Rectangle

Symmetries of square

PerimeterRectangle

Illustration for the area of a rectangle

Crossed rectangles

Error creating thumbnail:

Saddle rectangle example

Stacked bond

Rectangle is a quadrilateral with four right angles. It is a type of polygon that is a common subject in geometry. A rectangle has several defining properties, including the fact that opposite sides are equal in length and parallel. This shape is one of the most fundamental in geometry, serving as a building block for more complex shapes and figures.

Properties and Characteristics

A rectangle has several key properties:

• All interior angles are equal to 90 degrees (right angles).
• Opposite sides are parallel and equal in length.
• It has two lines of symmetry: one horizontal and one vertical.
• The diagonals of a rectangle are equal in length and bisect each other.

Area and Perimeter

The area of a rectangle is calculated by multiplying the length of one side by the length of the adjacent side, often referred to as length × width. The perimeter of a rectangle is calculated by adding the lengths of all four sides, which simplifies to 2(length + width).

Special Types of Rectangles

• Square: A rectangle with all four sides of equal length. It is also a type of regular polygon.
• Golden rectangle: A rectangle whose side lengths are in the golden ratio, approximately 1:1.618.

Applications

Rectangles are prevalent in both the natural and built environment, making them significant in various fields such as architecture, engineering, and art. They serve as the foundational shape for most buildings and structures due to their stability and ease of construction. In art, rectangles are used to create a sense of harmony and balance within a composition.

Rectangular Coordinates

In Cartesian coordinates, a rectangle can be represented by specifying the coordinates of its vertices. This system is fundamental in computer graphics and geometry for modeling and calculating properties of rectangular shapes.

See Also

• Polygon
• Quadrilateral
• Square
• Geometry