Which plane divides the body into left and right parts?

• A. Frontal plane
• B. Sagittal plane
• C. Coronal plane
• D. Transverse plane

Answer: (B)

The plane that divides the body into left and right parts runs vertically and is parallel to the midline. This sagittal plane slices the body into left and right halves, which is exactly what the question is asking about. When it passes through the midline, it creates equal left and right sides and is called the midsagittal (or median) plane; when it’s offset from the midline, it’s a parasagittal plane, producing unequal sides.

Other planes describe different divisions: the frontal (coronal) plane splits the body into front and back portions, and the transverse (horizontal) plane splits it into upper and lower portions. Note that frontal and coronal are often used interchangeably, describing the same orientation, which is different from left-right separation.