Squares and Rectangles
What characteristics do squares and rectangles have?
Goal:
Goal:
Squares and rectangles are just two types of quadrilaterals that you will come across throughout your education, not just in math. Now, work through the activity below to learn more about these common quadrilaterals.
First, take a look at each shape below. Use what you have learned about mathematical symbols to determine what characteristics each shape has that makes it easy to identify.
What symbols do you notice on each shape?
What do these symbols tell you about these shapes?
| Your Responses | Sample Answers |
|---|---|
| They both have four right angles and opposite sides are parallel and of the same length. | |
| The square in the corner tells us that all of the angles are right angles. The single line shows the sides that are the same length. The double lines show the second set of lines that are the same length. | |
Now that you have had a chance to examine each shape and share your thoughts, click each tab below to learn more about these special quadrilaterals.
- A square is a quadrilateral that has four sides that are all the same length.
- A square has four right angles; they are all equal to 90 degrees.
- The opposite sides of a square are parallel to each other. Parallel lines can extend out forever, side-by-side, and never meet. Think of two cars driving down parallel roads. The cars travel in the same direction, but they will never cross paths.
- A rectangle has two sets of congruent sides. In a rectangle, the opposite sides are congruent.
- A rectangle also has four right angles all equal to each other. The opposite sides of a rectangle are parallel. These lines can go on forever and never meet.
What is the difference between a square and a rectangle?