
Rules for Quadrilaterals
1. These rules are the same for all quadrilaterals:
a) They are all polygons.
b) The interior angles ALWAYS add to 360 degrees.
2. These are the rules for rectangles
a) The diagonals of a rectangle are congruent and bisect each other.
b) Opposite sides are ALWAYS parallel. A rectangle is also a parallelogram but the reverse is not always true.
c) Are formed when TWO sets of parallel lines meet at right angles (90 degrees).
d) Opposite angles are ALWAYS congruent.
e) Adjacent angles are ALWAYS supplementary (form a straight angle or equal 180 degrees).
3. These are the rules for parallelograms.
a) The diagonals of are NOT congruent BUT they do bisect each other.
b) Opposite sides are ALWAYS parallel.
c) Are formed when TWO sets of parallel lines meet BUT NOT at 90 degrees.
d) Opposite angles are ALWAYS congruent.
e) Adjacent angles are ALWAYS supplementary (form a straight angle or equal 180 degrees).
f) The height is ALWAYS perpendicular to the base.
4. These are the rules for a square.
a) All four sides are always congruent (equal). A square is also a rhombus but the reverse is not always true.
b) The diagonals of are congruent and bisect each other.
c) Diagonals bisect and form four 90 degree angels. Diagonals are also perpendicular.
d) Opposite sides are ALWAYS parallel.
e) Are formed when TWO sets of parallel lines meet at right angles (90 degrees).
f) Opposite angles are ALWAYS congruent.
g) Adjacent angles are ALWAYS supplementary (form a straight angle or equal 180 degrees).
5. These are rules for rhombus (a rhombus is a parallelogram with 4 equal sides):
a) All four sides are always congruent (equal).
b) The diagonals are NOT congruent BUT they do bisect each other.
c) Diagonals bisect and form four 90 degree angles. Diagonals are also perpendicular.
d) Opposite sides are ALWAYS parallel.
e) Are formed when TWO sets of parallel lines meet) BUT NOT at 90 degrees.
f) Opposite angles are ALWAYS congruent.
g) Adjacent angles are ALWAYS supplementary (form a straight angle or equal 180 degrees).
h) The height is ALWAYS perpendicular to the base.
6. These are the rules for a trapezoid:
a) A trapezoid is a quadrilateral with only one pair of parallel lines.
b) The two parallel lines are called the bases
c) The two non- parallel lines are the legs.
d) The vertical adjacent angles are ALWAYS supplementary (form a straight angle or equal 180 degrees).
e) The diagonals ARE NOT congruent.
7. These are the rules for an isosceles trapezoid.
a) A trapezoid is a quadrilateral with one pair of parallel lines.
b) The two parallel lines are called the bases.
c) The two non parallel lines are the legs AND are congruent (that’s why is called an isosceles trapezoid).
d) Adjacent angles are ALWAYS supplementary (form a straight angle or equal 180 degrees).
e) The diagonals ARE congruent BUT do not bisect each other.
8. These are the rules for a kite.
a) A kite is a quadrilateral with two pairs of adjacent, congruent sides. It looks like the kites you see flying in the sky.
b) The diagonals of a kite intersect at 90 degrees.