use this
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7. Vectors & Transformations
to form a right-angled triangle. ⬇
How do I find the magnitude or modulus of a vector

Pythagoras’ Theorem!

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Worked Example

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7.1.3 VECTORS - FINDING PATHS
Finding paths in vector diagrams

It is important to be able to describe vectors by following paths through a geometric diagram
The following grid is made up entirely of parallelograms, with the vectors and defined as
marked in the diagram:

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Getting from point to point we have to go the ‘wrong way’ down and then the ‘right way’
along
It follows that:
Keeping those things in mind, it is possible to describe any vector that goes from one point to
another in the above diagram in terms of a and b

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Adding and subtracting vectors follows all the same rules as adding and
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7. Vectors & Transformations ⬇ a diagram from
subtracting letters like x and y in algebra (this includes collecting like terms). It doesn’t matter exactly what path you follow through
Worked Example

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7.1.4 VECTORS - PROVING THINGS
What are vector proofs?

In vector proofs we use vectors, along with a few key ideas, to prove that things are true in
geometrical diagrams
Parallel vectors
Two vectors are parallel if and only if one is a multiple of the other
This tends to appear in vector proofs in the following ways:
1. If you find in your workings that one vector is a multiple of the other, then you know that the two
vectors are parallel – you can then use that fact in the rest of the proof
2. If you need to show that two vectors are parallel, then all you need to do is show that one of the
vectors multiplied by some number is equal to the other one
Points on a straight line

Often you are asked to show in a vector proof that three points lie on a straight line (ie that
they are collinear)
This is generally done as follows:

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Vectors divided in ratios

Be careful turning ratios into fractions in vector proofs!
4. If a point divides a line segment in the ratio p : q, then:
eg. In the following diagram, the point divides in the ratio 3: 5:

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Worked Example

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7.2 TRANSFORMATIONS
7.2.1 TRANSFORMATIONS - ROTATION
What are transformations in maths?

There are 4 transformations in GCSE Maths – rotation, reflection, translation and
enlargement
All 4 change a shape in some way, useful in things like computer graphics.
There is some language and notation often used in this topic – the original shape is called the
object and the transformed shape is called the image
Vertices on the object are labelled A, B, C, etc.
And on the image they will be A’, B’, C’ etc.
If there is a second transformation then they will become A”, B”, C” etc.
Rotation – what do I need to know?

You need to be able to perform a rotation (on a coordinate grid) as well as spotting and
describing a rotation when presented with one
Rotation has 3 features:
1. Angle of rotation – how far we are going to rotate the shape by
2. Direction – clockwise or anti-clockwise

Exam
CIE IGCSE Maths Tip Notes
Revision savemyexams.co.uk
Use tracing paper – it should be available although you will probably have to
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ask one of the invigilators for it. If you don’t want to do that during the exam, ask at the start – okay so a question may not turn up but if it does a
Most angles are “nice” – 90°, 180°, etc. Draw an arrow facing “up” on your tracing paper. Then as you rotate it, it’ll be really easy to see when yo
on.
In the special case of 180° you will not need a direction
3. Centre of rotation – this is the point about which our rotation happens
It does NOT have to be a point that is on the shape nor in the middle of the shape; it can be
anywhere

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Worked Example

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7.2.2 TRANSFORMATIONS - REFLECTION
Reflection – what do I need to know?

You need to be able to perform a reflection (on a coordinate grid) as well as spotting and
describing a reflection when presented with one
Reflections only have one key thing to look for – the mirror line – but these will be described
mathematically using the equations of straight lines making things a little more awkward
1. Vertical lines
These are in the form x = k, for some number k
2. Horizontal lines
These are in the form y = k, for some number k
3. Diagonal lines
Much harder to perform a reflection in these but lines are of the form
y = mx + c (see Straight Line Graphs)
4. Points on the mirror line

Do not move – they stay where they are
5. Double reflections
This is where the mirror line passes through the shape being reflected
Part of the shape gets reflected one way, the rest the other

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6. Regular polygons
Squares and other regular polygons can look identical even after a reflection (and other
transformations too) – there is no obvious sign the shape has been reflected – you may think
a shape has been translated
The way to identify these is to look at one vertex (point) on the shape and its corresponding
position
If it is a reflection it will be “back-to-front” on the other side
Worked Example

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As you are simply redrawing a given shape in a different place on the

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coordinate grid all you need to do is work out where one of the vertices of the shape translates to and draw the shape from there.⬇
7.2.3 TRANSFORMATIONS - TRANSLATION
Translation – what do I need to know?

You need to be able to perform a translation (on a coordinate grid) as well as spotting and
describing a translation when presented with one
Translations are where an object has moved but remains the same way up
This movement is described by a vector
You need to know how to write a translation using a vector (rather than words)

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Worked Example

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7.2.4 TRANSFORMATIONS - ENLARGEMENT
Enlargement – what do I need to know?

You need to be able to perform an enlargement (on a coordinate grid) as well as spotting and
describing an enlargement when presented with one.
The key things with an enlargement are:
Scale Factor
The scale factor is how many times every side of the image is bigger than the object
However if the scale factor is a fraction the image will be smaller than the object
Centre of Enlargement
This tells us where on the page the image is going to go but we have a bit of work to
do first
As with the other transformations in most cases it is easiest to move one vertex of the
shape and draw the image from there
Worked Example

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7.2.5 COMBINED TRANSFORMATIONS
Combined Transformations – what do I need to know?

Combined transformations are more than one transformation, one performed after the after
It is often the case that 2 transformations can be equivalent to 1 alternative transformation

and you will be expected to spot those
Here’s a reminder of the transformations:
1. Rotation
Requires an angle, direction and centre of rotation
It is usually easy to tell the angle from the orientation of the image
Use some instinct and a bit of trial and error to find the centre of enlargement.

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2. Reflection
Mirror line – can be vertical (x = k), horizontal (y = k) or diagonal (y = mx + c)

Points on the mirror line do not move
Double reflections are possible if the mirror line passes through the object

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4. Enlargement
A scale factor and centre of enlargement are needed for an enlargement

Enlargements can make shapes smaller if scale factor is fractional
Area scale factor is the scale factor squared
Negative scale factors mean the shape is enlarged on the other side of the centre of
enlargement

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Worked Example

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(a)

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(b)

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(c)

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Exam questions are quite keen on combining both negative and fractional
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scale factors! ⬇
Build your answer up following the rules and you will be fine!
7.2.6 TRANSFORMATIONS - ENLARGEMENT (NEGATIVE SCALE

FACTOR)
Enlargement with negative scale factors – what do I need to know?
There is only one key difference between enlargements when the scale factor is negative and
normal enlargements
You will still need to perform enlargements with negative scale factors. It is possible but
unusual to be asked to identify one
The key things with an enlargement are:
1. (Negative) Scale Factor
This time it helps to think of the scale factor as how many times a vertex on the image is
further away from the centre of enlargement than the corresponding vertex on the object
Then, as it is negative, we measure that distance in the opposite direction from the centre of
enlargement.
2. Centre of Enlargement
This tells us where on the page the image is going to go but we have a bit of work to do first
With negative scale factors drawing the shape from one vertex is not as straightforward
So apply the enlargement to at least two vertices (helps if they are connected) and do more
if necessary.

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Worked Example

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CIE IGCSE Maths Revision Notes savemyexams.co.

.1.4 Vectors – Proving Things

.2.2 Transformations – Reﬂection

.2.3 Transformations – Translation

.2.4 Transformations – Enlargement

.2.5 Combined Transformations

.2.6 Transformations – Enlargement (Negative Scale Factor)

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Vectors and transformation geometry

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Note: ‘Vector’ is a word from Latin that means ‘carrier’

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© copyright Save My Exams

Multiplying a vector by a scalar

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-a = -1 × (4 – 2) = (-1 × 4 –1 × (-2)) = (-4 2)

-2a = -2 × (4 – 2) = (-2 × 4 – 2 × (-2)) = (-8 4)

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Adding and subtracting vectors

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© copyright Save My Exams

© copyright Save My Exams

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7.1.2 VECTORS - MODULUS

Vectors have various uses in mathematics

Vectors have magnitude and direction

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What is the magnitude or modulus of a vector?

This depends on the use of the vector

Magnitude or modulus is indicated by vertical lines

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How do I ﬁnd the magnitude or modulus of a vector

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7.1.3 VECTORS - FINDING PATHS

Finding paths in vector diagrams

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© copyright Save My Exams

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7.1.4 VECTORS - PROVING THINGS

What are vector proofs?

Points on a straight line

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Vectors divided in ratios

4. If a point divides a line segment in the ratio p : q, then:

eg. In the following diagram, the point divides in the ratio 3: 5:

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What are transformations in maths?

Rotation – what do I need to know?

1. Angle of rotation – how far we are going to rotate the shape by

2. Direction – clockwise or anti-clockwise

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