Rotational Symmetry

Rotational Symmetry

Rotational symmetry

What is the order of rotational symmetry?

• Rotational symmetry refers to the number of times a shape looks the same as it is rotated 360° about its centre

• This number is called the order of rotational symmetry

• Tracing paper can help work out the order of rotational symmetry

  • Draw an arrow on the tracing paper so you can easily tell when you have turned it through 360°

• Notice that returning to the original shape contributes 1 to the order

  • This means a shape can never have order 0

  • A shape with rotational symmetry order 1 may be described as not having any rotational symmetry

  • The only time it looks the same is when you get back to the start