GMA Mirror Images & Embedded Figures 3 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: The word 'MOM' is held up to a vertical mirror. Which letters look the same in the reflection?

Only M
Only O
Both M and O (Correct answer)
Neither M nor O

Correct answer: Both M and O

Both 'M' and 'O' are symmetric about a vertical axis, so they look identical in a vertical mirror. The word 'MOM' looks unchanged.

Letters with vertical symmetry include A, H, I, M, O, T, U, V, W, X, Y — their left and right halves are mirror images. Both M and O are in this group, so the word MOM appears unchanged when reflected in a vertical mirror. This is in contrast to asymmetric letters like R, F, or G which reverse noticeably.

Question 2: A square is rotated 45° clockwise. What does it look like?

Still a square
A diamond (rhombus orientation) (Correct answer)
A rectangle
A triangle

Correct answer: A diamond (rhombus orientation)

Rotating a square 45° clockwise makes it appear as a diamond — a square tilted on its corner. Its shape does not change, only its orientation.

A square rotated 45° stands on one of its vertices rather than one of its edges, producing the visual appearance of a diamond. Geometrically it is still a square (four equal sides, four right angles), but its orientation makes it look like a diamond to many observers. This tests spatial orientation awareness.

Question 3: Which letter, when reflected across a horizontal axis, looks the same as the original?

B
D
C
X (Correct answer)

Correct answer: X

The letter X has both horizontal and vertical symmetry, so it looks the same reflected across either axis. B and D have only vertical symmetry, and C has neither perfectly.

Horizontal-axis reflection flips the top and bottom of a figure. A letter that is symmetric about a horizontal axis looks the same whether read normally or flipped upside down. The letter X is symmetric about both axes. B and D appear the same under vertical (left-right) reflection but not horizontal. X is the correct answer.

Question 4: A rectangle is 8 cm wide and 4 cm tall. It is reflected across its own horizontal mid-line. What are the dimensions of the mirror image?

4 cm wide, 8 cm tall
8 cm wide, 4 cm tall (Correct answer)
16 cm wide, 4 cm tall
8 cm wide, 8 cm tall

Correct answer: 8 cm wide, 4 cm tall

Reflection does not change size or shape — only orientation. The reflected rectangle is still 8 cm wide and 4 cm tall.

A reflection is an isometry: it preserves lengths and angles. Reflecting a rectangle across its own horizontal mid-line produces an identical rectangle directly below it, with the same width (8 cm) and height (4 cm). No dimension changes. Candidates who answer '4 cm wide, 8 cm tall' confuse reflection with 90° rotation.

Question 5: A complex shape contains a parallelogram embedded within it. Which property of the embedded parallelogram can you use to identify it?

All four sides equal
Opposite sides parallel and equal (Correct answer)
All angles are right angles
All sides unequal

Correct answer: Opposite sides parallel and equal

A parallelogram is defined by having two pairs of opposite sides that are parallel and equal in length. This is its distinguishing property.

Parallelograms are identified by their two pairs of parallel, equal-length opposite sides. They do not require equal sides (that's a rhombus) nor right angles (that's a rectangle). When searching for an embedded parallelogram, look for two sets of parallel line segments forming a four-sided figure within the complex shape.

Question 6: The letter 'S' is reflected in a vertical mirror. What does the result look like?

S (unchanged)
A backwards S (like ꟗ or Ƨ) (Correct answer)
S upside down
A number 5

Correct answer: A backwards S (like ꟗ or Ƨ)

Reflecting 'S' across a vertical axis produces a backwards S — the curves that open to the right now open to the left, and vice versa.

The letter S consists of two opposing curves: the top curve opens to the right and the bottom curve opens to the left. A vertical mirror reflection reverses left-right orientation, so the top curve opens to the left and the bottom curve opens to the right — producing the backwards S shape. This is different from an S rotated 180°.

GMA Mirror Images & Embedded Figures 3

The word 'MOM' is held up to a vertical mirror.
Which letters look the same in the reflection?