Year 6 · Maths · Position and direction · Lesson 2
Translations and reflections
Translate shapes and points on a coordinate grid, reflect them in the x- and y-axes, and describe translations.
24-minute video lesson
Teaching, worked examples and 20 practice questions solved step by step.
Watch free for a monthWhat your child will learn
- Translate shapes
- Reflect in the axes
- Describe translations
- Know what stays the same
The method
- Translation: + or − on x and y.
- Reflection: change a sign.
- Every corner.
- Draw and check.
Key words: translation, reflection, mirror line, coordinate, axis.
Worked examples
The first three practice questions from the lesson, with every step.
Question 1
A triangle has corners (1, 1), (3, 1), (1, 4). Translate it 1 right. Give the new corners.
- Step 1: x + 1, y + 0
- Step 2: (1, 1) -> (2, 1), (3, 1) -> (4, 1), (1, 4) -> (2, 4)
- Step 3: Draw it
Answer: (2, 1), (4, 1), (2, 4)
Question 2
A triangle has corners (1, 1), (3, 1), (1, 4). Translate it 3 down. Give the new corners.
- Step 1: x + 0, y − 3
- Step 2: (1, 1) -> (1, -2), (3, 1) -> (3, -2), (1, 4) -> (1, 1)
- Step 3: Draw it
Answer: (1, -2), (3, -2), (1, 1)
Question 3
A triangle has corners (1, 1), (3, 1), (1, 4). Translate it 4 left. Give the new corners.
- Step 1: x − 4, y + 0
- Step 2: (1, 1) -> (-3, 1), (3, 1) -> (-1, 1), (1, 4) -> (-3, 4)
- Step 3: Draw it
Answer: (-3, 1), (-1, 1), (-3, 4)