Name(s):________________________
Rotational Symmetry
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Open file 6S&D_Rotations.gsp.
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In this activity you will explore the rotational symmetries of different shapes.
1. Explore the effect of different angles of rotation on the triangle: Double click the angle
parameter and enter a new value. Click the Rotate from noon button.
a.
b.
c.
d.
What angle of rotation produces a half-turn?__________
What angle of rotation produces a quarter-turn?__________
What is the effect of rotating by 360°?________________________________
What happens if you rotate by more than 360°?________________________
2. Explain what the traced red arc shows.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. For each shape (equilateral triangle, star, isosceles triangle), guess what angles of
rotation will make the rotated shape look exactly like the original shape (we will call
these angles the “angles of rotational symmetry”). Check your guesses.
Shape
Equilateral triangle
Guess
Actual Value
Star
Isosceles triangle
4. What will be angles of rotational symmetry for a scalene triangle?
5. Click the “Next” button to investigate quadrilaterals. Begin by exploring different
angles of rotation for each shape.
6. For each of the three quadrilaterals, find the angles of rotational symmetry.
Shape
Guess
Actual Value
Square
Worksheet 1
© 2005 KCP Technologies
Rotational Symmetry
Rectangle
Parallelogram
7. Can you think of a quadrilateral that will have a fewer number of angles of rotational
symmetry than the rectangle?
8. Can you think of a quadrilateral that will have a greater number of angles of rotational
symmetry than the square?
Worksheet 2
© 2005 KCP Technologies