Path to the Stars

Is it possible to draw a 5-pointed star without taking your pencil off the paper?

When you turn this star around it looks exactly the same in 5 different positions so we say it has ROTATIONAL SYMMETRY of order 5.

Is it possible to draw a 6-pointed star in the same way without taking your pencil off? Remember that you shouldn’t join points that are right next to each other and you can’t go over the same line twice. Your lines must run straight from one point of the star to another. Try it!

What about 7-pointed and 8-pointed stars? What about a 4 pointed star?  Have a go:

Do you think you’ll be able to draw a 9-pointed star without taking your pencil off? Why? What happens with more points?

What rotational symmetry do these stars have? Can you draw or find some other objects that have rotational symmetry? Very often flowers have rotational symmetry so perhaps you could draw some.

Click here to download PATH TO THE STARS Inclusion and Home Learning Guide.

Click here to download PATH TO THE STARS worksheet.

Click here to download the Notes for Teachers.

Click here to download the PATH TO THE STARS poster

This activity is adapted from the NRICH  task of the same name with permission of the University of Cambridge. All rights reserved.