Talk:Symmetry group

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My 2c on this page - it has useful info but could be made more readable and more concrete. Symmetry groups are a great starting point for finding out about finite group theory -- especially the symmetry groups of plane figures and archimedian solids, but this article dives in with "congruencies", "invariant" and "composition". Most non-mathematical readers (including proto-mathematicians) would not survive the first sentence. The link to Group theory doesn't help much either. ... and subheadings would help.

If I get around to it in the next few weeks I will put in a gentler introduction and some examples that will ease the transition into the language of the two and three dimensions sections. I am not a groupie though, so if anyone else has the skills and energy, I will not be offended. AndrewKepert 06:15, 12 Nov 2003 (UTC)

How about, "The symmetry group of a geometric figure is the set of symmetry operations, such as rotations and reflections, which leave the figure indistinguishable from its original form. For example, a square can be rotated a quarter of a turn, and it is still the same square. It can be also reflected about lines through the center parallel to the edges or passing through opposite corners." --Snags 20:39, 8 Oct 2004 (UTC)

"Td. This group has the same rotation axes as T, but with six mirror planes, each containing a single C2 axis and four C3 axes." You mean two C3 axes, right? A plane cannot contain all four C3 axes.

[edit] Request for technical explanation

Probably the best thing to do would be to include a concrete example with diagram(s) in the introduction. (Perhaps what Snags suggests above.) The current introduction gets into a lot of details which are hard to parse, and which should probably be put into subsections. The 1D, 2D, and 3D sections could certainly also use some diagrams or pictures showing concrete examples. -- Beland 17:00, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] editorial templates formerly in article text

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

(This page currently does not yet describe various aspects of symmetry groups in theoretical physics, especially in (quantum and classical) field theory.)

I agree. Will add a disamibuation link.