Isometry group

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

In mathematics, the isometry group of a metric space is the set of all isometries (i.e. distance-preserving maps) from the metric space onto itself, with the function composition as group operation. Its identity element is the identity function.

A single isometry group of a metric space is a subgroup of isometries; it represents in most cases a possible set of symmetries of objects/figures in the space, or functions defined on the space. See symmetry group.


  • The isometry group of the space consisting of three points, with a metric as for the vertices of a triangle in the plane with all sides unequal, is the trivial group. With a metric as for a triangle with two equal sides that are unequal to the third, it is the cyclic group of order 2, C2, and as for an equilateral triangle, it is the dihedral group of order three, D3.

See also[edit]