Revision Notes

Class 8 Maths
Chapter 4 – Practical Geometry

Quadrilateral:
A quadrilateral is a four-sided, four angled polygon with two diagonals. For
example: square, rectangle, rhombus etc.

Determining a quadrilateral:
To determine a quadrilateral uniquely, five measurements are required.

1. To construct a unique quadrilateral, lengths of its four sides and a diagonal are
required.

Steps for construction:

i) Draw the diagonal BD of given length.

ii) Taking AD as the radius and D as the centre, draw the arc above BD. Similarly
draw the arc using B as the centre and AB as the radius. The point of intersection
of arc is point A.

iii) Following the same method in step two, draw arcs below diagonal BD to obtain
point C.

2. To construct a unique quadrilateral, lengths of its two diagonals and three sides
are required.

Steps for construction:

i) Draw the side BC of given length.

ii) Taking CD as the radius and C as the centre, draw the arc above BC. Similarly
draw the arc using B as the centre and BD as the radius. The point of intersection
of arcs through CD and BD is point D.

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 iii) Following the same method in step two, draw arcs above the diagonal BC to
obtain point A.

3. To construct a unique quadrilateral, lengths of two adjacent sides and three angles
are required.

Steps for construction:

i) Draw the side DC of given length.

ii) Taking D as the centre, construct the given angle ADC and draw a ray from D.
From D, locate point A of the given length using a ruler. Similarly draw the angle
DAB using A as the centre and draw a ray from A.

iii) Following the same method in step two, draw the given angle BCD at point C
above the diagonal DC. The point where ray from point A and C intersects is
point B.

4. To construct a unique quadrilateral, lengths of three sides and two included angles
are required.

Steps for construction:

i) Draw the side DC of given length.

ii) Taking D as the centre, construct the given angle ADC and draw a ray from D.
From D, locate point A of the given length using a ruler on the ray.

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 iii) Following the same method in step two, draw the given angle BCD at point C
above the diagonal DC. From C, locate point B of the given length using a ruler
on the ray.

iv) Join AB using a ruler.

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