transformasjon

Transformasjon, or transformation, is the process of changing in form, appearance, nature, or condition. The term derives from Latin transformare, meaning to "form across" or "change in form." In various disciplines, transformation describes a relation that converts objects or data from one state to another while often preserving some properties.

In mathematics and geometry, a transformation is a rule or function that maps elements of one set to elements of another. Linear transformations T: V -> V preserve vector addition and scalar multiplication and can be represented by matrices. Geometric transformations include rotation, translation, scaling, and reflection; more general affine transformations combine these, while projective transformations describe perspective effects. Transformations can be combined by composition and analyzed in terms of invariants and symmetry groups.

In physics and computer science, coordinate transformations relate observations between different reference frames. Lorentz and Galilean transformations are used in relativity and classical mechanics. In computer science and graphics, various transforms convert data or coordinates, such as the Fourier transform, discrete cosine transform, or wavelet transform, which decompose signals into frequency components. Transformations underpin data pipelines, encoding, decoding, and feature engineering.

In biology, genetic transformation refers to the uptake and expression of foreign DNA by an organism, notably bacteria in molecular biology. The resulting cells, or transformants, carry new genetic information and traits.

In business and organization studies, transformation denotes intentional, comprehensive changes to strategies, processes, or structures—often termed digital transformation or organizational transformation. Such efforts aim to improve efficiency, customer value, or adaptability.