Lesson 4-6

Symmetry
Today’s Goal
Explore Symmetry in Figures ● Use line symmetry to
describe the reflections
Online Activity Use dynamic geometry software to complete the that carry a figure onto
Explore. itself.
● Use rotational symmetry
to describe the rotations
 INQUIRY How can you tell when a figure can that carry a figure onto
be mapped onto itself? itself.

Today’s Vocabulary
symmetry
Learn  Line Symmetry line symmetry
A figure has symmetry if there exists a rigid motion—reflection, line of symmetry
translation, rotation, or glide reflection—that maps the figure onto itself. rotational symmetry
Figures that have symmetry are self-congruent. One type of symmetry center of symmetry
is line symmetry. order of symmetry
A figure in the plane has line magnitude
symmetry (or reflectional  of symmetry
symmetry) if each half of the figure point symmetry
matches the other side exactly. line of symmetry
point of symmetry
When a figure has line symmetry,
the figure can be mapped onto
itself by a reflection in a line, Talk About It!
called the line of symmetry Do you think that a
(or axis of symmetry). figure can have multiple
lines of symmetry?
Example 1  Identify Line Symmetry Justify your argument.
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Determine whether each figure has a line of symmetry. If so, draw Yes; sample answer: If
the lines of symmetry and state how many lines of symmetry it has. a figure can be
a. reflected onto itself in
b.
more than one way,
then it can have
multiple lines of
symmetry.

   
5 lines of symmetry 0 lines of symmetry

Go Online You can complete an Extra Example online.

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 Your Notes Check 
Determine whether each figure has a line of symmetry. If so, draw the
lines of symmetry and state how many lines of symmetry it has.
Think About It!
Josefina argues that
you can count the
number of lines of
symmetry in a circle.
Do you agree or
disagree? Justify your
argument. This figure has 2 line(s) of symmetry.

Disagree; sample
answer: A circle has
infinitely many lines of
symmetry, so you cannot
count the number of lines This figure has 3 line(s) of symmetry.
of symmetry in a circle.

This figure has 0 line(s) of symmetry.

Learn  Rotational Symmetry

A figure in the plane has rotational symmetry (or radial symmetry) if
the figure can be mapped onto itself by being rotated less than 360°
about the center of the figure so the image and the preimage are
indistinguishable. The point in which a figure can be rotated onto itself
is called the center of symmetry (or point of symmetry).
This figure has rotational symmetry because a
rotation of 90°, 180°, or 270° maps the figure onto

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itself.
The number of times that a figure maps onto itself
as it rotates from 0° to 360° is called the order of
symmetry. The magnitude of symmetry (or angle
of rotation) is the smallest angle through which a figure can be rotated
so it maps onto itself. The order and magnitude of a rotation are
related by the following equation.
magnitude = 360° ÷ order
This figure has order 4 and magnitude 90°.

90°

276 Module 4 • Transformations and Symmetry

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 Key Concept • Point Symmetry
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A figure has point symmetry if it can be
mapped onto itself by a rotation of 180°. If a You may want to
complete the Concept
figure has point symmetry, then the center
Check to check your
of symmetry in the figure is called the
understanding.
point of symmetry. 180°
Example A rhombus has point symmetry
because it looks the same right-side up as
upside down.

Example 2  Identify Rotational Symmetry

NATURE  Objects found in nature often have rotational symmetry.
Determine whether each figure has rotational symmetry. Explain.
a. b. c.

    

No; no rotation Yes; the flower can Yes; the clover can
less than 360° maps map onto itself with a map onto itself with a
the leaf onto rotation that is less rotation that is less
itself. than 360°. than 360°.
Check 
HOUSEHOLD  Below are several objects that you might find around
your house. Determine whether each figure has rotational symmetry.
Explain.
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Yes; the orange slice No; no rotation Yes; the tablet can
can map onto itself less than 360° maps map onto itself with a
with a rotation that is the pair of scisscors rotation that is less
less than 360°. onto itself. than 360°.

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 Example 3  Determine Order and Magnitude
of Symmetry
Part A State the order and magnitude of symmetry.
Determine whether each figure has rotational symmetry. If so,
locate the center of symmetry and state the order and magnitude of
symmetry.
a.  b.  c. 
Think About It!
Is the following
statement sometimes,
always, or never true?
Explain. A polygon rotational rotational rotational
with order 4 rotational symmetry:
yes symmetry: no symmetry: yes
symmetry has point
order 5 = order = none order 2=
symmetry.
magnitude = 72° magnitude = none magnitude = 180°

Always; sample answer: Part B Identify point symmetry.

If a polygon has order Which figure(s) in Part A has point symmetry? Justify your
4 rotational symmetry, reasoning. The parallelogram has point symmetry because it can be
then the magnitude of rotated 180° about its center so it maps onto itself.
symmetry is 90°.
Because 180 is a multiple
of 90, a polygon with Check 
order 4 must have point Determine whether each figure has rotational symmetry. If so, locate
symmetry. the center of symmetry and state the order and magnitude of
symmetry.
a.  b.  c. 
Go Online
to practice what you’ve
learned about
transformations and

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symmetry in the Put It rotational rotational rotational
All Together over yes
symmetry: symmetry: no symmetry: yes
Lessons 4-1 through 4-6.
order = 2 order = none order = 3
magnitude = 180° magnitude = none magnitude = 120°

Which figure(s) has point symmetry? Justify your answer.

The rectangle has point symmetry because it can be rotated 180° about its
center so it maps onto itself.
Go Online
You may want to
complete the
construction activities
for this lesson.
Go Online You can complete an Extra Example online.

278 Module 4 • Transformations and Symmetry

THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.