Lines of symmetry of a rectangle

Step by step

The question

Question: how many lines of symmetry does a rectangle have?

1 Try the folds

Imagine folding the shape along a line.

If the two halves match exactly, it is a line of symmetry.

Fold straight down the middle.

The halves match: line 1.

Fold across the middle.

The halves match: line 2.

Fold along a diagonal.

The corners do not meet.

It is not a line of symmetry.

2 Count the lines

We found 2.

So a rectangle has 2 lines of symmetry.

Careful!

A rectangle has 2, not 4.

Its diagonals are not lines of symmetry: the corners do not meet.

3 Check

Let's check.

Fold along line 1: this corner lands on that corner.

Across this line too, each corner lands on a corner.

Every corner lands on a corner.

Right!

Let's look back.

First: try the folds.

Then: count the lines.

Last: check.