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This guide was created by Nicole Crawford, Jane Li, Amy Shen, and Zachary
Wilson. To learn more about the student authors, visit http://www.ck12.org/
about/about-us/team/interns.
Study Guides
Page 1 of 2
v1.10.31.2011
Since parallelograms are quadrilaterals, the sum of the interior angles is 360. Some examples of parallelograms
include:
There are several theorems that describe the properties of parallelograms.
Theorems:
1. If a quadrilateral is a parallelogram, then opposite sides are congruent.
2. If a quadrilateral is a parallelogram, then opposite angles are congruent.
3. If a quadrilateral is a parallelogram, then consecutive angles are supplementary.
If ABCD is a parallelogram, then x + y = 180.
4. If a quadrilateral is a parallelogram, then the diagonals bisect each other.
If ABCD is a parallelogram, then and .
There are two main types of quadrilaterals: parallelograms and non-parallelograms. Parallelograms can also be divided
into many sub-groups, including rectangles, trapezoids, and squares. Each type of parallelogram has its own unique
set of properties.
Key Terms
Properties of Parallelograms
Identifying Parallelograms
Quadrilateral: A polygon with four sides.
Parallelogram: A quadrilateral with two pairs of parallel sides.
Rectangle: Parallelogram with four right angles
Rhombus: Parallelogram with four congruent sides
Square: Rectangle with four congruent sides
Big Picture
We can prove a quadrilaterial is a parallelogram by using the defnition of a parallelogram.
Defnition: If both pairs of opposite sides are parallel, the quadrilateral is a parallelogram.
The converses of the theorems described above can be used to prove that a quadrilateral is a parallelogram.
1. If opposite sides are congruent, then the quadrilateral is a parallelogram.
2. If opposite angles are congruent, then the quadrilateral is a parallelogram.
3. If consecutive angles are supplementary, then the quadrilateral is a parallelogram.
a. This converse can be hard to apply - we would need to show that each angle is supplementary to its neighbor.
4. If diagonals bisect each other, then the quadrilateral is a parallelogram.
There is an additional theorem that shows a quadrilateral is a parallelogram:
Theorem: If one set of parallel lines are congruent,
then the quadrilateral is a parallelogram.
PARALLELOGRAMS
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Parallelogram in the Coordinate Plane
There are several ways to use the coordinate plane to show that a quadrilateral is a parallelogram:
Method 1: Use the distance formula to fnd the lengths of the sides and see if opposite sides are congruent.
Method 2: Find the slopes of the sides of the parallelogram.
If the slopes of two opposite sides are equal, then theyre parallel.
If both pairs of opposite sides are parallel, the fgure is a parallelogram.
Method 3: Use the midpoint formula for each diagonal. If the midpoint is the same for both, the fgure is a parallelogram.
Method 4: Determine if one pair of opposite sides has the same slope and the same length. If both statements are
true, then the fgure is a parallelogram.
There are three special types of parallelograms: rhombus, rectangle, and square. These special parallelograms can
be identifed with these theorems:
Rhombus Theorem: A quadrilateral is a rhombus if and only if it has four congruent
sides.
Rectangle Theorem: A quadrilateral is a rectangle if and only if it has four right
angles.
Square Theorem: A quadrilateral is a square if and only if it has four right angles
and four congruent sides.
A square is ALWAYS a rectangle and a rhombus.
Diagonals in Special Parallelograms
The diagonals of special parallelograms have additional properties that can be used to identify them:
Theorem: A parallelogram is a rhombus if and only if the diagonals are perpendicular.
Theorem: A parallelogram is a rhombus if and only if the diagonals bisect each angle.
Theorem: A parallelogram is a rectangle if and only if the diagonals are congruent.
Since a square is a rectangle and a rhombus, it has the properties of a rhombus, rectangle, and parallelogram.
Identifying Parallelograms (cont.)
Special Parallelograms
Identifying Special Parallelograms in the Coordinate Plane
Here is one possible way to identify special parallelograms:
PARALLELOGRAMS CONT.