Practice Translation in Math

Use these practice problems to test your method after reviewing the concept explanation and worked examples.

Quick Recap

A rigid transformation that slides every point of a figure the same distance in the same direction.

Sliding a chess piece straight across the board—every point moves the same amount, same direction.

Showing a random 20 of 50 problems.

Example 1

hard
A translation maps the circle (x−1)2+(y+2)2=9 to a circle centered at (7,4). What is the translation vector?

Example 2

medium
After translating by ⟨3,−4⟩, then by ⟨−1,6⟩, what single translation vector has the same effect?

Example 3

easy
Point P(4,7) is translated to P′(1,3). What is the translation vector?

Example 4

medium
A figure with vertex A(5,2) is translated so A→A′(−1,6). Where does the vertex B(3,−4) go under the same translation?

Example 5

medium
Does a translation change a figure's area?

Example 6

easy
What is the translation vector that leaves every point fixed?

Example 7

medium
Translate the parabola y=x2 by ⟨3,−2⟩. Write the equation of the image.

Example 8

easy
Does a translation change the size or shape of a figure?

Example 9

hard
A square with vertices (1,1), (3,1), (3,3), (1,3) is translated so that the bottom-left corner moves to (0,0). Find the new vertices and the translation vector.

Example 10

challenge
A repeating wallpaper pattern looks identical after sliding it 5 cm right. What is this property called, and what does it imply about sliding it 10 cm right?

Example 11

medium
A figure is translated by ⟨a,b⟩. What single translation undoes it?

Example 12

challenge
Suppose translation T1 takes (0,0)→(3,4) and translation T2 takes (3,4)→(−1,7). Find the single translation equivalent to T2∘T1 and the total distance traveled by the origin.

Example 13

medium
Triangle has vertices (1,1), (4,1), (1,5). Translate by ⟨2,3⟩. Find the new vertices.

Example 14

medium
Translation is an isometry. What does isometry mean?

Example 15

medium
Why does a translation never have a fixed point (a point that maps to itself), unless the shift is zero?

Example 16

medium
A circle of radius 3 centered at (2,−1) is translated by ⟨4,6⟩. What is the center of the image circle, and what is its radius?

Example 17

medium
A figure is translated by ⟨3,2⟩, then by ⟨−1,4⟩. Find the single equivalent translation.

Example 18

easy
Translate the point (2,5) by 3 right and 2 up.

Example 19

challenge
Prove that the composition of two translations is itself a translation, and find the vector.

Example 20

easy
A translation rule is (x,y)→(x−4,y+1). Which way does it move points?