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Shapes

In braille, common shapes can be drawn with raised lines, or they can be represented by a shape indicator followed by a number or symbol that represents that shape. The effect of the shape indicator ends at the next empty space or is terminated by the shape terminator. The grade 1 indicator is required before the shaped indicator unless the expression is already in uncontracted mode.

Shape Indicator	⠫
Shape Terminator	⠱

Common Shape Numbers or Symbols

Shapes are represented using a numeric indicator followed by a specific braille symbol corresponding to the shape. Most common polygons use a numeric indicator (⠼) followed by the braille numeral that corresponds to the number of sides in the shape.

Equilateral Triangle	⠼⠉
Square	⠼⠙
Pentagon	⠼⠑
Hexagon	⠼⠋
Octagon	⠼⠓
Decagon	⠼⠁⠚
Parallelogram	⠈⠼⠙
Circle	⠿

Examples:

$4+4=◻$

▢ ⠰⠫⠼⠙

Note: The grade 1 indicator is needed because the shape indicator has a contracted meaning (ed).

⠼⠙⠐⠖⠼⠙⠀⠐⠶⠀⠰⠫⠼⠙

$52\ ◯\ 7 \times 8$

⠼⠑⠃⠀⠰⠫⠿⠀⠼⠛⠐⠦⠼⠓

Note: The circle has a space before and after it because it is assumed that the missing sign will be a sign of comparison.

$\bigtriangleup xyz$

⠰⠫⠼⠉⠱⠭⠽⠵

Note: The shape terminator is required in the above example because there is no space directly after the shape.

$4◯4=8$

⠼⠙⠫⠿⠱⠼⠙⠀⠐⠶⠀⠼⠓

Notice that the grade 1 indicator is not needed in the above example because the numeric indicator placed the expression in uncontracted mode.

$⬡=6$

⠰⠫⠼⠋⠀⠐⠶⠀⠼⠋

Solid or Shaded

If a shape is solid or shaded (partially solid), a "solid" or "shaded" prefix is placed in front of the shape indicator. If a prefix is used, a grade 1 indicator is not needed.

Solid Shape prefix	⠸
Shaded Shape prefix	⠨

■ and ▩

⠸⠫⠼⠙⠀⠯⠀⠨⠫⠼⠙

⯃ or ◍

⠸⠫⠼⠓⠀⠕⠗⠀⠨⠫⠿

Non-defined shapes

If a shape that is not listed as a common shape appears in a text, the braille transcriber can define it either by a word in grade 1 braille, or by a previously assigned abbreviation listed in transcriber's notes. The solid or shaded prefix can be used as well.

Transcriber defined shape indicator

⠈⠫

⠈⠫⠉⠥⠃⠑

Follow the ☼

⠠⠋⠕⠇⠇⠪⠀⠮⠀⠈⠫⠎⠥⠝

Use the to fill in the $◯.$

⠠⠥⠎⠑⠀⠮⠀⠈⠫⠏⠑⠝⠉⠊⠇⠀⠞⠕⠀⠋⠊⠇⠇⠀⠔⠀⠮⠀⠰⠫⠿⠱⠲

The transcriber defined shape indicator does not require a grade 1 indicator because it is already preceded by a dot 4 indicator. Also notice that the circle shape has to be terminated before period.

Visible Space Indicator

Visible Space

⠬

Shapes are often used to represent an omission such as a blank or an empty space. There are times when an omission is simply an empty space in print. When it is necessary to identify this empty space in braille, a visible space indicator is used to represent the empty space in print.

Examples:

$4 + \ \ \ \ \ \ = \ \square$

⠼⠙⠐⠖⠬⠀⠐⠶⠀⠰⠫⠼⠙

$3\frac{}{5}$

⠼⠉⠷⠬⠨⠌⠼⠑⠾

$3\sqrt{}$

⠼⠉⠩⠬⠬

You will notice that the radical closing symbol is the same as the visible space indicator. The symbol is used twice. Once for the visible space and again to close the radical.

Brain Boost

Shape in a Shape

When a shape appears enclosed in another shape, the physical enclosure symbol can identify the object being enclosed. A grade 1 indicator is needed before the shape indicator if the expression is not already in uncontracted mode. The physical enclosure symbol is part of an arbitrary shape and is considered part of an "item" along with the shape indicator and shape so it does not require its own grade 1 indicator.

Physical enclosure symbol

⠪

Examples:

⊜

⠰⠫⠿⠪⠐⠶

⠰⠫⠼⠑⠪⠈⠫⠌⠜