Symmetry in the real world

I have been looking recently at symmetry with one of my students and we looked at lines of symmetry in flags. With the Japanese flag there is a huge misconception. At first glance, that iconic red circle in the center appears to be incredibly symmetrical, right? Well, it is, but here's the twist. When we introduce a white rectangle into the mix, things get interesting. Rectangles, as it turns out, can only have two lines of symmetry. So, while the red circle itself boasts an infinite number of lines of symmetry, the flag as a whole isn't as symmetrical as it may initially seem with only two lines of symmetry! So remember this fact next time you might enter your local pub quiz!