1. What are types of quadrilaterals?

Quadrilaterals are four sided shapes (quad meaning four, lateral meaning lines).
For example,

2. In order to classify a quadrilateral:

Determine the size of the angles/side lengths within the quadrilateral.
Recognise the other proper es of the polygon.
Example 1: square or rectangle

Correctly classify the following quadrilateral.

Step 1 : Determine the size of the angles/side lengths within the quadrilateral.

As the sides are perpendicular, we can say that this quadrilateral is either a square or a

rectangle. We need to determine the height of the quadrilateral as if the height is the

same as the width, it is a square, If not, it is a rectangle.

We need to use Pythagoras’ theorem as the triangle used contains a right angle and we

do not know the other angles in the triangle.

Step 2 :Recognise the other properties of the polygon.

As the height is not equal to the width of the quadrilateral and all the angles are equal to
90∘, the quadrilateral is a rectangle.
Example 2: parallelogram or rhombus

Determine what type of quadrilateral shape ABCD is.

Step 1 : Determine the size of the angles/side lengths within the quadrilateral.

Step 2 : Recognise the other properties of the polygon.

Example 3: quadrilateral with symmetry

Step 1 : Determine the size of the angles/side lengths within the quadrilateral.

Step 2 : Recognise the other properties of the polygon.