Which of the following describes a transformation that maintains area but alters perimeter?

The correct answer explains a transformation process where the overall area of a figure remains constant, but the way that area is represented can alter its perimeter. When a figure is cut and then reassembled, the individual pieces can be arranged differently, thus potentially modifying the perimeter while keeping the area the same.

In this context, cutting a shape allows for flexibility in rearrangement; for instance, a rectangle can be cut into smaller pieces and those pieces can be rearranged into a different shape that has the same total area but a different perimeter. This contrasts with transformations like rotation or translation, which do not affect either area or perimeter, or scaling down, which would typically reduce both the area and the perimeter since they are directly related through a scale factor. Therefore, the option describing the cutting and reassembling of a figure accurately captures the essence of a transformation that can alter perimeter while maintaining area.