Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The mirror equation is a mathematical relationship that relates the object distance (distance of an object from a mirror), the image distance (distance of the image from the mirror), and the focal length of a mirror.
Related terms
Focal Length: The focal length is the distance between the center of a lens or mirror and its focus point.
Object Distance: The object distance is the distance between an object and a lens or mirror.
Image Distance: The image distance is the distance between an image formed by a lens or mirror and that lens or mirror.