Symmetries

Of Patterns in the Plane

Translation is a shift in a given direction.

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An infinitely repeating pattern has translation as a symmetry - the entire pattern can be shifted over without changing in appearance:

Mirror Reflection is a reflection across an imaginary line.

A pattern has mirror reflection as a symmetry if the entire pattern can reflect across a line yet remain unchanged:

Glide Reflection composes translation and mirror reflection: A glide reflection reflects across a mirror line at the same time as translating along it.

Infinitely repeating patterns can have glide reflections:

Rotation is a symmetry that turns a pattern around a point.

½ turn rotation:


¼ turn rotation:


⅓ turn rotation:

⅙ turn rotation:

These symmetries can be combined in patterns that repeat infinitely. Play with their combinations: http://beautifulsymmetry.onl/wallpaper.