Quadrilaterals - Square, Rectangle, Rhombus, Trapezoid, Parallelogram

http://www.mathsisfun.com/quadrilaterals.html

Quadrilaterals
Quadrilateral just means "four sides" (quad means four, lateral means side). Any four-sided shape is a Quadrilateral. But the sides have to be straight, and it has to be 2-dimensional.

Try for Yourself

(You can also play with Interactive Quadrilaterals)

Properties
our sides (ed!es) our vertices (corners) "he interior an!les add up to 360 degrees#

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25/03/2014 06:33 PM

Quadrilaterals - Square, Rectangle, Rhombus, Trapezoid, Parallelogram

http://www.mathsisfun.com/quadrilaterals.html

"ry drawin! a $uadrilateral, and measure the an!les. "hey should add to 360

Types of Quadrilaterals
"here are special types of $uadrilateral#

%ome types are also included in the definition of other types& or e'ample a square, rhombus and rectangle are also parallelograms. %ee below for more details. (et us loo) at each type in turn#

The Rectangle
means "right angle" and show equal sides

* rectan!le is a four+sided shape where every an!le is a ri!ht an!le (,-.). *lso opposite sides are parallel and of e$ual len!th.

The Rhombus

* rhombus is a four+sided shape where all sides have e$ual len!th. *lso opposite sides are parallel and opposite an!les are e$ual. *nother interestin! thin! is that the dia!onals (dashed lines in second fi!ure) meet in the middle at a ri!ht an!le. In other words they "bisect" (cut in half) each other at ri!ht an!les. * rhombus is sometimes called a diamond.

The Square
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Quadrilaterals - Square, Rectangle, Rhombus, Trapezoid, Parallelogram

http://www.mathsisfun.com/quadrilaterals.html

means "right angle" show equal sides

* s$uare has e$ual sides and every an!le is a ri!ht an!le (,-.) *lso opposite sides are parallel. * s$uare also fits the definition of a rectangle (all an!les are ,-.), and a rhombus (all sides are e$ual len!th).

The Parallelogram

* parallelo!ram has opposite sides parallel and e$ual in len!th. *lso opposite an!les are e$ual (an!les "a" are the same, and an!les "b" are the same).

/0"1# %$uares, 2ectan!les and 2hombuses are all 3arallelo!rams&

1'ample#
* parallelogram with# all sides e$ual and an!les "a" and "b" as ri!ht an!les is a square&

The Trapezoid (UK Trapezium!

"rape4oid

Isosceles "rape4oid

* trape4oid (called a trape4ium in the 56) has a pair of opposite sides parallel. It is called an Isosceles trape4oid if the sides that aren7t parallel are e$ual in len!th and both

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25/03/2014 06:33 PM

Quadrilaterals - Square, Rectangle, Rhombus, Trapezoid, Parallelogram

http://www.mathsisfun.com/quadrilaterals.html

an!les comin! from a parallel side are e$ual, as shown. *nd a trapezium (56# trape4oid) is a $uadrilateral with /0 parallel sides#

"rape4oid 5%# a pair of parallel sides 56# /0 parallel sides

"rape4ium /0 parallel sides a pair of parallel sides

The Kite

8ey, it loo)s li)e a )ite. It has two pairs of sides. 1ach pair is made up of adjacent sides that are e$ual in len!th. "he an!les are e$ual where the pairs meet. 9ia!onals (dashed lines) meet at a ri!ht an!le, and one of the dia!onal bisects (cuts e$ually in half) the other.

... and that7s it for the special $uadrilaterals.

"rregular Quadrilaterals
"he only re!ular $uadrilateral is a s$uare. %o all other $uadrilaterals are irregular.

The #$amily Tree# %hart

Quadrilateral definitions are inclusi e.

1'ample# a s$uare is also a rectan!le.

%o we include a s$uare in the definition of a rectan!le. (We don't say "Having all 90 angles makes it a rectangle except when all sides are equal then it is a square."

"his may seem odd, as in daily life we thin) of a s$uare as not bein! a rectan!le ... but in mathematics it is.

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Quadrilaterals - Square, Rectangle, Rhombus, Trapezoid, Parallelogram

http://www.mathsisfun.com/quadrilaterals.html

5sin! the chart below you can answer such $uestions as# Is a %$uare a type of 2ectan!le: (Yes) Is a 2ectan!le a type of 6ite: (/o)

%omple& Quadrilaterals
0h Yes& when two sides cross over, you call it a ";omple'" or "%elf+Intersectin!" $uadrilateral li)e these#

"hey still have < sides, but two sides cross over.

Polygon
* $uadrilateral is a poly!on. In fact it is a <+sided poly!on, just li)e a trian!le is a =+sided poly!on, a penta!on is a >+sided poly!on, and so on.

Play 'ith Them

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25/03/2014 06:33 PM

Quadrilaterals - Square, Rectangle, Rhombus, Trapezoid, Parallelogram

http://www.mathsisfun.com/quadrilaterals.html

/ow that you )now the different types, you can play with the Interactive Quadrilaterals.

(ther )ames
* $uadrilateral can sometimes be called#

a Quadrangle ("!our angles"), so it sounds li)e "trian!le" a !etragon ("!our and polygon"), so it sounds li)e "penta!on", "he'a!on", etc.

Question ? Question @ Question = Question < Question > Question A Question B Question C Question , Question ?-

%earch ## Inde' ## *bout ## ;ontact ## ;ontribute ## ;ite "his 3a!e ## 3rivacy

;opyri!ht D @-?= EathsIs un.com

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