The first type of transformation we shall look at is called a translation. Click the "On/Off" button on the applet to start it.
The brown circle is the object and the blue one the image. You can drag the object (brown) with the mouse. Watch what happens to the image.
What do you think the arrow represents?
The arrow tells us how far and in what direction the image is from the object. We can change the length and direction of the arrow. Click on the "Mode" button. Two tiny red dots will appear at the head and tail of the arrow. By dragging these you can change the length and direction of the arrow. (If you decide to move the object you can click the "Mode" button once again and then drag the object with the mouse). Here are a few things for you to investigate.
What happens if you make the arrow shorter? If you shrink it all the way down to a length of zero, where is the image? A transformation where the image is in the same position as the object is called the identity transformation.
Place the head of the arrow on the object (brown). With the head of the arrow on the object, try moving the tail of the arrow. Describe the motion of the image.
Now move the head of the arrow off the object and this time place the tail of the arrow on object. Now move the head of the arrow.anywhere else. Where is the image?
e-mail: Chris Mawata