Enrichment Project #2 Transformations I: Frieze Patterns Abstract: Transformations Are Used To Identify All Possible Structures

ENRICHMENT PROJECT #2
TRANSFORMATIONS I: FRIEZE PATTERNS
Abstract: Transformations are used to identify all possible structures

for one-dimensional repeated patterns. One of the main purposes of
this and our other geometric enrichment projects is to strengthen and
extend the students geometric intuition.
Format: We start with a description of the project as presented to the

students including instructions, explanations and comments by the
teacher. A set of Worksheet Templates is then appended to the end.
Notes for the Teacher:
- You might have students brainstorm the symmetries that they already
know in order to help them ease into the worksheets.
- Its a good idea for students work in pairs or groups but it may be
helpful for each student to have their own strips of paper to
manipulate.
- At the end there are templates for the strips needed to investigate
the problems on Worksheet #1 and #2.
- One interesting and fun way to explore the frieze patterns is through
paper cutting. This is most easily done with cash-register tape. Large
rolls can be purchases inexpensively at any office supply. These strips
of paper are folded in different ways and then cut like paper dolls.
The resulting frieze pattern depends on the method of folding. One of
the more intricate patterns results from rolling the tape into a Mobius
band!
- This investigation of the frieze patterns leads naturally to consider the

wallpaper patterns. We include a short introduction to the wallpaper
patterns at the end
Worksheet #1
The strips of paper you have been given are called frieze patterns.
Frieze patterns continue or are infinite patterns that have
translational symmetry. This means that we can shift the pattern to
the right or left and we will get the same image. A frieze pattern can
have other symmetries too. You should have two strips of paper. For
each strip describe the symmetries that you can find.
Worksheet #2
Make a list of all possible symmetries for a frieze pattern.
The students should come up with the following complete list of all
possible symmetries of a frieze pattern:
1) Translations (all patterns).
2) Reflections Some patterns will be symmetric about the
centerline of the strip. Other possible reflections are through lines
perpendicular to the sides of the strips.
3) Rotations of 180o Some patterns will be symmetric about
points on the centerline of the strip.
4) Primitive Glide Reflection These symmetries are the
composition of a translation and the reflection through the
centerline. Since it is most easily described as the composition of
two other symmetries, it is often not thought of as a simple
symmetry. However there are examples of patterns that have a
glide reflection symmetry where neither the translation nor the
reflection are symmetries of the pattern. In this case the glide
reflection is called a primitive glide reflection.
Once the students have agreed on the list of possible symmetries, they
can try to design frieze patterns with given symmetries.
Worksheet #3. For each of the possible symmetries, construct a

frieze pattern with that symmetry and translations only.
1) Translations only:
2) Reflection (axis parallel to sides) and Translations only:
3) Reflections (axes perpendicular to sides) and Translations

only:
4) Rotations of 180o and Translations only:
5) Primitive Glide Reflections and Translations only:
The natural next step is to make more complex patterns involving

several kings of symmetries. The next worksheet asks the students to
combine half-turns (180o rotations with centers evenly spaced along
the centerline) and a parallel reflection (a reflection with axis
parallel to the sides of the strip) or a primitive glide reflection. They
should note that in both case, the pattern will also have
perpendicular reflections (reflections with evenly spaced axes
perpendicular to the sides of the strip).
Worksheet #4 Just how do these symmetries interact? Construct a
frieze pattern with the listed symmetries. What other symmetries are
you forced to include?
6) Parallel Reflection and Rotations of 180o:
7) Primitive Glide Reflection and Rotations of 180o:
With experimentation the students should discover that there are just
two types of these more complex patterns:
6) A parallel reflection and half-turns will have to include
perpendicular reflections with axes intersecting the axis of the parallel
reflection at the centers of the half-turns.
7) A primitive glide reflection and half-turns must also include
perpendicular reflections with axes between the centers of the half-
turns.
Specifically they should note that once you have:
perpendicular reflections and a parallel reflection, you have 6) above;
perpendicular reflections and a primitive glide reflection, you have
7)above;
perpendicular reflections and half turns, you have 6) or 7) above
depending on
just how the centers of rotation and axes of reflection are arranged.
Worksheet #5. Summarize the results of your investigation. What

are the different symmetries a frieze pattern can have? List all the
possibilities and design an example of each type.
Worksheet #6 One interesting and fun way to explore the frieze
patterns is through paper cutting. This is most easily done with cash-
register tape. Large rolls can be purchases inexpensively at any office
supply. For making cut-outs of the various frieze patterns, cut strips of
a length that is roughly 10 times the width of the tape.
FOLDING INSTRUCTIONS
(Group 1: translations only) Roll the strip into a cylinder and tape
the loose end to the roll. The diameter of the cylinder should be a little
less than the width of the tape. Now cut an asymmetric pattern in the
cylinder. When you unroll the tape you will have a frieze pattern with
only translation symmetry.
(Group 2: parallel reflection) Fold the strip lengthwise; then roll it

into a cylinder and tape the loose end. Cutting an asymmetric pattern
in this cylinder will give you a frieze pattern with only translations and
a parallel reflection.
(Group 3: perpendicular reflections) Roll the strip into a cylinder

and tape the loose end to the roll. Now flatten the roll. Cutting an
asymmetric pattern in the flattened cylinder will give you a frieze
pattern with only translations and perpendicular reflections.
(Group 4: half-turns) The only frieze patterns that cannot be cut

from a rolled or folded strip is the pattern with only half-turns
(Group 5: primitive glide reflection) With a protractor cut the end

of the tape so that the end makes angles of 60 and 120 degrees. Now
fold the end against the side bisecting the 120 degree angle. This
creates a new end with angles of 60 and 120 degrees. Repeat the fold
and continue until the tape is folded into an equilateral triangle. Now
cut an asymmetric pattern and unfold. An alternative method is to
roll the strip into a Mobius band! Here you need a somewhat longer
strip - 4 feet or so. Take one end, put a twist in it and tape itself with
the edges matching. Do not make the Mobius band too tight; the
diameter of the band should be about three to four times the width of
the strip. Now just roll the rest of the strip around the outside of the
band; if you cant do this, the band is too tight. Cutting an
asymmetric pattern in the Mobius band results in frieze pattern with
only a primitive glide reflection and translations.
(Group 6: parallel reflection and half-turns +) If you flatten a strip
that has been folded down the center and rolled and then cut an
asymmetric pattern you will get parallel and perpendicular reflections
and half-turns.
(Group 7: primitive glide reflection and half-turns +) Method 1:

take a strip that has been folded into an equilateral triangle and fold it
once more to form a 60-30-90 right triangle before cutting. Method 2:
take a strip rolled into a Mobius band and flatten as much as you can
keeping the sides of tape matching. Cut an asymmetric pattern in the
flattened piece only; you will a primitive glide reflection, perpendicular
reflections and half-turns.
The fact that when it comes to the symmetry structure, there are only
seven Frieze structures has an analog in all-over or wallpaper patterns:
there exactly 17 wallpaper symmetry structures. You can easily find
many examples and descriptions on the web just search for
wallpaper groups. Many of these patterns can be represented by
tilings of the plane. Several tilings are pictured below and on the next
few sheets. In each case, try to identify all of the symmetries for each
pattern. There are exactly three regular tilings of the plane: tilings by
congruent regular polygons:
Worksheet #7. For each of these tilings, make a complete list of the
different types of symmetries.
Worksheet #8 Tilings need not be made of regular pentagons, other
polygons may be used. Here are several brick tilings of the plane;
find their symmetries:
Worksheet #1
The strips of paper you have been given are called frieze patterns.
Frieze patterns continue or are infinite patterns that have
translational symmetry. This means that we can shift the pattern to
the right or left and we will get the same image. A frieze pattern can
have other symmetries too. You should have two strips of paper. For
each strip describe the symmetries that you can find.
Worksheet #2
Make a list of all possible symmetries for a frieze pattern.
Worksheet #3
For each of the possible symmetries, construct a frieze
pattern with that symmetry and translations only.
1) Translations only:
2) Reflections and Translations only:
3) Rotations of 180o and Translations only:
4) Primitive Glide Reflections and Translations only:

Worksheet #4
Just how do these symmetries interact? Construct a frieze
pattern with the listed symmetries. What other symmetries
are you forced to include?
6) Parallel Reflection and Rotations of 180o:
7) Primitive Glide Reflection and Rotations of 180 o:

Worksheet #5
Summarize the results of your investigation. What are the
different symmetries a frieze pattern can have? List all the
possibilities and design an example of each type.
Worksheet #6 For making cut-outs of the various frieze
patterns, cut strips of a length that is roughly 10 times the
width of the tape.
(Group 1: translations only) Roll the strip into a cylinder

and tape the loose end to the roll. The diameter of the
cylinder should be a little less than the width of the tape.
Now cut an asymmetric pattern in the cylinder. When you
unroll the tape you will have a frieze pattern with only
translation symmetry.
(Group 2: parallel reflection) Fold the strip lengthwise;

then roll it into a cylinder and tape the loose end. Cutting an
asymmetric pattern in this cylinder will give you a frieze
pattern with only translations and a parallel reflection.
(Group 3: perpendicular reflections) Roll the strip into a

cylinder and tape the loose end to the roll. Now flatten the
roll. Cutting an asymmetric pattern in the flattened cylinder
will give you a frieze pattern with only translations and
perpendicular reflections.
(Group 4: half-turns) The only frieze patterns that

cannot be cut from a rolled or folded strip is the pattern with
only half-turns
(Group 5: primitive glide reflection) With a protractor

cut the end of the tape so that the end makes angles of 60
and 120 degrees. Now fold the end against the side bisecting
the 120 degree angle. This creates a new end with angles of
60 and 120 degrees. Repeat the fold and continue until the
tape is folded into an equilateral triangle. Now cut an
asymmetric pattern and unfold. An alternative method is
to roll the strip into a Mobius band! Here you need a
somewhat longer strip - 4 feet or so. Take one end, put a
twist in it and tape itself with the edges matching. Do not
make the Mobius band too tight; the diameter of the band
should be about three to four times the width of the strip.
Now just roll the rest of the strip around the outside of the
band; if you cant do this, the band is too tight. Cutting an
asymmetric pattern in the Mobius band results in frieze
pattern with only a primitive glide reflection and translations.
(Group 6: parallel reflection and half-turns +) If you

flatten a strip that has been folded down the center and
rolled and then cut an asymmetric pattern you will get
parallel and perpendicular reflections and half-turns.
(Group 7: primitive glide reflection and half-turns +)

Method 1: take a strip that has been folded into an
equilateral triangle and fold it once more to form a 60-30-90
right triangle before cutting. Method 2: take a strip rolled
into a Mobius band and flatten as much as you can keeping
the sides of tape matching. Cut an asymmetric pattern in
the flattened piece only; you will a primitive glide reflection,
perpendicular reflections and half-turns.
Worksheet #7a
There are exactly three regular tilings of the plane: tilings
by congruent regular polygons. For each of these tilings,
make a complete list of the different types of symmetries.
Worksheet #7b
Worksheet #7c
Worksheet #8
Tilings need not be made of regular pentagons, other

polygons may be used.
Here are several brick tilings of the plane; find their
symmetries:

Enrichment Project #2 Transformations I: Frieze Patterns Abstract: Transformations Are Used To Identify All Possible Structures

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ENRICHMENT PROJECT #2

TRANSFORMATIONS I: FRIEZE PATTERNS

Abstract: Transformations are used to identify all possible structures

Format: We start with a description of the project as presented to the

Notes for the Teacher:

- This investigation of the frieze patterns leads naturally to consider the

Worksheet #3. For each of the possible symmetries, construct a

2) Reflection (axis parallel to sides) and Translations only:

3) Reflections (axes perpendicular to sides) and Translations

4) Rotations of 180o and Translations only:

5) Primitive Glide Reflections and Translations only:

The natural next step is to make more complex patterns involving

6) Parallel Reflection and Rotations of 180o:

7) Primitive Glide Reflection and Rotations of 180o:

Worksheet #5. Summarize the results of your investigation. What

(Group 2: parallel reflection) Fold the strip lengthwise; then roll it

(Group 3: perpendicular reflections) Roll the strip into a cylinder

(Group 4: half-turns) The only frieze patterns that cannot be cut

(Group 5: primitive glide reflection) With a protractor cut the end

(Group 7: primitive glide reflection and half-turns +) Method 1:

2) Reflections and Translations only:

3) Rotations of 180o and Translations only:

4) Primitive Glide Reflections and Translations only:

6) Parallel Reflection and Rotations of 180o:

7) Primitive Glide Reflection and Rotations of 180 o:

(Group 1: translations only) Roll the strip into a cylinder

(Group 2: parallel reflection) Fold the strip lengthwise;

(Group 3: perpendicular reflections) Roll the strip into a

(Group 4: half-turns) The only frieze patterns that

(Group 5: primitive glide reflection) With a protractor

(Group 6: parallel reflection and half-turns +) If you

(Group 7: primitive glide reflection and half-turns +)

Tilings need not be made of regular pentagons, other

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