At this point, you have learned a great deal about parallelograms, such as how to solve problems related to their angles and sides and how to prove the opposite sides of a specific parallelogram are congruent.
To succeed in a geometry course, you should be able to draw a parallelogram as well. How can you construct a quadrilateral and make sure that its opposite sides are parallel? This may seem tricky at first, but there's actually a fool-proof method for drawing a perfect parallelogram every time. Study the steps on the slides below to learn how.
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Draw any quadrilateral. All sides can be different lengths. All angles can be different measures. Notice that none of the sides have to be parallel.
Mark the midpoint of each side. (Remember, the midpoint is the exact center of the line, so you'll need to measure the line to find its midpoint.)
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Question
What figure emerged when you connected the midpoints of the quadrilateral?
A parallelogram, of course!
Now try it on your own. Find some graph paper, or click the button below to print, or draw some. Then follow the steps for creating a parallelogram.
| Click the Print button to download and print graph paper. |
Steps for Constructing a Parallelogram
1. Draw a quadrilateral that is different from the example in the slides on this page. The sides of your quadrilateral can be different lengths, and the angles can be different measures.
2. Mark the midpoints of each side.
3. Connect the midpoints to draw a parallelogram.
When you have completed your drawing, submit it to your teacher.
