4th grade lines of symmetry worksheets

The kind of problems you'll get

Every print pulls a fresh set of problems at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling never gets the same sheet.

What's on each sheet

• Fluency. Count the lines of symmetry. 12 questions per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

The move that settles every argument is the fold: trace the shape, cut it out, and try each fold your child proposes. For the rectangle-versus-square trap, fold a paper rectangle along the diagonal and let the mismatched corners speak for themselves. The trapezoid on these sheets is the symmetric kind, with one vertical fold, and the scalene triangle is there so zero becomes a real answer, not a trick.

Watch for: Kids give a rectangle four lines of symmetry like a square. The diagonal folds don't match up; only the two middle folds do. Kids assume every shape has at least one line of symmetry. A scalene triangle has none, because no fold lands its sides on each other.

Common questions about lines of symmetry

Which shapes and answers should we expect?

Square 4, rectangle 2, equilateral triangle 3, rhombus 2, trapezoid 1, pentagon 5, hexagon 6, octagon 8, and a scalene triangle with 0, so counting carefully matters more than guessing.

Why doesn't a rectangle have four lines like a square?

Fold one and see. The diagonal folds leave corners hanging over the edges. Only the two folds through the middles of the sides land the halves exactly on each other.

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