How to Find Lines of Symmetry
A line of symmetry folds a shape into two halves that match exactly.
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How to do it
- Imagine folding the shape.
- Check if the halves match exactly.
- Check across, up and down, and corner to corner.
Teaching tip
Fold paper cutouts to test each shape. This sheet is aligned with Common Core 4.G.A.1.
About this chart
A heart folded on its line of symmetry, and how many lines a square, rectangle, triangles and a parallelogram have.
What kids practice
Fourth graders learn the names of the building blocks of geometry: points, lines, line segments, rays and angles. They find parallel lines, which never meet, and perpendicular lines, which meet at a right angle. They sort shapes by whether they have parallel sides or right angles, and find lines of symmetry, where a shape folds into two matching halves.
Watch for
- Mixing up a ray and a segment, or a line and a segment.
- Calling any crossing lines perpendicular, even without a right angle.
- Drawing a diagonal line of symmetry on a rectangle that is not a square.
- Missing some lines of symmetry on shapes with many, like a square.
It's free to print, as many copies as you need. See the full lines and symmetry guide for 4th grade.
More sheets in this set
- See it all
1. How to Name Points, Lines, Segments and RaysPoints, lines, segments, rays and angles with their names, plus parallel, perpendicular and intersecting lines. 
2. Points, Lines, Segments and RaysFigures to name as a point, line, segment, ray or angle. Fewer uses lines, segments and rays only.
3. Parallel or Perpendicular?Pairs of lines to sort as parallel, perpendicular or intersecting, turned in different directions.
4. Sort the ShapesShapes to check for parallel sides and right angles, including triangles, quadrilaterals and more. Standard and More turn the shapes.
6. Draw Lines of SymmetryShapes to draw every line of symmetry on and count them. Some have none.
7. Finish the Symmetric PictureHalf pictures on dot paper to finish across a line of symmetry. More has more pictures and some sideways lines.