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Symmetrical Designs

Reflection or rotation?

Learn the difference between a reflection and a rotation.

In your book, Maths Mela (Chapter 10), you cut out squares and equilateral triangles with the same side length and make designs with them. Then you ask three questions about each design. Does it have reflection symmetry, and where are its lines of symmetry? Does it have rotational symmetry, and at which turn? Does it have both?

The book shows this design: four squares put together in a 2 by 2 block, with two triangles on the left side, one next to each left square, pointing left, and two triangles on the right side, pointing right. Fold it down the middle and the left half matches the right half: a vertical line of symmetry. Fold it across the middle and the top half matches the bottom half: a horizontal line of symmetry. Turn it 1/2 a turn and it looks the same, but after 1/4 of a turn the triangles are at the top and bottom, so it looks different. This design has both kinds of symmetry: 2 lines of symmetry, and rotational symmetry at 1/2 a turn.

Designs can be sorted into three groups. A square with just one triangle sitting on its top side, like a house, has only reflection symmetry: a vertical line down its middle, but after 1/2 a turn the roof is at the bottom. Lali's firki has only rotational symmetry: it looks the same after 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 of a turn, but its blades all curl the same way round, so no fold makes its two halves match. And a square with a triangle on each of its four sides, all pointing out, has both: it has 4 lines of symmetry (two through the middles of opposite sides and two along the diagonals), and it looks the same after every 1/4 turn.

For each design, look for lines of symmetry and for turns that leave it looking the same; then sort it into only reflection, only rotational, or both.

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