Reflection in 2-D
By: Tripti Saxena
Reflection is a transformation that produces a mirror
image of an object. It is obtained by rotating the
object by 180 degree about the reflection axis
y
Reflection about y

x = x

Initial
Object

x
Reflection about
origin

x = x
y = y

Reflection about x

y = y
Matrix representation of horizontal reflection
Original position

Reflected position

2

2’
1

3

Reflection about the line x=0,
the Y- axis , is accomplished
with the transformation matrix

1’
3’

-1 0

0

0

1

0

0

0

1
Matrix representation of vertical reflection
Original position
1

2

3

2’

3’

Reflection about the line y=0,
the X- axis , is accomplished
with the transformation matrix

1 0

0

0 -1 0
0

1’
Reflected position

0

1
Example

Example: To make a reflection about the vertical axis x = 1.
Steps:
Subtract 1 from the x-coordinate.
This effectively makes the x = 1 axis coincident with the major
y axis.
Perform the reflection by reversing the sign of the modified x
coordinate.
Add 1 to the reflected coordinate to compensate for the
original subtraction.
x1 = x −1
x2 = −(x − )1
x
′ = −(x −1) +1
which simplifies to
x
′ = −x + 2
y
′=y
x
′ = −x + 2
y
′=y
or in matrix form
Reflection in 2 d
Reflection in 2 d

Reflection in 2 d