What is point symmetry?

Point symmetry, also known as central symmetry or rotational symmetry, is a type of symmetry that occurs when a figure can be rotated 180 degrees around a central point and still appears unchanged.

In other words, a figure has point symmetry if it looks the same when rotated 180 degrees around a specific point. This point is often referred to as the center of symmetry.

Objects that exhibit point symmetry include circles, regular polygons, and some geometric shapes like stars and snowflakes. Point symmetry is commonly seen in nature, such as in the structure of flowers, sea creatures, and crystals.

Mathematically, a figure has point symmetry if it satisfies the following conditions:

  1. The figure must look the same after a 180-degree rotation.
  2. The center of rotation must be a single point.

Point symmetry is different from other types of symmetry, such as reflectional symmetry and translational symmetry. It is an important concept in geometry and can be used to create visually appealing designs and patterns.