Parallelogram

Parallelogram

A parallelogram is a simple (non-self-intersecting) quadrilateral with two pairs of parallel sides. The opposite or facing sides of a parallelogram are of equal length and the opposite angles of a parallelogram are of equal measure.

Properties

The following properties are true for all parallelograms:

• Opposite sides are parallel by definition.
• Opposite sides are congruent (congruent).
• Opposite angles are congruent.
• Consecutive angles are supplementary (supplementary).
• If one angle is right, then all angles are right and the parallelogram is a rectangle.
• The diagonals of a parallelogram bisect each other.
• Each diagonal of a parallelogram separates it into two congruent triangles.

Area

The area K of a parallelogram is the product of the base b and the height h. The base is any side length and the height is the perpendicular distance between the base and the opposite side (which may be an extension of the base). The formula is:

K = bh

See also

• Quadrilateral
• Rhombus
• Rectangle
• Square
• Trapezoid

References

Parallelogram Resources
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