geometry · Year 5 · Suggested learning sequence
Naming quadrilaterals
To give a quadrilateral its best name, check three things: equal sides (matching tick marks), parallel sides (matching arrows) and right angles (small squares). Square: 4 equal sides and 4 right angles. Rectangle: 4 right angles, sides not all equal. Rhombus: 4 equal sides, no right angles. Parallelogram: 2 pairs of parallel sides. Trapezium: exactly 1 pair of parallel sides. Kite: 2 pairs of equal sides next to each other. Choose the most exact name that fits. On a dot grid, count the steps along each side: matching steps mean equal sides, and steps in the same direction mean parallel sides.
Sample questions
What is the best name for this quadrilateral? Matching tick marks show equal sides, matching arrows show parallel sides and small squares show right angles.
- Read the marks on the sides and corners.
- All 4 sides are equal and all 4 corners are right angles.
- A square is the only quadrilateral with both.
- The best name is square.
Answer: square
What is the best name for this quadrilateral? Matching tick marks show equal sides, matching arrows show parallel sides and small squares show right angles.
- Read the marks on the sides and corners.
- All 4 corners are right angles, but the sides are not all equal.
- Opposite sides are equal and parallel.
- The best name is rectangle.
Answer: rectangle
What is the best name for this quadrilateral? Matching tick marks show equal sides, matching arrows show parallel sides and small squares show right angles.
- Read the marks on the sides and corners.
- All 4 corners are right angles, but the sides are not all equal.
- Opposite sides are equal and parallel.
- The best name is rectangle.
Answer: rectangle