Quadrilateral Explorer
Quadrilateral Explorer: Discover Four-Sided Shapes
What makes a square different from a rectangle? Explore quadrilaterals with this free interactive geometry tool. Drag the corners to change a shape, compare its sides and angles, and discover how squares, rectangles, rhombuses, parallelograms, trapezoids, and kites are related.
Types of Quadrilaterals
- Square: Four equal sides and four right angles.
- Rectangle: Four right angles, with opposite sides equal and parallel.
- Rhombus: Four equal sides, with opposite sides parallel.
- Parallelogram: Two pairs of parallel opposite sides. Opposite sides and opposite angles are equal.
- Trapezoid: In this activity, a quadrilateral with exactly one pair of parallel sides.
- Kite: Two pairs of equal adjacent sides.
A shape can belong to more than one group. A square is also a rectangle, a rhombus, and a parallelogram. Every quadrilateral has four sides, four vertices, and interior angles that add up to 360°.
How to Use Quadrilateral Explorer
Select a shape on the left, then drag the dotted circles to move its corners. Matching shape types highlight automatically, and the quadrilateral changes color as its properties change. Toggle Angles, Side Lengths, and Diagonals to reveal or hide these features.
Try turning a rectangle into a square or exploring how a rhombus differs from a square. Show the diagonals—the lines connecting opposite corners—to compare how they meet in different shapes.
For a focused, classroom-ready library of virtual manipulatives in an ad-free workspace, visit Manipulatives.com.