Grid magic worksheets

A pattern relies upon three characteristics:

• a single motif,
• repetition of the motif,
• a system of organisation

There are four basic ways that you can repeat a motif to create a pattern:

• repeats
• half drop repeats
• reflection
• rotation

Mathematicians call these repetitions “rigid motions” because the movements do not lead to any change of size or shape of the original motif. The four basic ways of creating a pattern can be combined to make seventeen distinct pattern types. In the following examples P (for pattern) has been used to illustrate the various ways patterns can be formed by using a single motif in various different ways.

Right click and choose "save target as..." to download "What is Pattern?" PowerPoint

Repeats (also known as translation) This is rigid motion where the motif is simply repeated over and over along horizontal and vertical lines	Half drop repeats (also known as glide translation) This is a rigid motion where every other line of motifs is staggered	Reflection Reflection is rigid motion where the original motif is reflected across a line or axis.	Rotation Rotation isrigid motionwhere the original design is rotated around a single point
120 degree rotation	60 degree rotation	90 degree rotation	180 degree rotation with reflections
120 degree rotation with reflections	60 degree rotation with reflections	90 degree rotaion with reflections	90 degree rotaion with reflections
Reflections and reflections	Rotations and reflections and reflections	Half drop reflections	Reflections and half drop reflections
90 degree rotations and reflections