Exploring Rotations

NAME_________________________

For the explorations on this activity sheet, access the game Flip N Slide from the Calculation
Nation website (http://calculationnation.nctm.org).

90 Clockwise Rotation
1. Before you begin, record the starting coordinates for each vertex in your triangle. Perform a
90 clockwise (CW) rotation about the origin, and record the ending coordinates for each
vertex.
STARTING COORDINATES

ENDING COORDINATES

Vertex A
Vertex B
Vertex C
2. Record the ending coordinates from question 1, in the starting coordinates section of the table
below. Perform and 90 clockwise rotation about the origin, and record the ending
coordinates for each vertex.
STARTING COORDINATES

ENDING COORDINATES

Vertex A
Vertex B
Vertex C
3. Compare your work with the person sitting next to you. Make a conjecture about what
happens to a vertex when you perform a 90 clockwise rotation about the origin.

2011 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

http://illuminations.nctm.org

180 Clockwise Rotation

4. Before you begin, record the starting coordinates for each vertex in your triangle. Perform a
180 clockwise rotation about the origin, and record the ending coordinates for each vertex.
STARTING COORDINATES

ENDING COORDINATES

Vertex A
Vertex B
Vertex C
5. Record the ending coordinates from question 4, in the starting coordinates section of the table
below. Perform and 180 clockwise rotation about the origin, and record the ending
coordinates for each vertex.
STARTING COORDINATES

ENDING COORDINATES

Vertex A
Vertex B
Vertex C

6. Compare your work with the person sitting next to you. Make a conjecture about what
happens to a specific vertex when you perform a 180 clockwise rotation about the origin.

2011 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

http://illuminations.nctm.org

270 Clockwise Rotation

7. Before you begin, record the starting coordinates for each vertex in your triangle. Perform a
270 clockwise rotation about the origin, and record the ending coordinates for each vertex.
STARTING COORDINATES

ENDING COORDINATES

Vertex A
Vertex B
Vertex C

8. Record the ending coordinates from question 4, in the starting coordinates section of the table
below. Perform and 270 clockwise rotation about the origin, and record the ending
coordinates for each vertex.
STARTING COORDINATES

ENDING COORDINATES

Vertex A
Vertex B
Vertex C
9. Compare your work with the person sitting next to you. Make a conjecture about what
happens to a specific vertex when you perform a 270 clockwise rotation about the origin.

2011 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

http://illuminations.nctm.org