QUADRILATERAL

Properties

Four sides (edges)

Four vertices (corners)

The interior angles add up to 360 degrees

Types of Quadrilaterals

There are special types of quadrilateral:

Some types are also included in the definition of other types For example a square,
rhombus and rectangle are also parallelograms.
The Rectangle

means "right angle"

and

show equal sides

A rectangle is a four-sided shape where every angle is a right angle (90). The opposite
sides are parallel and of equal length.

The Rhombus

A rhombus is a four-sided shape where all sides have equal length.The opposite sides are
parallel and opposite angles are equal.The diagonals (dashed lines in second figure) meet in
the middle at a right angle. In other words they "bisect" (cut in half) each other at right
angles.
The Square

means "right angle"

show equal sides

A square has equal sides and every angle is a right angle (90).The opposite sides are
parallel. A square also fits the definition of a rectangle (all angles are 90), and a rhombus
(all sides are equal length).
The Parallelogram

A parallelogram has opposite sides parallel and equal in length. The opposite angles are
equal (angles "a" are the same, and angles "b" are the same).
NOTE: Squares, Rectangles and Rhombuses are all Parallelograms

Example:

A parallelogram with:

all sides equal and

angles "a" and "b" as right angles

is a square

The Trapezoid ( Trapezium)

Trapezoid

Isosceles Trapezoid

A trapezoid ( trapezium) has a pair of opposite sides parallel.

It is called an Isosceles trapezoid if the sides that are not parallel are equal in length and
both angles coming from a parallel side are equal, as shown.
And a trapezium is a quadrilateral with NO parallel sides
Trapezoid

Trapezium

US:

a pair of parallel sides

NO parallel sides

UK:

NO parallel sides

a pair of parallel sides

The Kite

Kite has two pairs of sides. Each pair is made up of adjacent sides that are equal in length.
The angles are equal where the pairs meet. Diagonals (dashed lines) meet at a right angle,
and one of the diagonal bisects (cuts equally in half) the other.

Irregular Quadrilaterals
The only regular quadrilateral is a square. So all other quadrilaterals are irregular.
The "Family Tree" Chart
Quadrilateral definitions are inclusive.
Example: a square is also a rectangle.
A square in the definition of a rectangle.
(We don't say "Having all 90 angles makes it a rectangle except when all sides are equal
then it is a square.")
Using the chart below answer the following questions:

Is a Square a type of Rectangle? (Yes)

Is a Rectangle a type of Kite? (No)

Complex Quadrilaterals
When two sides cross over, it is called "Complex" or "Self-Intersecting" quadrilateral. They
still have 4 sides, but two sides cross over
Example:

Polygon
A quadrilateral is a polygon. In fact it is a 4-sided polygon, just like a triangle is a 3-sided
polygon, a pentagon is a 5-sided polygon, and so on.
A quadrilateral can sometimes be called:

a Quadrangle ("four angles")

a Tetragon ("four and polygon")

Practise and Drill

1.

ABCD is an isosceles trapezoid (isosceles trapezium). What is the size of angle A?

The interior angles of a quadrilateral add up to 360
An isosceles trapezoid has two pairs of equal angles, so C = D and A = B
Angle C + Angle D = 59 + 59 = 118
So Angle A + Angle B = 360 - 118 = 242
So Angle A = Angle B = 242 = 121
(Note that this also means that A + D = 180 and that B + C = 180)
2.

ABCD is a quadrilateral. What is the size of angle D?

The interior angles of a quadrilateral add up to 360.We already know three angles: 83,
107 and 115Their sum is (83 + 107 + 115) = 305

So Angle D = 360 - 305 = 55

3.

The interior angles of a quadrilateral add up to 360.The opposite angles of a parallelogram

are equal, so Angle B must also be 51.That leaves 360 - 51 - 51 = 360 - 102 = 258
So Angle A + Angle C = 258
Angles A and C must also be equal in a parallelogram,
So Angle A = Angle C = 258 = 129
4.

Activity: The Quadrilateral Family

Each member of the quadrilateral family will describe its specific properties.

*Quadrilateral
I have exactly four sides.
The sum of the interior angles
of all quadrilaterals is 360.

*Trapezoid
I have only one set of parallel sides.
[The median of a trapezoid is parallel to
the bases and equal to one-half the
sum of the bases.]

A quadrilateral is any four sided

figure. Do not assume any additional
properties for a quadrilateral unless
you are given additional information.

A trapezoid has ONLY

ONE set of parallel
sides. When proving a
figure is a trapezoid, it
is necessary to prove
that two sides are
parallel and two sides
are not parallel.

*Isosceles Trapezoid
I have:
- only one set of parallel sides
- base angles congruent
- legs congruent
- diagonals congruent
- opposite angles supplementary

*Parallelogram
I have:
- 2 sets of parallel sides
- 2 sets of congruent sides
- opposite angles congruent
- consecutive angles
supplementary
- diagonals bisect each other
- diagonals form 2 congruent
triangles

Notice how the properties

of a parallelogram come
in sets of twos: two
properties about the
sides; two properties
about the angles; two
properties about the
diagonals. Use this fact
to help you remember the
properties.

*Rectangle
I have all of the properties of the
parallelogram PLUS
- 4 right angles
- diagonals congruent

*Rhombus
I have all of the properties of the
parallelogram PLUS
- 4 congruent sides
- diagonals bisect angles
- diagonals perpendicular

Never assume that

a trapezoid is
isosceles unless you
are given (or can
prove) that
information.

If you know the

properties of a
parallelogram, you only
need to add 2
additional properties to
describe a rectangle.

A rhombus is a slanted
square. It has all of the
properties of a parallelogram
plus three additional
properties.

*Square
Hey, look at me!
I have all of the properties of the
parallelogram AND the rectangle AND the
rhombus.
I have it all!

www.khanacademy.org/.../quadrilaterals.../quadrilateral-overvie...

The square is the

most specific
member of the
quadrilateral family.
It has the largest
number of
properties.