M3.5.7 For the adult
Turning symmetry
A square can be turned and still look the same. How many times does it fit on itself in one full turn?
What this chapter teaches
A shape has turning symmetry when it fits on itself after turning part of the way round its centre. The order counts how many times it fits in one full turn, and the smallest turn is 360° divided by the order. A shape can have turning symmetry without line symmetry.
Three questions to ask
There is no one right wording. Listen for the idea.
- How many times does a square fit on itself in a full turn, and what is the smallest turn?
- Why does a parallelogram have turning symmetry but no line of symmetry?
- How would you make a pattern of order 3?
After the chapter, the learner can
- Find the order of turning symmetry of a shape
- Make a pattern with turning symmetry of order 4
What they copy into their notebook
The order of turning symmetry is how many times a shape fits on itself in one full turn. The smallest turn is 360° ÷ order. A pattern of order 4 copies a shape every 90°.