Translation Symmetry

Strip Patterns… You can draw a strip pattern by repeating a basic design element at regular intervals to the left and right of the original.

Wallpaper Pattern You can draw a wallpaper pattern by repeating a basic design element at regular intervals to the left and right of the original.

Translations. Making a strip pattern or wallpaper design requires a series of “draw & move” steps. You draw a basic design element. Then, you slide your pencil to a new position and repeat the element. You slide in the same way to a new position and repeat the element again, and so on. The slide movements from one position to the next are called…

Translation Symmetry A design has translation symmetry if you can slide the whole design to a position in which it looks exactly the same as it did in its original position. To describe translation symmetry, you need to specify the distance and direction of the translation. An arrow can show the slide.

Slide the figure to the new location indicated by the arrow. Down 3 Right 4 Move each point of the triangle down 3 and right 4.

Slide the figure to the new location indicated by the arrow. How far will you move the pentagon? Up 1, Right 5 Move each point of the pentagon 1 space up and 5 space right.

Move the figure down 3 and left 6. Name the coordinates of the new location. Down 3 Left 6 Coordinates of new location: (-5, -1), (-4, 2), (-1, -1), & (0, 2).

Translation Activity