This site contains an interactive animation that allows students to visually explore the two dimensional transformations of the plane caused by three dimensional matrices
Type of Material:
Interactive app with animated graphs, video and text.
Recommended Uses:
This site can be used for in- class demonstration or for independent student exploration.
Technical Requirements:
Any Internet browser.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
To visually explore rotation, shear, reflection, and translation of the plane by a linear transformation given as a matrix.
Target Student Population:
Students in appropriate linear algebra class.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Knowledge of Matrices
as linear transformations, understanding of homogeneous coordinates, and transformations of the plane.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The site is an excellent, focused exploration of a single technique: transformations of the plane caused by three-dimensional matrices. It provides the opportunity to visually explore the method with self-supplied matrices, starting from a default unit square or a self-drawn figure. It also includes a video tutorial that explains how to use the animation tool. There is a link to a Wikipedia explanation of the mathematical background.
Concerns:
Some instructors might be concerned about referring students to Wikipedia.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
This is an excellent supplementary resource for in-classroom demonstration or for independent student exploration. It is simple to use, visually appealing and provides ample user control of features.
Concerns:
Area of focus is very narrow and assumes strong student background to explore effectively.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The site is intuitive and easy to use. The linked video tutorial also provides an excellent back-up resource for anybody needing help with their self-exploration.
Concerns:
While the site is easy to use for its narrowly-focused exploration, understanding the related mathematics may be difficult for most students.
Creative Commons:
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