CurriculumGrade 4Mathematics

Lines of Symmetry

Aligned to 4.G.A.3 — Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

What this lesson teaches

A line of symmetry is a fold line: if you fold a shape along it, both halves match exactly. Some shapes have no line of symmetry, some have one, and some have many.

Worked example

Take a square. Fold it straight down the middle and the two halves match, so that is a line of symmetry. You can also fold it across, and along both diagonals. A square has 4 lines of symmetry in all.

Practice questions

  1. How many lines of symmetry does a rectangle (not a square) have?
  2. Draw a triangle with all equal sides and show its lines of symmetry.
  3. Is the letter H symmetric? Draw any lines of symmetry it has.

Watch the lesson

Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.

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En español

Ejes de simetria

Un eje de simetria es una linea de doblez: si doblas una figura por ella, las dos mitades coinciden exactamente. Algunas figuras no tienen ningun eje de simetria, otras tienen uno y otras tienen muchos.

Ejemplo: Toma un cuadrado. Doblalo justo por la mitad y las dos mitades coinciden, asi que ese es un eje de simetria. Tambien puedes doblarlo de lado y por las dos diagonales. Un cuadrado tiene 4 ejes de simetria en total.

More Geometry lessons

Angles, Lines, and Symmetry4.G.A.1Sorting Shapes by Lines and Angles4.G.A.2

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