Basic Transformations

Basic transformations are fundamental techniques used in computer graphics to manipulate the position, size, and orientation of 2D or 3D objects. The most common basic transformations are translation, rotation, scaling, and shearing.

1. Translation: Translation is the process of moving an object from one position to another in a straight line. It involves changing the position of an object by adding or subtracting values from its coordinates. For example, to move an object 5 units to the right and 3 units upwards, we would add 5 to the x-coordinate and 3 to the y-coordinate.

2. Rotation: Rotation is the process of rotating an object around a fixed point called the pivot point. It involves changing the orientation of an object by specifying the angle of rotation. For example, to rotate an object 45 degrees clockwise, we would specify the angle of rotation and the pivot point around which the object should be rotated.

3. Scaling: Scaling is the process of changing the size of an object. It involves multiplying or dividing the coordinates of an object by a scaling factor. For example, to double the size of an object, we would multiply its coordinates by a scaling factor of 2.

4. Shearing: Shearing is the process of changing the shape of an object by skewing it along a particular axis. It involves adding or subtracting values from the coordinates of an object along a specific axis. For example, to shear an object horizontally, we would add a value to the y-coordinate based on its position along the x-axis.

These basic transformations are used in computer graphics to create complex shapes and animations by combining them in various ways. Other advanced transformations, such as reflection, projection, and distortion, can be achieved by combining these basic transformations.