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HSG.CO.A.5Common CoreMathGeometryGrades 9-12

HSG.CO.A.5: Drawing Transformed Figures and Sequences of Transformations

In plain English: HSG.CO.A.5 is the Common Core geometry standard that asks students to draw the image of a figure under a given rotation, reflection or translation, using graph paper, tracing paper or geometry software. Students also specify a sequence of transformations that carries one figure onto another. It is usually taught in the transformations unit of high school Geometry.

Given a geometric figure and a rotation, reflection, or translation, draw the transformed figure using, e.g., graph paper, tracing paper, or geometry software. Specify a sequence of transformations that will carry a given figure onto another.

Common Core State Standards for Mathematics · Domain: Congruence (CO) · Cluster: Experiment with transformations in the plane
Also written as HSG-CO.A.5 or G-CO.5 · Official standard

01

Lesson Plan

65-70 min

Overview

Students draw the image of a figure under a rotation, a reflection and a translation, first on graph paper, then with tracing paper, and optionally in dynamic geometry software. They learn to transform a figure vertex by vertex: find each image point from the description of the transformation, then connect the images in the same order.

In the second half, the task is reversed. Students are given a figure and its image and must specify a sequence of transformations that carries one onto the other. They learn to read clues from the pair of figures (orientation, which way a side points, which vertex matches which), to test a proposed sequence on every vertex, and to see that different sequences can produce the same result while changing the order of two steps can change it.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Draw the image of a polygon under a given translation, reflection or rotation on graph paper, and check it with tracing paper
  • Rotate a figure about a center that is not the origin by turning each vertex along a circle centered at that point
  • Use orientation and corresponding sides to decide which kinds of transformations a sequence needs
  • Specify a sequence of transformations that carries a given figure onto another, and verify it on every vertex
  • Explain why the order of transformations in a sequence can change the final image

Prior Knowledge Required

Students should already be comfortable with:

  • Definitions of rotations, reflections and translations HSG.CO.A.4
  • Transformations as functions of points in the plane HSG.CO.A.2
  • Describing the effect of transformations on figures using coordinates 8.G.A.3
  • Plotting points and reading coordinates in all four quadrants

Lesson Procedure

65-70 minutes of class time across 5 phases.

  1. Warm-Up10 minutes

    Students plot the point (3, 1) on graph paper and find its image three separate times, each time starting again from (3, 1).

    Warm-Up Prompt

    "Where does (3, 1) land if you (a) translate it 2 units left and 4 units up, (b) reflect it across the y-axis, (c) rotate it 180° about the origin? Two of your answers have the same x-coordinate. Is that a coincidence?"

    Answers: (1, 5), (-3, 1) and (-3, -1). The reflection and the rotation both send x to -3, but the rotation also changes the sign of y. Ask students to describe the move from (-3, 1) to (-3, -1) (a reflection across the x-axis). This previews the idea that a sequence of two transformations can equal a single one: a reflection across the y-axis followed by a reflection across the x-axis gives the 180° rotation.

  2. Direct Instruction20 minutes

    Part 1: Drawing images. Model the vertex-by-vertex method and show each case with both graph paper and tracing paper:

    1. Label the vertices of the figure in order.
    2. Transform one vertex at a time: count the slide for a translation, measure perpendicular distance to the line for a reflection, or turn along a circle about the center for a rotation.
    3. Label each image with a prime (A → A′), and connect the images in the same order as the original.
    4. Check with tracing paper: trace the figure, then slide, flip or pin and turn the paper. The traced figure should cover the drawn image exactly.
    • Translation

      Translate △ABC with A(-4, 1), B(-1, 1), C(-3, 4) 5 units right and 3 units down.

      Equation: A′(1, -2), B′(4, -2), C′(2, 1)

    • Reflection across a vertical line

      Reflect △DEF with D(1, 2), E(3, -1), F(2, 4) across the line x = -1.

      Equation: D′(-3, 2), E′(-5, -1), F′(-4, 4): each vertex keeps its y-coordinate and lands the same distance on the other side of x = -1

    • Rotation

      Rotate △GHJ with G(1, 1), H(4, 1), J(1, 3) 90° clockwise about the origin (Diagram 1).

      Equation: G′(1, -1), H′(1, -4), J′(3, -1)

    • Sequence: reflection, then translation

      Find a sequence that carries △PQR with P(1, 1), Q(3, 1), R(1, 4) onto △P″Q″R″ with P″(-4, -1), Q″(-2, -1), R″(-4, -4) (Diagram 2).

      Equation: Reflect across the x-axis, then translate 5 units left

    • Sequence: rotation, then translation

      Find a sequence that carries △STU with S(1, 0), T(4, 0), U(1, 2) onto △S″T″U″ with S″(3, -1), T″(3, 2), U″(1, -1).

      Equation: Rotate 90° counterclockwise about the origin, then translate 3 units right and 2 units down

    Part 2: Reading clues for a sequence. Use Diagram 2. Before proposing moves, students compare the two figures: (1) Is the orientation the same (both vertex orders counterclockwise) or reversed? Reversed orientation means the sequence needs an odd number of reflections. (2) Which way does a matching side point? In the last example, side ST points right but S″T″ points up, which suggests a 90° counterclockwise turn. (3) After the turn, how far is each vertex from its target? That distance is the translation. Every proposed sequence must be tested on all three vertices, not only one.

  3. Guided Practice15 minutes

    Pairs work on quadrilateral WXYZ with W(-3, 1), X(-1, 1), Y(-1, 3), Z(-4, 2), with one partner drawing and the other checking with tracing paper, then switching roles:

    • Reflect WXYZ across the line y = x. (W′(1, -3), X′(1, -1), Y′(3, -1), Z′(2, -4))
    • Rotate WXYZ 90° counterclockwise about the origin. (W′(-1, -3), X′(-1, -1), Y′(-3, -1), Z′(-2, -4))

    Ask pairs to compare the two images: they have the same shape and size but a different orientation. Then give △KLM with K(2, 1), L(5, 1), M(5, 3) and its image K″(-2, -1), L″(-5, -1), M″(-5, -3). Pairs find two different sequences that work: a 180° rotation about the origin, or a reflection across the x-axis followed by a reflection across the y-axis. Discuss why both give the same image.

  4. Independent Practice15 minutes

    Students complete four tasks on graph paper and check each with tracing paper:

    • Translate the triangle with vertices (-2, -3), (0, -1), (1, -4) 3 units right and 5 units up. ((1, 2), (3, 4), (4, 1))
    • Reflect the segment with endpoints (2, -1) and (5, 3) across the line y = 1. ((2, 3) and (5, -1))
    • Rotate the triangle with vertices (2, 0), (4, 0), (4, 3) 90° counterclockwise about (2, 0). ((2, 0), (2, 2), (-1, 2))
    • Specify a sequence that carries the triangle with vertices (1, 2), (4, 2), (1, 4) onto the triangle with vertices (-2, -1), (-2, -4), (-4, -1), matched in that order. (One answer: rotate 90° clockwise about the origin, then reflect across the y-axis. A single reflection across the line y = -x also works.)
  5. Closure5-10 minutes

    Exit ticket: (1) Rotate the point (1, 0) 90° counterclockwise about the origin, then translate it 3 units right. (2) Now translate (1, 0) 3 units right first, then rotate it 90° counterclockwise about the origin. (3) Compare your answers and write one sentence about the order of steps in a sequence. (Answers: (3, 1) and (0, 4). The order matters.)

Differentiation Strategies

For Struggling Students

  • Start with translations and reflections across the axes before rotations, and let students keep tracing paper on every problem
  • Give a vertex table (original, step 1, step 2) so students record each vertex after each step of a sequence
  • Color-code matching vertices (A red, B blue, C green) in the figure and its image so the correspondence is visible

For Advanced Students

  • Show that the rotation-then-translation sequence in the last worked example equals a single 90° counterclockwise rotation, and find its center, (5/2, 1/2)
  • Ask for the shortest possible sequence for each puzzle in Activity 2 and a reason why no shorter one exists
  • Ask students to predict what one reflection followed by a second reflection across a parallel line does, then test it with tracing paper

Assessment Guidance

What to Look For

When students draw images, check that every vertex is transformed and labeled, and that images are connected in the original order. For rotations about a point other than the origin, look for students who rotate about the origin by habit. For sequences, a correct answer names each transformation completely (center, angle and direction; line of reflection; distance and direction of a slide), states the order, and has been tested on every vertex. Accept any correct sequence: there is rarely only one.

02

Classroom Activities

3 Activities

1

Tracing Paper Turns and Folds

20 minPairs

Pairs use tracing paper to carry out a rotation about a point that is not on the figure and a reflection across a slanted line, then compare the traced images with images drawn on graph paper.

Procedure

  • On graph paper, draw the triangle with vertices (2, 1), (5, 1), (3, 4) and mark the point (1, -1)
  • Rotation: trace the triangle and the point. Hold a pencil point on (1, -1), turn the tracing paper a quarter turn counterclockwise, and press through each traced vertex. Record the images: (-1, 0), (-1, 3), (-4, 1)
  • Reflection: draw the line y = x - 2 on the same grid. Trace the triangle and the line, flip the tracing paper over and line up the traced line with the drawn line. Record the images: (3, 0), (3, 3), (6, 1)
  • Partners check one vertex of each image by the definition: equal distance from the center, or the line as the perpendicular bisector

Discussion Questions

  • For the rotation, why must the pencil stay exactly on the center while the paper turns?
  • For the reflection, why do you flip the paper over instead of sliding it?
  • Which vertex was easiest to find by counting grid squares, and which needed the tracing paper?

Modification for Distance Learning

Use free dynamic geometry software: students plot the triangle, apply the rotation and reflection tools, and paste a screenshot with the image coordinates next to their hand-drawn answers.

2

Transformation Golf

25 minGroups of 3

Every puzzle card shows the same "flag" triangle, with pole AB and tip C at A(1, 1), B(1, 4), C(3, 3), and a target position. Groups find a sequence of transformations that carries the flag onto the target, trying to use as few moves as possible. Each move is one rotation, reflection or translation.

The 6 Puzzle Cards (targets for A, B, C, with a shortest answer)

  • Card 1: (4, -2), (4, 1), (6, 0). One move: translate 3 right and 3 down
  • Card 2: (-1, 1), (-1, 4), (-3, 3). One move: reflect across the y-axis
  • Card 3: (-1, 1), (-4, 1), (-3, 3). One move: rotate 90° counterclockwise about the origin
  • Card 4: (-1, -1), (-1, -4), (-3, -3). One move: rotate 180° about the origin
  • Card 5: (5, -1), (5, -4), (7, -3). Two moves: reflect across the x-axis, then translate 4 right
  • Card 6: (1, 1), (4, 1), (3, -1). One move: rotate 90° clockwise about A(1, 1); a common two-move answer is a 90° clockwise rotation about the origin followed by a translation 2 units up

Procedure

  • Groups draw the flag and the target on graph paper for each card
  • One student proposes a move, one draws it, and one checks all three vertices against the target; roles rotate for each card
  • Score one point per move. Groups compare scores and share any sequence shorter than another group's

Challenge Variation

Groups design their own target for another group, using exactly two moves, and record the answer on the back of the card. The receiving group tries to find a one-move answer.

3

Does Order Matter?

15 minPairs

Pairs test whether swapping the two steps of a sequence changes the result. They use graph paper or dynamic geometry software and record the results in a table.

Test Pairs

  • Reflect across the x-axis and translate 4 units right (order does not matter: the slide is parallel to the line)
  • Reflect across the x-axis and translate 4 units up (order matters)
  • Rotate 90° counterclockwise about the origin and translate 4 units right (order matters)
  • Translate 2 units right and translate 3 units down (order does not matter)

Procedure

  • Choose one triangle and apply each pair in both orders, recording the final vertices in a table
  • Mark each pair "same" or "different" and write a conjecture about when order does not matter

Discussion Questions

  • Why does a slide parallel to the line of reflection give the same result in either order?
  • If a sequence is written as a list of steps, why must the list say which step comes first?

03

Diagrams & Visual Aids

2 diagrams

Diagram 1: Rotating a Triangle 90° Clockwise

-1 1 2 3 4 5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 G H J G′ H′ J′ O Rotate △GHJ 90° clockwise about O G(1, 1) → G′(1, -1) H(4, 1) → H′(1, -4) J(1, 3) → J′(3, -1) Each vertex moves along a circle centered at O. The dashed arc shows H: OH = OH′ = √17 and ∠HOH′ is a right angle. Tracing paper check: pin the paper at O and turn a quarter turn clockwise.
Drawn to scale. △GHJ rotated 90° clockwise about the origin O. Each vertex travels along a circle centered at O; the dashed arc shows vertex H, with OH = OH′ = √17 and a right angle at O.

Diagram 2: A Sequence of Two Transformations

-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 P Q R P′ Q′ R′ P″ Q″ R″ Carry △PQR onto △P″Q″R″ Step 1: reflect across the x-axis (dashed image P′Q′R′) Step 2: translate 5 units left (arrow), giving P″(-4, -1), Q″(-2, -1), R″(-4, -4) Why a reflection is needed P → Q → R runs counterclockwise, but P″ → Q″ → R″ runs clockwise. Rotations and translations keep the order; a reflection reverses it.
Drawn to scale. Reflecting △PQR across the x-axis gives the dashed triangle; translating that image 5 units left gives △P″Q″R″. The vertex order reverses from counterclockwise to clockwise, which shows that the sequence must contain a reflection.

04

Homework Assignment

~30 min

HSG.CO.A.5 Homework: Drawing Transformations and Specifying Sequences

Directions: Use graph paper. Draw and label every figure and image, list the image coordinates, and check each image with tracing paper. For sequences, name each transformation completely and give the order of the steps.

Part 1: Drawing Images (Problems 1-3)

  1. Draw quadrilateral ABCD with A(-5, 2), B(-2, 2), C(-1, 4), D(-4, 5). Translate it 6 units right and 4 units down, and label the image A′B′C′D′.
  2. Draw △EFG with E(1, 3), F(4, 5), G(2, 6) and the line y = x. Reflect △EFG across the line y = x and give the image coordinates.
  3. Draw △HJK with H(-1, 2), J(-1, 5), K(1, 5). Rotate it 180° about the point (1, 1) and give the image coordinates. Describe how you used tracing paper or a circle to check.

Part 2: Specifying Sequences (Problems 4-6)

  1. △LMN has vertices L(1, 1), M(3, 1), N(3, 2). Its image △L″M″N″ has vertices L″(-1, -4), M″(-3, -4), N″(-3, -5). Specify a sequence of transformations that carries △LMN onto △L″M″N″ and verify it on all three vertices.
  2. The triangle with vertices (0, 0), (2, 0), (0, 1) is rotated 90° counterclockwise about the origin and then translated 4 units right. (a) Give the final vertices. (b) Do the two steps in the opposite order and give the final vertices. (c) Are the results the same?
  3. A sign designer has a triangular logo with vertices (2, 1), (4, 1), (2, 5) and wants it at (-4, -2), (-6, -2), (-4, 2), matched in that order. Specify a sequence of transformations that moves the logo into place. Explain, using the order of the vertices, why your sequence must include a reflection.

Rubric

CriterionFull Credit (2 pts)Partial Credit (1 pt)No Credit (0 pts)
Accurate DrawingsAll images drawn and labeled with correct coordinatesOne vertex or label wrongImages missing or several errors
Complete DescriptionsEvery transformation fully named (center, angle, direction, line or slide)One detail missingDescriptions vague
Sequences VerifiedEach sequence tested on every vertex and correctCorrect sequence, not fully verifiedSequence does not work
ReasoningClear explanation of order and orientationExplanation partly correctNo explanation

05

Quiz: 20 Questions

Interactive, with answers

Instructions

Work through the questions in order. Your score updates as you answer, and Reset quiz clears everything so you or your students can try again.

Multiple choice: pick an option to check it. Short answer: write your answer, then reveal the model answer.

0 of 20 answered · 0 correct

  1. Question 1 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Translate the point (-3, 5) 4 units right and 6 units down. Where is the image?

  2. Question 2 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Reflect the point (2, -5) across the y-axis. Where is the image?

  3. Question 3 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Rotate the point (3, -2) 90° counterclockwise about the origin. Where is the image?

  4. Question 4 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Reflect the point (4, 1) across the horizontal line y = -2. Where is the image?

  5. Question 5 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Rotate the point (5, 3) 180° about the point (2, 2). Where is the image?

  6. Question 6 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    △ABC has A(1, 2), B(3, 2), C(1, 5). Its image has A′(-1, 2), B′(-3, 2), C′(-1, 5). Which single transformation carries △ABC onto △A′B′C′?

  7. Question 7 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Which sequence carries the triangle with vertices (1, 1), (4, 1), (1, 3) onto the triangle with vertices (-2, -1), (1, -1), (-2, -3), in that order?

  8. Question 8 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    A triangle has its vertices labeled counterclockwise, and in its image the matching vertices run clockwise. What must be true of any sequence of rigid transformations that carries the triangle onto its image?

  9. Question 9 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Rotate (2, 0) 90° counterclockwise about the origin, then translate the result 3 units right. Where does the point end up?

  10. Question 10 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    The triangle with vertices (2, 1), (5, 1), (2, 3) maps to the triangle with vertices (1, 2), (1, 5), (3, 2), in that order. Which single transformation does this?

  11. Question 11 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    You use tracing paper to rotate a figure 90° clockwise about point P. What do you do?

  12. Question 12 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    A translation moves the endpoint (-1, 3) of a segment to (4, 0). Where does the other endpoint (2, 5) go?

  13. Question 13 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Rotate the point (3, 2) 90° clockwise about the point (1, 0). Where is the image?

  14. Question 14 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    A figure is reflected across the line x = 1 and then across the line x = 4. Which single transformation has the same effect?

  15. Question 15 of 20 · Short Answer

    Reflect △ABC with A(-2, 1), B(0, 4), C(1, 2) across the x-axis. Give the image coordinates.

  16. Question 16 of 20 · Short Answer

    Rotate △DEF with D(1, 2), E(3, 2), F(3, 5) 90° counterclockwise about the origin. Give the image coordinates.

  17. Question 17 of 20 · Short Answer

    Specify a sequence of transformations that carries the triangle with vertices (0, 0), (3, 0), (0, 2) onto the triangle with vertices (5, 1), (5, 4), (3, 1), in that order.

  18. Question 18 of 20 · Short Answer

    Translate the point (3, -4) 2 units up, then reflect the result across the y-axis. Where does the point end up?

  19. Question 19 of 20 · Short Answer

    Explain how to use tracing paper to draw the reflection of a triangle across a slanted line ℓ.

  20. Question 20 of 20 · Short Answer

    Give two different sequences that carry the triangle with vertices (1, 1), (2, 3), (4, 1) onto the triangle with vertices (-1, 1), (-3, 2), (-1, 4), in that order.

0 of 20 answered · 0 correct

06

Frequently Asked Questions

10 Questions

What does HSG.CO.A.5 mean?

It means students can draw the image of a figure after a given rotation, reflection or translation, and can describe a sequence of those transformations that moves one figure exactly onto another. The standard names graph paper, tracing paper and geometry software as tools, so students are expected to use hands-on methods, not only coordinate rules.

What grade or course is HSG.CO.A.5?

It is a high school Geometry standard, usually taught in the first unit on transformations, after the definitions in HSG.CO.A.4 and before congruence in HSG.CO.B.6. It builds on the grade 8 work with transformations on the coordinate plane (8.G.A.3).

Is there only one correct sequence of transformations?

No. Many pairs of figures can be matched by several different sequences. A 180° rotation about the origin, for example, gives the same result as a reflection across the x-axis followed by a reflection across the y-axis. Any sequence is correct if it carries every vertex to its matching vertex.

Does the order of the transformations matter?

Often it does. Rotating (1, 0) 90° counterclockwise about the origin and then translating 3 right gives (3, 1), but translating first gives (0, 4). Some pairs do give the same result in either order, such as a reflection and a slide parallel to the line of reflection, but students should never assume it.

How can students tell whether a sequence needs a reflection?

They compare orientation. Label the vertices of the figure and follow them around: if they run counterclockwise in the figure and clockwise in the image, the orientation is reversed, and any sequence must include an odd number of reflections. Rotations and translations never reverse orientation.

How do you rotate a figure about a point that is not the origin?

Work relative to the center. For each vertex, find how far it is right or left and up or down from the center, turn that offset (for 90° counterclockwise, an offset of (a, b) becomes (-b, a)), and add the turned offset back to the center. With tracing paper, pin the paper at the center and turn it.

Why use tracing paper if coordinate rules are faster?

Tracing paper works for any center, any line and any angle, including slanted lines and centers off the grid, where coordinate rules are harder to apply. It also shows physically that the figure keeps its size and shape, which prepares students for the idea of congruence in HSG.CO.B.6.

What mistakes do students make when drawing transformed figures?

Common errors include rotating about the origin when a different center is given, turning the wrong direction, measuring a reflection distance horizontally instead of perpendicular to a slanted line, and connecting image vertices in a different order from the original. Students also sometimes test a sequence on one vertex and assume it works for all of them.

How is HSG.CO.A.5 assessed?

Typical tasks ask students to draw or give the coordinates of an image under a stated transformation, to choose the sequence that carries one figure onto another, and to write their own sequence with each step fully described. Written tasks may also ask whether changing the order of two steps changes the result.

How does this standard connect to congruence?

In high school geometry, two figures are congruent when a sequence of rigid transformations carries one onto the other (HSG.CO.B.6). The sequences students write in HSG.CO.A.5 are exactly the evidence used to show that two figures are congruent, and later to explain the triangle congruence criteria (HSG.CO.B.7 and HSG.CO.B.8).