Symmetry facts for kids

Examples of symmetry in shapes.

3-rotational symmetry

Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man (ca. 1487) is often used as a representation of symmetry in the human body and, by extension, the natural universe.

Symmetric arcades of a portico in the Great Mosque of Kairouan also called the Mosque of Uqba, in Tunisia.

Reflectional Symmetry is a property of certain geometrical objects that appears the same when mirrored or reflected along an axis. This axis has to cross the shape through the middle of that object dividing into equal halves.

In rotational symmetry, the object is identical when it is rotated by a certain amount.

The precise notions of symmetry have various measures and operational definitions. For example, symmetry may be observed

• with respect to the passage of time;
• as a spatial relationship;
• through transformations such as rotation;
• through other kinds of transformations;
• as an aspect of scientific models, language, music and even knowledge itself.

Asymmetry

Asymmetry is the absence of symmetry. It is best defined like that because symmetry is relatively rare, and all other objects are asymmetric.

Images for kids

• 

  Many animals are approximately mirror-symmetric, though internal organs are often arranged asymmetrically.

• 

  The ceiling of Lotfollah mosque, Isfahan, Iran has 8-fold symmetries.

• 

  Clay pots thrown on a pottery wheel acquire rotational symmetry.

• 

  Persian rug with rectangular symmetry

See also

In Spanish: Simetría para niños