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PMAT 319.
Chapter 6: Translations and Rotations.

We recall that each isometry is a product of at most three re ections. Thus, = l or

= m l or = n m l where l; m and n are lines.
Product of two re ections: = m l .
Case 1: l and m are parallel. If m = l then = i. In the case l 6= m, we prove that is
a translation.
Let b be a line that is perpendicular to both l and m. Let L = b \ l and M = b \ m.
Let L0 = m (L) and M 0 = l (M ). Let = LL0 which is the translation with direction
!
LM and with distance twice the distance from l to m. We will show that = .
Choose N 2 l n b. Then M 0 LN is a triangle, that is M 0 ; L and N are non-collinear.
! !
Put N 0 = (N ). Then N N 0 k LL0 and m is the perpendicular bisector of both N N 0 and
LL0 . Now,
(M 0 ) = m l (M 0 ) = m l l (M ) = m (M ) = M 0 = (M 0 ),
(L) = m l (L) = m (L) = L0 = (L), and
(N ) = m l (N ) = m (N ) = N 0 = (N ).
Since and agree on three non-collinear points M 0 ; L and N , by Theorem 5.1, = .

Conversely, it is easy to prove that each translation is a product of two re ections in

parallel lines. Note that these lines are not unique.

Case 2: l and m are not parallel. Let C = l \ m and let 2 be the directed angle from l to
m. Let = C; . We prove that = .
Choose L 2 l and M 2 m so that m (6 LCM ) = 2 . Put M 0 = l (M ) and L0 = m (L).
We note that L, C
and M 0 are non-collinear. Now,
(L) = m l (L) = m (L) = L0 = (L),
(C) = m l (C) = m (C) = C = (C), and
(M 0 ) = m l (M 0 ) = m (M ) = M = (M 0 ).
Since and agree on three non-collinear points M 0 ; L and N , by Theorem 5.1, = .
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Conversely, it is easy to prove that each rotation is a product of two re ections in

intersecting lines (whose intersection is the centre of the rotation). Note that these lines
are not unique. In particular, P = P;180 = a b where a and b are any two lines that
are perpendicular at P .

Product of three re ections: = n m l where l k m k n or l, m and n are concurrent.

Case 1: l k m k n.
Let p be the line that is parallel to l and the directed distance from p to n equals the
directed distance from l to m. Then m l = n p and so = n m l = n n p = p , that
is, is a re ection in a line parallel to l; m; n

Case 2: l, m and n are concurrent.

Let C = l\m\n and let p be the line through C so that the directed angle from p to n equals
the directed angle from l to m. Then m l = n p and so = n m l = n n p = p ,
that is, is a re ection in a line concurrent to l; m; n.

Isometries with xed points.

If an isometry has exactly one xed point then is a product of two re etions and
so is a rotation.
If an isometry has two xed points then = i or is a re ection.
Involutary Isometries.
Let 2 I be an involution; that is, 6= i and 2 = i. Since 6= i, there exist points
P 6= Q so that (P ) = Q and (Q) = P . Let R = 21 (P + Q). Then (R) = R. Thus,
has a xed point and hence, is either a halfturn or a re ection.
We recall that the halfturn P xes every line through P . The converse is true.
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Theorem 6.1: If the non-identity rotation C; xes a line through C then C; = C .

Proof: Suppose that C; xes a line l where C 2 l. Let m be the line perpendicular
to l at the point C. Then there is a line n through C so that C; = n m . Now,
l = C; (l) = n m (l) = n (l). Thus, l is xed by the re ection m , and so either l = n
or l ? n. Since C; 6= i, l 6= n and therefore l ? n and C; = C .