The shape is an equilateral triangle.
a)Does the shape have rotational symmetry? If so,identify the angle of rotation.
b)Does the shape tessellate?
I don't know what to do for the first part.But I think part B is yes because it has no overlaps or gaps. Please help
if you rotate it 60 degrees (360/3), it looks exactly like it did before since there is a corner at every 60 degrees
your answer to the second part is correct. Unlike circles, you can cover your flat roof with them with no leaks.
http://mathforum.org/sum95/suzanne/whattess.html
Thank you Damon you helped me a lot.
is that correct? im doing this for school and im so confused and dont know what to do!
THX
To determine if the shape has rotational symmetry, you need to analyze if it can be rotated by a certain angle and still look the same.
a) In the case of an equilateral triangle, it does have rotational symmetry. To identify the angle of rotation, you need to find the angle by which the shape can be rotated and still appear unchanged. In an equilateral triangle, all three angles are equal, measuring 60 degrees each. Therefore, the angle of rotation for the equilateral triangle is 120 degrees (360 degrees divided by 3).
b) For tessellation, you are correct in thinking that it involves having no overlaps or gaps. However, to determine if the shape tessellates, you need to see if it can be arranged to cover a flat surface without any gaps or overlaps, potentially creating a repeating pattern.
In the case of an equilateral triangle, it does not tessellate by itself. If you try to arrange multiple equilateral triangles side by side, you will eventually end up with gaps or overlaps. However, if you combine equilateral triangles with other shapes, such as squares or hexagons, you can create a tessellating pattern. For example, hexagons and equilateral triangles together can create a repeating pattern without any gaps or overlaps.