4.

Quadrilaterals

A quadrilateral is a four-sided polygon.

The figure above is quadrilateral. The segments AB ´ , BC

´ , CD ´ are sides and
´ ,and DA
the points A , B , C , and D are the vertices. The angles ∠ A , ∠ B , ∠ C and ∠ D are the
angles of the quadrilateral. The sides sharing a common vertex are called consecutive
sides. The sides which do not share a common vertex are called opposite sides. In the
figure the segments AC ´ are called the diagonals.
´ ,and BD

Different Kinds of Quadrilaterals

Three noncollinear points always determine exactly one plane. When there are
four points, one of these four points may not necessarily be in the same plane as the
other three points.
In the following figures, the four points are in the same plane, hence each of these
quadrilaterals can be called a plane quadrilateral.

Definitions:
A parallelogram is a quadrilateral with two pairs of parallel sides.
A rectangle is a parallelogram with four right angles.
A square is a rectangle with four congruent sides.
A rhombus is a parallelogram with four congruent sides.
A trapezoid is a quadrilateral with exactly one pair of parallel sides.
5. Sum of the Measures of the Interior and Exterior Angle of a Convex Polygon

Theorem 1.5 and Theorem 1.6 may be proven by directly measuring the

Theorem 1.5. The sum of the measures of the angles of a triangle is 180 °.

This theorem may be proven by drawing different triangles and carefully measuring
the interior angles using a protractor. Compare the sum of the interior angles and give a
general statement concerning the sums of the interior angles.

Theorem 1.6. The sum of the measures of the exterior angles of a convex
quadrilateral, one at each vertex is 360 °.

Like Theorem 1.5, this theorem may be proven by drawing different convex
quadrilaterals and carefully measuring the exterior angles using a protractor. Compare
the sum of the exterior angles and give a general statement concerning the sums of the
exterior angles.

In each of the following convex polygons, all possible diagonals from one vertex
are drawn. Notice that the number triangles formed is two less than the number of sides.
Theorem 1.7. The sum of the measures of the interior angles of convex
polygon with n sides is ( n−2 ) 180 ° .

Example 1. Find the sum of the measures of the interior angles of a convex polygon with
13 sides.

Solution:
Sum of measures of angles, Sa
Sa =( n−2 ) 180 °
S13=( 13−2 ) 180 °
S13=( 11 ) 180 °
S13=1,98 0 °

Example 2. How many sides does a convex polygon have if the sum of the measures of
its interior angles is 2,340 ° ?

Solution:
Sum of measures of angles, Sa
Sa =( n−2 ) 180 °
2,340 °=( n−2 ) 180 °
Divide the equation by 180 °
13=n−2
n=15

Corollary 1.7.1. The sum of the measures of the interior angles of a regular
polygon with n sides is equal to ( n−2 ) 180 ° .

Example 3. Find the sum of the measures of the interior angles of a regular pentagon.

Solution:
Sum of measures of angles, Sa
Sa =( n−2 ) 180 °
S5= (5−2 ) 180°
S5= (3 ) 180 °
S5=54 0 °

Corollary 1.7.2. The measure of each interior angles of a regular polygon with
n sides is
( n−2 ) 180 °
I a= .
n
Example 4. Find the measures of each interior angle of a regular 15-sided polygon.

Solution:
Measures of each interior angles
( n−2 ) 180 °
I a=
n
( 15−2 ) 180 °
I a=
15
I a=1 56 °

Corollary 1.7.3. The measure of each exterior angles of a regular polygon with
n sides is
360 °
Ea = .
n

Example 5. Find the measures of each exterior angle of a regular hexagon.

Solution:
Measures of each exterior angles
36 0°
Ea =
n
36 0°
Ea =
6
Ea =60 °

Example 6. If each exterior angle of a regular polygon is 45 ° , how many sides does the
polygon have?

Solution:
Measures of each exterior angles
360 °
Ea =
n
360 °
45 ° =
n
n=8

Example 7. If each interior angle of a regular polygon is 140 °, how many sides does the
polygon have?

Solution:
 Solving for the exterior angle;
Ea =180 °−140 °
Ea =40 °

Also, from Corollary 1.7.3,

Measures of each exterior angles
360 °
Ea =
n
360°
4 0 °=
n
n=9

Example 8. Find the measure of each interior angle of a regular polygon with 10 sides.

Solution:
Solving for the exterior angle;
360 °
Ea =
n
360 °
Ea =
10

Ea =36 °

Solving for the interior angle;

Ea =180 °−36 °
Ea =1 44 °