If a graph does not change when reflected over a line or rotated around a point,
the graph is symmetric with respect to that line or point. The following
graph is symmetric with respect to the
x-axis (
y = 0). Note that if
(x, y) is a point on the graph, then
(x, - y) is also a point on the graph.
Symmetry with Respect to the x-axis
The following graph is symmetric with respect to the
y-axis (
x = 0). Note
that if
(x, y) is a point on the graph, then
(- x, y) is also a point on the
graph.
Symmetry with Respect to the y-axis
If a graph can be reflected over a line without altering the graph, then that
line is called the axis of symmetry. In the following graph,
x = 2 is the
axis of symmetry. Note that if
(2 + x, y) is a point on the graph, then
(2 - x, y) is also a point on the graph.
Axis of Symmetry
The following graph is symmetric with respect to the origin. In other words, it
can be rotated
180o around the origin without altering the graph. Note
that if
(x, y) is a point on the graph, then
(- x, - y) is also a point on the
graph.
Symmetry with Respect to the Origin
