Horizontal and Vertical Symmetry

Date: 10/27/2001 at 15:44:29
From: Lizzy
Subject: Symmetry

I have a project where I have to look for things outside that involve 
symmetry. One of the things I have to find is an example of 
horizontal symmetry, and I have no idea what that is. I tried to look 
it up in a dictionary but it just is not making any sense.

Can you please help me?

Date: 10/27/2001 at 16:18:39
From: Doctor Sarah
Subject: Re: Symmetry

Hi Lizzy - thanks for writing to Dr. Math.

Let's take some simple examples:
                                                  |
VERTICAL SYMMETRY: if you draw a vertical line    |
                                                  |

down the middle of an object with vertical symmetry, the two sides 
will be mirror images of each other.

   Examples of capital letters that have vertical symmetry are:

      A H I M O T U V W X Y


HORIZONTAL SYMMETRY: if you draw a horizontal line  ______________

across the middle of an object with horizontal symmetry, the top will 
be a mirror image of the bottom.

   Examples of capital letters that have horizontal symmetry are:

      B C D E H I K O X

   Words with horizontal symmetry include:

      ICEBOX, DECIDED, EXCEEDED, CHECKBOOK, OKEECHOBEE, HIDE, CHOICE

Figure 2 on this Web page (Symmetry about the x-axis) shows horizontal 
symmetry:

   http://www.minerals.net/glossary/terms/s/symmetry.htm   

Some flags have horizontal symmetry; here are a few of them:

   Austria
      http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/at.html   
   Bahamas
      http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/bs.html   
   Bahrain
      http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/bh.html   
   Bangladesh
      http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/bd.html   
   Belgium
      http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/be.html   

(You can find more from this page by clicking on the links under 
column A2):

   http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/iso3166.html   

Does this help?

- Doctor Sarah, The Math Forum
  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/   

Date: 10/27/2001 at 16:27:27
From: Lizzy
Subject: Re: Symmetry

Thank you so much.. That explains it all!