Intermediate Geometry : Rhombuses

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Intermediate Geometry

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Rhombuses

Given: Rhombuses \(\displaystyle ABCD\) and \(\displaystyle EFGH\).

\(\displaystyle AB = EF\)

True, false, or undetermined: Rhombus \(\displaystyle ABCD \cong\) Rhombus \(\displaystyle EFGH\).

Possible Answers:

False

True

Undetermined

Correct answer:

Undetermined

Explanation:

Two figures are congruent by definition if all of their corresponding sides are congruent and all of their corresponding angles are congruent.

By definition, a rhombus has four sides of equal length.  If we let \(\displaystyle s_{1}\) be the common sidelength of Rhombus \(\displaystyle ABCD\) and \(\displaystyle s_{2}\) be the common sidelength of Rhombus \(\displaystyle EFGH\), then, since \(\displaystyle AB = EF\), it follows that \(\displaystyle s_{1} = s_{2}\), so corresponding sides are congruent. However, no information is given about their angle measures. Therefore, it cannot be determined whether or not the two rhombuses are congruent.

 

Example Question #1 : How To Find If Rhombuses Are Similar

Given: Rhombuses \(\displaystyle ABCD\) and \(\displaystyle EFGH\).

\(\displaystyle m \angle A = 60 ^{\circ }\) and \(\displaystyle m \angle F = 120 ^{\circ }\)

True, false, or undetermined: Rhombus \(\displaystyle ABCD \sim\) Rhombus \(\displaystyle EFGH\).

Possible Answers:

True

False

Undetermined

Correct answer:

True

Explanation:

Two figures are similar by definition if all of their corresponding sides are proportional and all of their corresponding angles are congruent.

By definition, a rhombus has four sides that are congruent. If we let \(\displaystyle s_{1}\) be the common sidelength of Rhombus \(\displaystyle ABCD\) and \(\displaystyle s_{2}\) be the common sidelength of Rhombus \(\displaystyle EFGH\), it can easily be seen that the ratio of the length of each side of the former to that of the latter is the same ratio, namely, \(\displaystyle \frac{s_{1}}{s_{2}}\).

Also, a rhombus being a parallelogram, its opposite angles are congruent, and its consecutive angles are supplementary. Therefore, since \(\displaystyle m \angle A = 60 ^{\circ }\), it follows that \(\displaystyle m\angle C = 60 ^{\circ }\), and \(\displaystyle m \angle B = m \angle D = 180 ^{\circ } - 60^{\circ } = 120 ^{\circ }\). By a similar argument, \(\displaystyle m \angle H = m \angle F = 120 ^{\circ }\) and \(\displaystyle m \angle E = m \angle G= 180 ^{\circ } - 120 ^{\circ } = 60^{\circ }\). Therefore, 

\(\displaystyle \angle A \cong \angle E\)

\(\displaystyle \angle B \cong \angle F\)

\(\displaystyle \angle C \cong \angle F\)

\(\displaystyle \angle D \cong \angle H\)

Since all corresponding sides are proportional and all corresponding angles are congruent, it holds that Rhombus \(\displaystyle ABCD \sim\) Rhombus \(\displaystyle EFGH\).

Example Question #1 : How To Find An Angle In A Rhombus

A rhombus has two interior angles with a measurement of \(\displaystyle 56\) degrees. What is the measurement of each of the other two interior angles? 

Possible Answers:

Not enough information is provided to solve this problem. 

One angle is \(\displaystyle 124\) degrees and the other angle must be \(\displaystyle 56\) degrees. 

Both of the remaining angles are \(\displaystyle 124\) degrees.

All of the interior angles of the rhombus are \(\displaystyle 56\) degrees.

Correct answer:

Both of the remaining angles are \(\displaystyle 124\) degrees.

Explanation:

The four interior angles in any rhombus must have a sum of \(\displaystyle 360\) degrees. The opposite interior angles must be equivalent, and the adjacent angles have a sum of \(\displaystyle 180\) degrees. 

Thus, if a rhombus has two interior angles of \(\displaystyle 56\) degrees, there must also be two angles that equal: 

\(\displaystyle 180-56=124\)


Check:

\(\displaystyle 56+56+124+124=360\)

Example Question #1 : How To Find An Angle In A Rhombus

Rhombus_missing_angle_dos

Using the rhombus above, find the sum of angles \(\displaystyle C\) and \(\displaystyle A.\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 101^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 202^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 158^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 79^\circ\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 158^\circ\)

Explanation:

The four interior angles in any rhombus must have a sum of \(\displaystyle 360\) degrees.

The opposite interior angles must be equivalent, and the adjacent angles have a sum of \(\displaystyle 180\) degrees. 

Since \(\displaystyle \measuredangle C=79^\circ\) then, \(\displaystyle \measuredangle A=79^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 79+79=158^\circ\)

Example Question #1 : How To Find An Angle In A Rhombus

Rhombus_missing_angle_dos

In the above rhombus, angle \(\displaystyle C=79\) degrees. Find the sum of angles \(\displaystyle D\) and \(\displaystyle B.\) 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 110^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 158^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 101^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 202^\circ\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 202^\circ\)

Explanation:

The four interior angles in any rhombus must have a sum of \(\displaystyle 360\) degrees. The opposite interior angles must be equivalent, and the adjacent angles have a sum of \(\displaystyle 180\) degrees. 

Since \(\displaystyle \measuredangle C=79^\circ\),  \(\displaystyle \measuredangle B =180-79=101^\circ\)

And \(\displaystyle \measuredangle B=\measuredangle D\) 

So, \(\displaystyle 101+101=202^\circ\)

Example Question #4 : How To Find An Angle In A Rhombus

Vt_vt_rhomb_tres

In the rhombus shown above, angle \(\displaystyle X\) has a measurement of \(\displaystyle 63\) degrees. Find the measurement of angle \(\displaystyle Y\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 63^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 107^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 126^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 117^\circ\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 117^\circ\)

Explanation:

The four interior angles in any rhombus must have a sum of \(\displaystyle 360\) degrees.

The opposite interior angles must be equivalent, and the adjacent angles have a sum of \(\displaystyle 180\) degrees. 

Since angle \(\displaystyle Y\) is adjacent to angle \(\displaystyle X\), they must have a sum of \(\displaystyle 180\) degrees. 

The solution is:

\(\displaystyle 180-63=117^\circ\)

Example Question #5 : How To Find An Angle In A Rhombus

Vt_vt_rhomb_tres

In the rhombus shown above, angle \(\displaystyle X\) has a measurement of \(\displaystyle 63\) degrees. Find the sum of angles \(\displaystyle X\) and \(\displaystyle Z.\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 140^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 126^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 117^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 120^\circ\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 126^\circ\)

Explanation:

The four interior angles in any rhombus must have a sum of \(\displaystyle 360\) degrees.

The opposite interior angles must be equivalent, and the adjacent angles have a sum of \(\displaystyle 180\) degrees. 

Angles \(\displaystyle X\) and \(\displaystyle Z\) are opposite interior angles, so they must have equivalent measurements.

The sum is:

\(\displaystyle 63+63=126^\circ\)

Example Question #1 : How To Find An Angle In A Rhombus

Vt_vt_rhomb_tres 

Angle \(\displaystyle X\) has a measurement of \(\displaystyle 63\) degrees. Find the sum of angles \(\displaystyle W\) and \(\displaystyle Y.\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 126^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 203^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 117^\circ\)

\(\displaystyle 234^\circ\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 234^\circ\)

Explanation:

The four interior angles in any rhombus must have a sum of \(\displaystyle 360\) degrees.

The opposite interior angles must be equivalent, and the adjacent angles have a sum of \(\displaystyle 180\) degrees. 

Since, both angles \(\displaystyle W\) and \(\displaystyle Y\) are adjacent to angle \(\displaystyle X\)--find the measurement of one of these two angles by: \(\displaystyle 180-63=117\).

Angle \(\displaystyle W\) and angle \(\displaystyle Y\) must each equal \(\displaystyle 117\) degrees. So the sum of angles \(\displaystyle W\) and \(\displaystyle Y=117+117=234\) degrees. 


Example Question #1 : How To Find An Angle In A Rhombus

Given: Parallelogram \(\displaystyle ABCD\) such that \(\displaystyle m \angle A = 80^{\circ }\).

True or false: Parallelogram \(\displaystyle ABCD\) cannot be a rhombus.

Possible Answers:

True

False

Correct answer:

False

Explanation:

A rhombus is defined to be a parallelogram with four congruent sides; there is no restriction as to the measures of the angles. Therefore, a rhombus can have angles of any measure. The correct choice is "false".

Example Question #1 : How To Find An Angle In A Rhombus

Given: Rhombus \(\displaystyle ABCD\) with diagonals \(\displaystyle \overline{AC}\) and \(\displaystyle \overline{BD}\) intersecting at point \(\displaystyle X\).

True or false: \(\displaystyle \angle AXB\) must be a right angle.

Possible Answers:

True

False

Correct answer:

True

Explanation:

One characteristic of a rhombus is that its diagonals are perpendicular. It follows that \(\displaystyle \angle AXB\) must be a right angle.

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