Scribd
Upload
11 views

05 Linear transformations as rotations

The document discusses linear transformations, specifically focusing on rotations in two and three-dimensional spaces using rotation matrices. It provides the mathematical representation of these matrices for rotating vectors by a specified angle and illustrates the process with an example of rotating a vector by 135 degrees. The document also highlights the properties of rotations, such as linearity and scalar multiplication.

Uploaded by

Tanvee Bandekar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
11 views

05 Linear transformations as rotations

The document discusses linear transformations, specifically focusing on rotations in two and three-dimensional spaces using rotation matrices. It provides the mathematical representation of these matrices for rotating vectors by a specified angle and illustrates the process with an example of rotating a vector by 135 degrees. The document also highlights the properties of rotations, such as linearity and scalar multiplication.

Uploaded by

Tanvee Bandekar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

Linear transformations as rotations

In the previous lesson, we looked at an example of a linear transformation


that included a reflection and a stretch. We can apply the same process
for other kinds of transformations, like compressions, or for rotations.

But we can also use a linear transformation to rotate a vector by a certain


angle, either in degrees or in radians.

The rotation matrix

Instead of using the appropriate identity matrix like we did for reflecting,
stretching, and compressing, we’ll use a matrix specifically for rotations.
But the matrix will still always match the dimension of the space in which
we’re transforming.

If we’re rotating in ℝ2, we’re rotating counterclockwise around the origin


through the angle θ, and the transforming rotation matrix will be

[ sin θ cos θ ]
cos θ −sin θ
Rotθ =

And the transformation to rotate any vector x ⃗ in ℝ2 will be

[ sin θ cos θ ] [x2]


cos θ −sin θ x1
Rotθ( x ⃗ ) =

If we’re rotating in ℝ3, the transforming rotation matrix will be different


depending on which axis we’re rotating around.

279
1 0 0
Rotθ around x = 0 cos θ −sin θ
0 sin θ cos θ

cos θ 0 sin θ
Rotθ around y = 0 1 0
−sin θ 0 cos θ

cos θ −sin θ 0
Rotθ around z = sin θ cos θ 0
0 0 1

And the transformation to rotate any vector x ⃗ in ℝ3 will be

1 0 0 x1
Rotθ around x( x ⃗ ) = 0 cos θ −sin θ x2
0 sin θ cos θ x3

cos θ 0 sin θ x1
Rotθ around y( x ⃗ ) = 0 1 0 x2
−sin θ 0 cos θ x3

cos θ −sin θ 0 x1
Rotθ around z( x ⃗ ) = sin θ cos θ 0 x2
0 0 1 x3

So if we know the angle by which we’re trying to rotate a vector, we can


plug the angle into the rotation matrix, and then multiply the rotation
matrix by the vector we want to transform.

We also want to know that rotations follow these properties:

Rotθ( u ⃗ + v ⃗ ) = Rotθ( u ⃗ ) + Rotθ( v ⃗ )

280
Rotθ(c u ⃗ ) = cRotθ( u ⃗ )

Let’s do an example of a rotation in ℝ2.

Example

Rotate x ⃗ by an angle of θ = 135∘.

x ⃗ = (3,2)

The transformation to rotate any vector x ⃗ in ℝ2 by 135∘ will be

[ sin(135∘) cos(135∘) ] [x2]


cos(135∘) −sin(135∘) x1
Rot135∘( x ⃗ ) =

First, we’ll simplify the rotation matrix. We can get the sine and cosine
values at θ = 135∘ from the unit circle.

2 2
−2 −2
[ sin(135∘) cos(135∘) ]
∘ ∘
cos(135 ) −sin(135 )
=
2 2
2
−2

Then the transformation to rotate any vector x ⃗ in ℝ2 by 135∘ will be


rewritten as

2 2
−2 −2
[x2]
x1
Rot135∘( x ⃗ ) =
2 2
2
−2

281
Now we’ll apply this specific rotation matrix to x ⃗ = (3,2).

2 2
−2 −2
( [ ] ) [2]
3 3
Rot135∘ =
2 2 2
2
−2

3 2 2 2
− −
( [ ] )
3 2 2
Rot135∘ =
2 3 2 2 2
2
− 2

5 2
−
[
( 2 )]
3 2
Rot135∘ =
2
2

If the original vector is x ,⃗ and we call the transformed vector x 1⃗ , then we


can sketch x ⃗ and x 1⃗ and the 135∘ angle between them.

282
283

You might also like