Symmetry

Reflectional Symmetry

A shape exhibits reflectional symmetry if

the shape can be bisected by a line L,

one half of the shape removed, and

the missing piece replaced by a reflection of the remaining piece across L,

then the resulting combination is (approximately) the same as the original.

For example, human faces are approximately reflectionally symmetric across a vertical bisector.

Click the picture for another view.

Here is a schematic of reflection across vertical and horizontal lines.

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