Geometry & MeasuresDeep Dive

Method: Rotating a Shape

Part of Transformations: Rotations — GCSE Mathematics

This deep dive covers Method: Rotating a Shape within Transformations: Rotations for GCSE Mathematics. Revise Transformations: Rotations in Geometry & Measures for GCSE Mathematics with 12 exam-style questions and 5 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 4 of 6 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.

Topic position

Section 4 of 6

Practice

12 questions

Recall

5 flashcards

Method: Rotating a Shape

1Mark the centre of rotation

2Use tracing paper OR rotation formulas

3Rotate each vertex individually

4Join up the rotated vertices

5State: centre, angle, direction

Keep building this topic

Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in Transformations: Rotations. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.

Rotation Formulas about Origin Worked Example: 90° Rotation Spinning Shapes Three Things to State

Practice Questions for Transformations: Rotations

To fully describe a rotation, which three pieces of information are needed?

A. Angle, direction and mirror line
B. Centre, angle and direction
C. Centre, scale factor and direction
D. Column vector, angle and centre

1 markfoundation

Shape A has vertices at (2, 1), (4, 1) and (4, 3). Shape B has vertices at (−1, 2), (−1, 4) and (−3, 4). Fully describe the single transformation that maps shape A onto shape B.

3 marksstandard

Quick Recall Flashcards

Describing Rotations

Must state THREE things: Centre (coordinates), Angle (90°/180°/270°), Direction (CW/ACW except for 180°).

180° Rotation

(x,y) → (-x,-y). Both coordinates change sign. Same clockwise or anticlockwise!

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Rotation Formulas about Origin

Worked Example: 90° Rotation