How many times can you fold a rectangle symmetrical?

You can fold a rectangle symmetrically in half multiple times, but the practical limit is typically around 7 to 8 times due to the increasing thickness and decreasing area of the folds. Each fold effectively halves the rectangle, but with each successive fold, the material becomes more difficult to manipulate. In theory, as long as the rectangle is large enough and the material flexible, you could continue folding, but physical constraints usually limit it to around 7 folds.