The Difference between Trapezoids and Parallelograms
A parallelogram is a four-sided polygon with two pairs of parallel opposite sides. A trapezoid is a four-sided polygon with two sides parallel and two sides not parallel. Both shapes belong to the family of quadrilaterals. While they share certain characteristics, they have some distinct differences.
The defining feature of a parallelogram is that the opposite sides are parallel. If one side is 3 inches long, the opposite side will also be 3 inches. If a shape contains an angle of 180 degrees, then that shape is automatically a parallelogram. A parallelogram also has opposite sides that are equal in length, so if one side is 5 inches, the opposite side will also be 5 inches. In addition, the angles opposite each other in a parallelogram are also equal.
In contrast, a trapezoid only has two sides that are parallel. The non-parallel sides may be different lengths, and could be of any angle. The angles opposite each other in a trapezoid do not have to be equal, and the parallel sides often have different lengths.
A parallelogram has two pairs of parallel lines, so the diagonals of the parallelogram bisect each other. This means that the diagonals will split each other in half. The diagonals in a trapezoid will not bisect each other, which makes them very different from parallelograms in this respect.
The area of a parallelogram can be calculated using the base and height, or the length of each side and the angle between them. To find the area of a trapezoid, you need to know the length of all four sides. The formula to calculate the area of a trapezoid is A = ½ (b1+b2)h, where b1 and b2 are the lengths of the two parallel sides and h is the height.
The properties and formulas used to calculate the area of a parallelogram or trapezoid both reflect their differences. While they have some similarities, such as the fact that both have four sides, the differences between the two shapes is clear. Trapezoids and parallelograms are both quadrilaterals, but each has its own particular properties that make them distinct.