Lines of Symmetry

Prior Knowledge:
• A basic understanding of line symmetry – this sheet is great to use as revision.

Reflective symmetry is where one half of an image or shape is the reflection (mirror image) of the
other half. For example, if a shape has reflective symmetry, you would be able to fold the image
exactly in half and have both halves match exactly. We draw lines onto a shape to show where you
could make these folds. These are called lines of symmetry. Lines of symmetry are also known as
mirror lines. A shape might not have any lines of symmetry or it could have 1, 2, 3 or more.

For example,
These images have no lines of symmetry.

These shapes have one line of symmetry.

Notice how each half is

a mirror image of the
other half.

An irregular pentagon An isosceles trapezium A kite

These shapes have two lines of symmetry.

Remember a rectangle only

has two lines of symmetry – it
doesn’t have diagonal lines of
symmetry.

A rectangle An oval

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 Lines of Symmetry
These shapes have more than two lines of symmetry. Each shape is a regular polygon, which
means all the sides are the same length.

An equilateral triangle A square

Any line that goes through the centre of a circle is a mirror line, so a circle has an infinite number
of lines of symmetry.

A circle

Sometimes, you might be asked to complete a pattern or picture.

For example,
Complete the picture by shading in the squares.

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 Lines of Symmetry
The most important thing here is that each square on the half you complete is the same distance
from the mirror line as the equivalent square on the original half.

For example, because there

was one blank square between
the shaded square and the
mirror line on the original side,
this must be reflected on the
other side of the mirror line.

Your Turn
1. Draw the other half of the shapes, making sure they are symmetrical.

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 Lines of Symmetry
2. Draw all the lines of symmetry on the following shapes.

3. Complete the pictures by reflecting the shaded squares across the line of symmetry.

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 Lines of Symmetry

4. a. Draw all the lines of symmetry on each of the regular polygons below.

Pentagon Hexagon Heptagon

Octagon Nonagon Decagon

b. Explain what you notice about the relationship between the lines of symmetry and the
number of sides.

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5. Consider each of the following statements and decide whether they are always, sometimes or
never true. Explain each of your answers.

A pentagon has five lines of symmetry.

A square has four lines of symmetry.

A scalene triangle has three lines of symmetry.

6. Consider the following statement:

‘Shapes with both a horizontal and vertical line of symmetry always have diagonal lines of
symmetry’.

Explain why this statement isn’t always correct.

Challenge
Shade three more squares so this pattern has one line of symmetry.

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