In the diagram, which of the following squares should be shaded to make BD a line of symmetry of square ABCD?
Hide/Reveal Description of Squares
The square in row 3, column 1 is shaded. The square in row 5, column 2 is shaded. The square in row 1, column 3 is labelled P. The square in row 1, column 4 is labelled Q. The square in row 1, column 5 is labelled R. The square in row 2, column 5 is labelled S. The square in row 3, column 5 is labelled T.
Pick one
Solution
For BD to be a line of symmetry of ABCD, the squares labelled P and S should be shaded. [[IMAGE0]] To see why this is, consider that the reflection in BD of vertex A is vertex C, and so the reflection in BD of side DA is side DC. Further, the reflection in BD of the first column of square ABCD is the first row of square ABCD. Thus, the reflection in BD of the shaded square in row 3, column 1 is the square in row 1, column 3 (the square labelled P). More generally, the reflection in BD of the square in row r, column c is the square in row c, column r. Thus, the reflection in BD of the shaded square in row 5, column 2 is the square in row 2, column 5 (the square labelled S).
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