Have you seen an amoeba? It is a shapeless organism. The shape is the appearance of something or someone that determines a physical feature of that thing or person. There are different shapes in the world, ranging from a circle to a square. A shape with four sides is called 4-sided polygons which includes four lines arranged in various ways to form a closed figure. So, what shapes have 4 sides? What are the types of quadrilaterals? Continue reading to clarify all your doubts.
1. What are Shapes that have 4 Sides Called?
The shape that is joined on four sides makes a quadrilateral. A quadrilateral is a figure that looks like the surface of a 4-sided table except that it is 2-dimensional. It includes two surfaces. Each side can be equal or different in its measurement. Different examples of quadrilaterals would differentiate the shapes with 4 sides. (See How many Sides does a Pentagon have?)
2. What Shapes have 4 Sides? What are 4-sided Polygons?
Different shapes have different sides. A quadrilateral is a figure with only 4 sides which can be arranged in different ways.
On the other hand, a polygon is a figure that should contain at least three different or identical sides. 4-sided polygons are shapes that have 4 sides forming four angles in a two-dimensional structure. The 4-sided regular polygons are also termed quadrilaterals. Quadrilaterals are found in your immediate environment. The surface of books, tables, and doors is all everyday examples of quadrilaterals. Also, check out what is a polygon shape?
3. What is Quadrilateral?
A quadrilateral is derived from Latin words: quadri meaning four and later or latus meaning side. Quadrilateral sides can be used and modified into different shapes. This shape has 4 angles and 4 vertices. The total of all the internal angles adds to 360 degrees. So, what shapes have 4 sides is a primary question leading to the quadrilateral world.
For example, a box has 4 sides. But it cannot be a quadrilateral. This is because a quadrilateral is a 2-dimensional figure. However, the surface of the box can be defined as a quadrilateral. Similarly, the surface of a paper is also quadrilateral as it contains 4 sides and is two-dimensional. There are different types of quadrilaterals around us. (See What does the Diamond Shaped Traffic Sign Mean?)
4. What are the Types of Quadrilaterals?
How many shapes can be formed and what shapes have 4 sides if you draw random 4-sided figures on paper? These different shapes can be a rectangle, a square, a rhombus, a kite, a parallelogram, and a trapezium. So, the types of quadrilaterals are.
- A rectangle has two pairs of equal sides, with the opposites being parallel to each other. All vertices form an angle of 90 degrees each. A kite is formed like a rectangle with two pairs of equal sides, but these sides are adjacent to each other.
- A square is a quadrilateral that has identical sides. Each vertex forms an angle of 90 degrees.
- A rhombus is formed when all sides have an identical length. It is different from a square as the opposite sides are parallel to each other. When this happens, the opposite angles in the figure are also equal.
- A parallelogram has two pairs of parallel sides that lie opposite to each other.
- A figure with only one pair of parallel sides is called a trapezoid. Also, check out what are the types of functions?
5. What Shape has 4 Sides and 4 Angles?
All quadrilaterals have 4 sides and 4 angles. That is why what shapes have 4 sides are grouped as quadrilaterals or 4-sided polygons. Different types of quadrilaterals have equal or unequal sides and angles. The shapes with 4 sides have internally located four angles at the four corners of the figure. Must read how many vertices does a triangle have?
6. What Shape has 4 Sides and 4 Right Angles?
Rectangles are shapes that have 4 sides. The shape of a rectangle also forms 4 right angles at 4 corners of the figure. Thus, the sum of all the angles in the rectangle equals 360 degrees.
7. What is a Trapezoid? Is a Kite a Trapezoid?
A figure which has one pair of parallel sides is a trapezoid. No, a kite cannot be a trapezoid. It is because the figure of a kite includes two adjacent parallel sides. Thus, the shape of a kite cannot be a trapezoid. Also, check out what is a circle degree chart?
8. Is a Rhombus a Trapezoid? Is Rhombus a Square?
No, a rhombus is not a kind of trapezoid. A trapezoid is a quadrilateral with one side parallel to the other. On the other hand, the rhombus has 4 sides and 2 parallel ones in one figure.
Yes, a rhombus can be a square when the angles formed at the vertices of the rhombus are all right angles. All the sides of a rhombus and square are also equal. But, if the angles in a rhombus are not equal to 90 degrees, it cannot be a square. (See How Long is 7 inches Compared to an Object?)
9. Are All Parallelograms Quadrilaterals?
Yes, as you can recall, all shapes with four sides are grouped as quadrilaterals. Also, in other words, a polygon with parallel sides (4 sides) is called a quadrilateral. A quadrilateral in itself is a polygon. Thus, all the parallelograms are quadrilaterals.
If you define a quadrilateral, it includes every shape that can be 4-sided. The shape of any figure, like a quadrilateral, leads to the formation of new figures with different qualities and importance. So, when you wonder what shapes have 4 sides, look around and name them according to their properties. Then, try to connect them as figures on paper. It would shape a beautiful way of understanding shapes. (Also read What Instrument is Used to Measure Mass of an Object?)
