Audrey Nasar - Symmetry Card Game - G4G15 February 2024

Summary

Lud Nasser, a math professor and illustrator at the Fashion Institute of Technology, introduces 'Symmetry Cards,' a deck designed to teach symmetry groups. The cards cover rosette symmetry groups, including rotation and reflection symmetries. Nasser explains the cyclic (C1-C6) and dihedral (D1-D6, D Infinity) groups, using illustrations of characters interacting with objects to demonstrate symmetry. The deck, structured like a standard playing card set, includes 52 cards and two wild cards, with games designed to teach symmetry concepts.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The speaker, Lud Nasser, is a math professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City and also an illustrator.
• 📐 Nasser teaches courses that blend math with fields such as illustration, animation, fine arts, graphic design, and fashion design.
• 🃏 Nasser created a deck of cards called 'Symmetry Cards' to teach and introduce symmetry groups, specifically rosette symmetry groups.
• 🔄 Rosette symmetry groups include two types of symmetries: rotational symmetry and reflection symmetry.
• ⚙️ Rotational symmetry refers to shapes that look the same after being rotated by a certain angle, while reflection symmetry refers to shapes that remain unchanged when reflected along a line.
• ♻️ The two symmetry groups in rosettes are cyclic (only rotational symmetry) and dihedral (both rotational and reflection symmetry).
• 🔢 The deck has 52 cards and 2 wild cards, structured similarly to a standard deck of playing cards, with 13 ranks per color, corresponding to symmetry groups C1 to C6, D1 to D6, and D Infinity.
• 🎲 Nasser describes two games designed to teach symmetry using the cards, including a memory game where players match cards with the same symmetry group.
• 🦋 An example of matching involves finding figures with the same symmetry, such as a butterfly and an upright base, both classified as D1 symmetry (one reflection line and 360° rotation).
• 📚 Nasser has printed three editions of the Symmetry Cards and hints at a fourth edition in development.

Q & A

What is Lud Nasser's profession?

Lud Nasser is a math professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, as well as an illustrator.

What types of courses does Lud Nasser teach?

Lud Nasser teaches math courses related to his students' fields of study, including illustration, animation, Fine Arts, graphic design, and fashion design.

What is the name of the course that covers symmetry groups?

The course that covers symmetry groups is called 'Geometry and the Art of Design'.

What are the two types of symmetries in rosettes?

The two types of symmetries in rosettes are rotation symmetry and reflection symmetry.

What is the difference between cyclic and dihedral symmetry groups?

Cyclic symmetry groups are shapes with rotation symmetry only, while dihedral symmetry groups are shapes with both rotation and reflection symmetries.

What does the notation 'C5' represent in the symmetry cards?

The notation 'C5' represents a cyclic symmetry group with an order of rotation of five.

What does the notation 'D2' signify?

The notation 'D2' signifies a dihedral symmetry group with two reflection lines and a rotation symmetry of order two.

How many cards are in the symmetry deck Lud Nasser created?

The symmetry deck consists of 52 cards and two wild cards.

What is the structure of the symmetry deck?

The structure of the symmetry deck is identical to a standard deck of playing cards, with four colors and 13 ranks per color.

What is the significance of the numbers in the symmetry groups C1 to C6 and D1 to D6?

The numbers in the symmetry groups C1 to C6 and D1 to D6 correspond to the order of rotation symmetries and, in the case of dihedral groups, also equal the number of reflection lines.

How can the symmetry cards be used to play games?

The symmetry cards can be used to play games like a memory game where pairs are found based on the same symmetry group.

What is the next step Lud Nasser mentioned regarding the symmetry cards?

Lud Nasser mentioned that he has printed the Third Edition of the symmetry cards and hopes to have a fourth edition after editing.