Quadrilateral - Areas and Properties

Very Important

If a quadrilateral has all its vertices on the circle and its opposite angles are supplementary (here x+y = 180°), then that quadrilateral is called a cyclic quadrilateral.

  • In a cyclic quadrilateral, the opposite angles are supplementary
  • Area of a cyclic quadrilateral is $$A$$ = $$\sqrt{(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)(s-d)} $$ where s=(a+b+c+d)/2
  • The exterior angle is equal to the opposite angle of its remote interior angle. (here ∠CBX = ∠ADC)
  • Area = 1/2 * One diagonal * Sum of perpendiculars drawn to the diagonal
  • Ptolemy's theorem states that the product of the diagonals equals the sum of the products of the opposite sides. AC*BD = AB*CD + AD*BC.

  • Rectangle: Area = l × b, Diagonal = $$\sqrt{(l² + b²)}$$.
  • Square: Area = a², Diagonal = a$$\sqrt{2}$$.
  • Rhombus: Side = $$\sqrt{((d₁/2)² + (d₂/2)²)}$$.
  • Median of a trapezium (mid-segment) = (sum of parallel sides)/2.
  • For a trapezium, Area = 1/2 * sum of parallel sides * distance between them.
  • For a parallelogram, Area = Base * Height = Product of two sides * sine of the included angle.
  • For a rhombus, Area = 1/2 * Product of diagonals.
  • The sum of the three sides of a quadrilateral must be greater than the fourth side.

Formula Video


Question 1

A square football field is of length 30 metres. It is surrounded by a footpath of uniform width and the total area of the footpath is 256 sq metres. What is the width of the footpath?

Question 2

The perimeter of a right angled triangle is 30. The area of the rectangle drawn with the two sides containing the right angle is 60. What is the ratio of the sides of the rectangle?

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