If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.

Main content

# Translations review

Review the basics of translations, and then perform some translations.

### What is a translation?

A translation is a type of transformation that takes each point in a figure and slides it the same distance in the same direction.
This translation maps triangle, X, Y, Z onto the blue triangle.
The result is a new figure, called the image. The image is congruent to the original figure.
Want to learn more about different types of transformations? Check out this video.

## Performing translations

A figure can be moved horizontally along the x axis and vertically along the y axis.
Example:
Translate triangle, L, M, N minus, 4 units in the x direction and minus, 2 units in the y direction.
A translation of minus, 4 units in the x direction results in a shift to the left by 4 units, and a translation of minus, 2 units in the y direction results in a shift down by 2 units.
This translation maps triangle, L, M, N onto the triangle below.
Want to learn more about performing translations? Check out this video.

## Practice

Problem 1
Draw the image of triangle, A, B, C under a translation by 3 units to the right and 4 units down.

Want to try more problems like this? Check out this exercise.

## Want to join the conversation?

• it dont come to my head because it dont give a clear explanation
(10 votes)
• So if you move a point -3 points in the x axis does it move left or right?
(9 votes)
• If you move a point -3 in the x direction (not axis), then it moves to the left.
(2 votes)
• do not understand why i am getting translations
wrong when i thought i know how to do it
(0 votes)
• I know "Right"!
(4 votes)
• can translations overlap?
(5 votes)
• It depends because if it were fully overlapping then it would no longer be a translation, but if you mean slightly overlap then it can happen
(7 votes)
• If you have a problem where you must dilate and use transformations to see if one figure is congruent to another, then how would you do that?
(4 votes)
• Hi. You can use the rule of three or find a proportion. Both methods work.
Hope I have helped :)
(5 votes)
• Im Still confused after 3 years
(4 votes)
• i am not understanding all of the letters and numbers on the questions
(4 votes)
• i dont think this is a question but doing the problems without an image is really hard to me.
(3 votes)
• What helps me is to look at the differences.

Say you had Y' is Y under a translation. Y' is (7, 9) and Y is (3, 2).

First, you would take the translated (Y') and subtract from the original (Y).

Basically, your answer would be (7-3, 9-2).

So, your final answer is (4 units right, 7 units up).

Hope this helps you 😁
(2 votes)
• can you translate a decimal
(2 votes)
• You can only translate a decimal number in one dimension, for two dimensions and up, you would need a coordinate pair(or more in higher dimensions)
(4 votes)
• I noticed in problem 3, the points were in between the lines but problem 1 and 2 didn't have that.. why so?
(2 votes)
• Because not always the question would be in the exact point. There can be decimals in this topic too. So when moving that point make sure its also between the points.
(2 votes)