A line segment goes from #(1 ,2 )# to #(4 ,7 )#. The line segment is reflected across #x=6#, reflected across #y=-1#, and then dilated about #(1 ,1 )# by a factor of #2#. How far are the new endpoints from the origin?

1 Answer
Jul 7, 2016

Original segment #A_0B_0#, where #A_0=(1,2), B_0=(4,7)#,
is transformed into #AB#, where #A=(21,-9), B=(15,-19)#.
The distances from the origin to the new endpoints are
#d_A ~~22.8 #
#d_B ~~24.2 #

Explanation:

  1. Reflection of a point with coordinates #(a_0,b_0)# relative to a line #x=6# (vertical line intersecting X-axis at coordinate #x=6#) will be horizontally shifted into a new X-coordinate obtained by adding to an X-coordinate of the axis of symmetry (#x=6#) the distance from it of the original X-coordinates (#6-a_0#).
    Y-coordinate remains the same in this transformation.
    So, new coordinates are:
    #(a_1,b_1) = (6+(6-a_0),b_0)=(12-a_0,b_0)#

  2. Reflection of a point with coordinates #(a_1,b_1)# relative to a line #y=-1# (horizontal line intersecting Y-axis at coordinate #y=-1#) will be vertically shifted into a new Y-coordinate obtained by adding to an Y-coordinate of the axis of symmetry (#y=-1#) the distance from it of the original Y-coordinates (#-1-b_1#).
    X-coordinate remains the same in this transformation.
    So, new coordinates are:
    #(a_2,b_2) = (a_1,-1+(-1-b_1))=#
    # = (a_1,-2-b_1)=(12-a_0,-2-b_0)#

  3. Dilation about a center point #(1,1)# by a factor of #2# will transform a point #(a_2,b_2)# into
    #(a_3,b_3) = (1+2(a_2-1),1+2(b_2-1)) =#
    # = (1+2(12-a_0-1),1+2(-2-b_0-1)) =#
    # = (23-2a_0, -5-2b_0)#

  4. Using this formula for both ends of our original segment #AB#, where #A(1,2)# and #B=(4,7)#:
    4.1. #(a_0=1, b_0=2)#
    # rarr# #(a_3=23-2*1, b_3=-5-2*2) = #
    # = (21, -9)#
    4.2. #(a_0=4, b_0=7)#
    # rarr# #(a_3=23-2*4, b_3=-5-2*7) = #
    # = (15, -19)#

  5. The distance of each end of a new segment from the origin are
    #d_A = sqrt((21)^2+(-9)^2) = sqrt(552) ~~22.8 #
    #d_B = sqrt((15)^2+(-19)^2) = sqrt(586) ~~24.2 #