Some time ago the CM Define It app featured the word transformation. When you think of the term transformation, which other mathematical words spring to mind? What do you immediately connect with it? Which other key ideas do you think will be connected to this term?
We’ve used the Cambridge Mathematics Framework to generate the visualisation below to help with these questions.
Figure 1. All glossary entries in the CM Framework that are currently connected to the word transformation. Two words are connected if they both occur as glossary links in the text of the same waypoint (piece of mathematical content), with the strength of the connection being the number of waypoints where this happens.
Does this match the words you thought about? Are there any surprises? Can you see any interesting conceptual trains of thought running through these semantic links?
One intriguing connection is the term fraction. How could fraction be linked to transformation? In the Framework, the connection is mediated by the waypoint Beginning to scale with fractions. This waypoint suggests that multiplication or division by a fraction can be perceived as an enlargement transformation, which can help to develop connections in geometrical, numerical and algebraic contexts.
Figure 2. A snapshot of the connection between the words transformation and fraction through the Beginning to scale with fractions waypoint, including the underlying explanation for how this waypoint mediates the connection between the key terms.
Have you ever used a task using fractions to demonstrate transformation, or explained transformation by referring to fractions? Can you add to our explanation of the connection between the key terms transformation and fraction? You can tweet us @CambridgeMaths or reply in the comments below.
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