Urgent help needed from a Mathematician!

[DumbledoresGirl]

As a KS2 teacher who once taught bright Yr 6 Maths, I really should know this but I have gone blank.

Ds1 has Maths homework which is about rotational symmetry. The question is:

"Write down the order of rotational symmetry of each of the following shapes:" and then there is a square, a rectangle, an equilateral triangle and a parallelogram.

Are the answers respectively: 4, 2, 3, and 2?

And is that how you express it?

Thanks.

[Yorkiegirl]

Message withdrawn

[DumbledoresGirl]

Thanks. There is other harder stuff he has to do too but I can't ask for help with it as it involves drawing. He is in a right state about it. I don't recall doing anything as hard as this with my bright Yr 6 and ds1 is only in Yr 5 and not used to finding anything Mathematical hard.

[Piffle]

I've got a yr 7 mathematical expert here if you need further help?

[DumbledoresGirl]

No he is provided with an incomplete shape and asked to complete the drawing according to the order of rotation given. I sort of understand how to do it but he is in a dreadfully unreceptive state and saying he can't understand me.

[DumbledoresGirl]

Dh ( a skilled Mathematician ) is in a bad mood and ranting at him and me. I feel like crying and am on the point of leaving the house.

[entropy]

There are two websites that I use for help with my maths problems (for me not a child but I think they cover pretty much everything...) Mathworld and Ask Dr Math. I have found everything I ever needed to know on Ask Dr Math and even referenced it in my PhD (although I felt pretty silly admitting to needing it) it is American and sorts the site by their school grading system but it does start out pretty basic (which is sadly what I needed)

If your child has trouble visualising things like this then cut some shapes out of paper. you could prove the rotational symmetry question by cutting out a shape, drawing round it, turning it round and counting how many times it fits in the original outline.

Good look with the rest of the homework

[entropy]

leaving the house sounds like a good idea in that case! Go and do something fun and you can all think about the maths later when you are all fresh brained again

[Hallgerda]

Oh for a return to the days when children were expected to do their own homework!

I agree with Yorkiegirl btw.

[DumbledoresGirl]

Thanks for your advice and help. I think it is done now (I hardly dare ask ds1 for fear of what might erupt!)