Quadrilateral Properties: Rectangle, Square, Rhombus & More

Complete Comparison of Parallelogram, Rectangle, Square, Rhombus, Trapezium and Kite

Posted by Lecture Home on September 6, 2026

A quadrilateral is a closed plane figure having four sides, four vertices, and four angles. The sum of the interior angles of every quadrilateral is 360°.

Below is a clear comparison of the important quadrilaterals: Parallelogram, Rectangle, Square, Rhombus, Trapezium, and Kite.

Property Parallelogram Rectangle Square Rhombus Trapezium Kite
Number of sides 4 4 4 4 4 4
Opposite sides parallel Both pairs Both pairs Both pairs Both pairs One pair Generally no
Opposite sides equal Both pairs Both pairs Both pairs All four sides Generally no One pair of adjacent sides
All sides equal No No Yes Yes No No
All angles equal No Yes, 90° each Yes, 90° each No No No
Opposite angles equal Yes Yes Yes Yes Generally no One pair is equal
Adjacent angles supplementary Yes Yes Yes Yes Not generally Not generally
Diagonals equal Generally no Yes Yes Generally no Generally no Generally no
Diagonals bisect each other Yes Yes Yes Yes Generally no No
Diagonals perpendicular Generally no Generally no Yes Yes Generally no Yes
Each diagonal bisects opposite angles Generally no No Yes Yes No One diagonal usually does
Lines of symmetry 0 (general case) 2 4 2 Generally 0 1 or 2, depending on the kite
Rotational symmetry 180° 180° 90° 180° Generally none Generally none

Parallelogram

A parallelogram is a quadrilateral in which both pairs of opposite sides are parallel.


Properties

  1. Opposite sides are parallel.
  2. Opposite sides are equal.
  3. Opposite angles are equal.
  4. Adjacent angles are supplementary. For example, if one angle is 70°, the adjacent angle is 110°.
  5. Diagonals bisect each other.
  6. Diagonals are not necessarily equal.
  7. Diagonals are not necessarily perpendicular.
  8. The sum of all interior angles is 360°.
  9. A general parallelogram has 180° rotational symmetry.
Important: Rectangle, square, and rhombus are special types of parallelograms.

Rectangle

A rectangle is a parallelogram in which all four angles are right angles.


Properties

  1. Opposite sides are parallel.
  2. Opposite sides are equal.
  3. All four angles are 90°.
  4. Opposite angles are equal.
  5. Adjacent angles are supplementary.
  6. Diagonals bisect each other.
  7. Diagonals are equal in length.
  8. Diagonals are generally not perpendicular.
  9. It has 2 lines of symmetry.
  10. It has 180° rotational symmetry.
Special Point: A rectangle is a parallelogram with four right angles.

Square

A square is a quadrilateral having four equal sides and four right angles.


Properties

  1. All four sides are equal.
  2. Opposite sides are parallel.
  3. All four angles are 90°.
  4. Opposite angles are equal.
  5. Adjacent angles are supplementary.
  6. Diagonals are equal.
  7. Diagonals bisect each other.
  8. Diagonals are perpendicular.
  9. Each diagonal bisects the opposite angles.
  10. It has 4 lines of symmetry.
  11. It has rotational symmetry of 90°, 180°, and 270°.
  12. A square is both a rectangle and a rhombus.
Special Point: A square has all the important properties of both a rectangle and a rhombus.

Rhombus

A rhombus is a parallelogram in which all four sides are equal.


Properties

  1. All four sides are equal.
  2. Opposite sides are parallel.
  3. Opposite angles are equal.
  4. Adjacent angles are supplementary.
  5. Diagonals bisect each other.
  6. Diagonals are perpendicular.
  7. Each diagonal bisects a pair of opposite angles.
  8. Diagonals are generally not equal.
  9. It has 2 lines of symmetry.
  10. It has 180° rotational symmetry.
Special Point: A square is a special rhombus in which all four angles are 90°.

Trapezium

A trapezium is a quadrilateral having one pair of parallel sides.

Note: In some countries, the term trapezoid is used for this figure.

Suppose ABCD is a trapezium where AB ∥ CD.


Properties

  1. One pair of opposite sides is parallel.
  2. The parallel sides are called bases.
  3. The other two sides are called legs.
  4. The sum of all interior angles is 360°.
  5. Angles lying on the same leg are supplementary because the bases are parallel.
  6. In a general trapezium, opposite sides are not equal.
  7. In a general trapezium, diagonals are not equal.
  8. In a general trapezium, diagonals do not bisect each other.

Isosceles Trapezium

If the two non-parallel sides are equal, it is called an isosceles trapezium. Its important properties include:

  • Non-parallel sides are equal.
  • Base angles are equal.
  • Diagonals are equal.
  • It has one line of symmetry.

Kite

A kite is a quadrilateral having two distinct pairs of adjacent equal sides. For example: AB = AD and BC = CD.


Properties

  1. Two pairs of adjacent sides are equal.
  2. One pair of opposite angles is equal.
  3. Diagonals are perpendicular.
  4. One diagonal bisects the other diagonal.
  5. One diagonal generally bisects a pair of opposite angles.
  6. Diagonals are generally not equal.
  7. A kite generally has one line of symmetry.
  8. A general kite does not have rotational symmetry.

Most Important Diagonal Properties

This is one of the most important tables for examinations:

Quadrilateral Diagonals Equal? Bisect Each Other? Perpendicular?
Parallelogram ❌ Generally No ✅ Yes ❌ Generally No
Rectangle ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ❌ Generally No
Square ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
Rhombus ❌ Generally No ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
Trapezium ❌ Generally No ❌ Generally No ❌ Generally No
Kite ❌ Generally No ❌ No ✅ Yes

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a quadrilateral?

A quadrilateral is a closed plane figure having four sides, four vertices, and four angles. The sum of its interior angles is always 360°.

Which quadrilaterals have both pairs of opposite sides parallel?

A parallelogram, rectangle, square, and rhombus have both pairs of opposite sides parallel.

Which quadrilateral has all four sides equal and all four angles equal?

A square has all four sides equal and all four angles equal to 90°.

Which quadrilateral has four equal sides but does not necessarily have four right angles?

A rhombus has all four sides equal, but its angles are not necessarily 90°. A square is a special type of rhombus in which all four angles are 90°.

Which quadrilateral has diagonals that are equal and perpendicular?

A square has diagonals that are both equal and perpendicular. A rhombus has perpendicular diagonals, but they are not generally equal.

Which quadrilateral has two pairs of adjacent equal sides?

A kite has two distinct pairs of adjacent equal sides. For example, if ABCD is a kite, then AB = AD and BC = CD.

Which quadrilateral has one pair of parallel sides?

A trapezium has one pair of parallel sides. The parallel sides are called the bases, while the other two sides are called the legs.

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