Math 103 Contemporary Math
Math 103 Contemporary Math
Tuesday, February 8, 2005
Review from last classReview from last class
FAPP video on Tilings of the plane.
Symmetry IdeasSymmetry IdeasReflective symmetry: BI LATERAL SYMMETRY
T C O 0 I A • Folding line: "axis of symmetry"
– The "flip.“– The "mirror."
R(P) = P': A Transformation
R(P) = P': A Transformation
Before: P .... After : P' If P is on the line (axis), then R(P)=P.
"P remains fixed by the reflection."
If P is not on the axis, then the line PP' is perpendicular to the axis and if Q is the point of intersection of PP' with the axis then m(PQ) = m(P'Q).
DefinitionDefinition• We say F has a reflective symmetry wrt
a line l if there is a reflection R about the line l where R(P)=P' is still an element of F for every P in F....
• i.e.. R (F) = F. • l is called the axis of symmetry.
• Examples of reflective symmetry:Squares... People
Rotational SymmetryRotational Symmetry
• Center of rotation. "rotational pole" (usually O) and angle/direction of rotation.
• The "spin.“
R(P) = P' : A transformationR(P) = P' : A transformation
• If O is the center then R(O) = O.
• If the angle is 360 then R(P) = P for all P.... called the identity transformation.
• If the angle is between 0 and 360 then only the center remains fixed.
• For any point P the angle POP' is the same.
• Examples of rotational symmetry.
Single Figure SymmetriesSingle Figure Symmetries
• Now... what about finding all the reflective and rotational symmetries of a single figure?
• Symmetries of playing card.... • Classify the cards having the same symmetries.
Notice symmetry of clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades.
• Organization of markers.
Symmetries of an equilateral triangleSymmetries of an equilateral triangle
Why are there only six? Why are there only six?
• Before: A After : A or B or C
Suppose I know where A goes:
What about B? If A -> A Before: B After: B or C
If A ->B Before:B After: A or C
If A ->C Before: B After: A or B
By an analysis of a "tree" we count there are exactly and only 6 possibilities for where the vertices can be transformed.
Tree AnalysisTree Analysis
A
B
C
B
C
A
C
A
B
C
BC
A
B
A
Identity
Reflection
Reflection
Rotation
Rotation
Reflection
What about combining transformations to give new symmetries
What about combining transformations to give new symmetries
Think of a symmetry as a transformation:Example: V will mean reflection across the line that is the vertical
altitude of the equilateral triangle.
Then let's consider a second symmetry, R=R120, which will rotate the equilateral triangle counterclockwise about its center O by 120 degrees.
We now can think of first performing V to the figure and then performing R to the figure. We will denote this V*R... meaning V followed by R.[Note that order can make a difference here, and there is an alternative convention for this notation that would reverse the order and say that R*V means V followed by R.]
Does the resulting transformation V*R also leave the equilateral covering the same position in which it started?
Symmetry “Products”Symmetry “Products”
• V*R = ?
• If so it is also a symmetry.... which of the six is it?
• What about other products?
• This gives a "product" for symmetries.If S and R are any symmetries of a figure then S*R is also a symmetry of the figure.
A "multiplication" table for Symmetries
A "multiplication" table for Symmetries
* Id R120 R240 V G=R1 H=R2
Id Id
R120 R240 Id
R240 Id
V Id
G=R1 Id
H=R2 Id
ActivityActivity• Do Activity. • This shows that R240*V = ? • This "multiplicative" structure is called the Group of
symmetries of the equilateral triangle.
Given any figure we can talk about the group of its symmetries.Does a figure always have at least one symmetry? .....
Yes... The Identity symmetry.Such a symmetry is called the trivial symmetry.
So we can compare objects for symmetries.... how many?Does the multiplication table for the symmetries look the same in some sense?