W (-2,5)

D (-2, -1)
R (8, -1)
A (8,5)

Examine the polygon in the figure shown. Identify a line of symmetry that will flip the figure onto itself.

a. x-axis
b. y = 3
c. y-axis
d. x = 3

1 answer

To determine the line of symmetry for the given polygon with vertices W (-2, 5), D (-2, -1), R (8, -1), and A (8, 5), we can analyze the coordinates of the vertices.

  1. Plot the points:

    • W is at (-2, 5)
    • D is at (-2, -1)
    • R is at (8, -1)
    • A is at (8, 5)
  2. Visualize the shape:

    • Points W and A are aligned vertically with a constant x-coordinate of -2 and 8, respectively.
    • Points D and R are also aligned vertically but at the same x-coordinates as W and A.

The polygon made by these points is a rectangle that runs vertically from the points D to W and horizontally from the points R to A.

  1. Identify potential lines of symmetry:

    • x-axis: This line is horizontal and would not flip the figure onto itself since it does not align with the vertices symmetrically.
    • y = 3: This is a horizontal line between vertices W and A. When flipping across this line, the points will not map onto each other properly.
    • y-axis: A vertical line down the center of the coordinates does not align with the vertices, so it would not work.
    • x = 3: This is a vertical line. If you draw a line at x = 3, you can see that the rectangle created by the points is symmetrical about this line.
  2. Conclusion: The correct line of symmetry that can flip the figure onto itself is d. x = 3.