Mirror rorriM

Geometry Level 4

Martha notices that, when she puts two mirrors at an angle of 9 0 90^\circ , the image across from her is not a left-right reversal as one would see in a flat mirror, but rather a "true reflection" of how other people actually see her. For example, in the above picture, the hand holding the candle in the central reflection actually looks like a left hand (rather than the opposite hand for a flat mirror).

So, now for the question...

This effect happened because the mirrors are at right angles.

For which of these angles would this effect still hold true?


Image credit: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/
4 5 45^\circ 6 0 60^\circ 7 2 72^\circ 12 0 120^\circ 18 0 180^\circ All of these answers work No other angles will work

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1 solution

Geoff Pilling
Jan 19, 2017

A left-right reversed image will happen any time the light is reflected an even number of times from the object to its reflection.

So, for a flat mirror, the light is only reflected once (off of that surface). However at 9 0 90^\circ as in the picture above, the reflected candles (left and right) are again reflected (middle). So the middle mirror doesn't have the left-right reversal.

For 6 0 60^\circ the image is again reversed as the light has undergone three reflections.

Here is a picture clarifying how the image is "real" for 9 0 90^\circ but "reversed" for 6 0 60^\circ :

From the above image, the image is real for 9 0 90^\circ , since 90 = 180 2 90 = \frac{180}{2} . And, it is reversed for 6 0 60^\circ , since 60 = 180 3 60 = \frac{180}{3} . And, we can generalize that if 18 0 180^\circ is divided by an odd number, then the image will undergo an odd number of reflections, so it will be reversed, and if it is divided by an even number, it will undergo and even number of reflections and the image will be real.

So, the image will be "real" for any angle that satisfies, ( 180 n ) (\frac{180}{n})^\circ for even n n .

The only answer for which this holds is 4 5 \boxed{45^\circ}

I don't feel like all the assertions are justified here. Why is 60 degrees three reflections? Why does the property hold for (180/n)? A diagram would help quite a bit.

Jason Dyer Staff - 4 years, 4 months ago

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There, I've added a clarifying image to my conclusion... Thoughts?

Geoff Pilling - 4 years, 4 months ago

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I think 60 degrees being three reflections is a lot clearer. I don't think you've fully proven (180/n) for even n, though.

Jason Dyer Staff - 4 years, 4 months ago

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@Jason Dyer I've added a bit of verbiage to try to justify the result... Lemme think about how I might be able to come up with a rigorous proof.

Geoff Pilling - 4 years, 4 months ago

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