How do reflections contribute to creating tessellations in geometric patterns?

Reflections play a crucial role in creating tessellations by allowing shapes to be mirrored repeatedly to fill a plane. When a shape is reflected, it creates a mirror image that can be positioned adjacent to the original shape in such a way that there are no gaps or overlaps. This mirroring process can be done in various orientations, effectively filling up a two-dimensional space. The ability to use reflections alongside other transformations, such as rotations and translations, enhances the variety of patterns that can be formed within a tessellation. This technique is key to achieving the intricate and fascinating designs that characterize tessellated patterns, ensuring that the entire area is covered uniformly without any empty spaces.