A rhombus is a four-sided flat shape (quadrilateral) where all four sides have the same length, making it an equilateral quadrilateral. Its opposite sides are parallel, and opposite angles are equal in measure. The diagonals of a rhombus bisect each other at right angles (90 degrees) and also bisect the angles through which they pass. Adjacent angles add up to 180 degrees, and the sum of all interior angles is always 360 degrees. Because of these properties, a rhombus is a special type of parallelogram and kite. If the rhombus has right angles, it is a square, which is a special case of a rhombus
. Key properties of a rhombus include:
- Four sides of equal length
- Opposite sides parallel
- Opposite angles equal
- Diagonals perpendicular and bisect each other
- Adjacent angles supplementary (sum to 180°)
- Has rotational symmetry of 180 degrees
- The diagonals act as lines of symmetry dividing the shape into two identical halves
Common real-world examples of rhombus shapes include the diamond suit in playing cards, certain kites, floor tiles, and decorative patterns
. In summary, a rhombus is often described as a diamond-shaped quadrilateral with equal sides and distinctive diagonal properties.
