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Year 9

Rotational symmetry

I can recognise rotational symmetry in shapes.

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New
New
Year 9

Rotational symmetry

I can recognise rotational symmetry in shapes.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Congruent shapes can be used to investigate rotational symmetry.
  2. The centre of rotation is the centre of the shape.
  3. You must be careful not to count the starting point twice.

Common misconception

When rotating a shape to count its order of rotational symmetry, pupils may count the starting position twice: once at the start and then again at the end of the full turn.

Encourage pupils to be consistent with when they count the starting position, either always counting it before they begin rotating the shape or always counting it at the end of the full turn.

Keywords

  • Rotational symmetry - Rotational symmetry describes when a shape appears the same after some rotation. The order of rotational symmetry is the number of times the image appears the same as the object in one full turn.

Spend a little bit of time exploring examples of where rotational symmetry can be seen in art, architecture, nature or other aspects of life. Alternatively, task pupils with finding some examples for themselves after the lesson, either by taking photographs or searching the internet.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
The transformation that turns an an object around a fixed point is called .
Correct Answer: rotation
Q2.
The is the fixed point about which an object is rotated.
Correct Answer: centre of rotation
Q3.
There are exactly five equal sized angle around a point. Each angle is °.
Correct Answer: 72, seventy two, 72°, 72 degrees
Q4.
Which quadrilateral is always regular?
parallelogram
rectangle
rhombus
Correct answer: square
trapezium
Q5.
The arrow on the left can be rotated ° clockwise to create the arrow on the right.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 90, 90°, 90 degrees
Q6.
The rectangle ACDB is rotated to give rectangle D'B'A'C'. The angle of rotation is °.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 180, 180°, 180 degrees

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Rotational describes when a shape appears the same after some rotation.
Correct Answer: symmetry
Q2.
An equilateral triangle has rotational symmetry of order .
Correct Answer: 3, three
Q3.
A scalene triangle has rotational symmetry of order .
Correct Answer: 1, one
Q4.
Which of these quadrilaterals always has rotational symmetry of order 4?
kite
parallelogram
rectangle
Correct answer: square
trapezium
Q5.
The wheel in this picture has rotational symmetry of order .
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 8, eight
Q6.
Starting with the lowest, order these shapes according to their order of rotational symmetry.
1 - isosceles triangle (that is not equilateral)
2 - rhombus
3 - equilateral triangle
4 - regular pentagon
5 - circle