Is a parallelogram a rectangle? Yes or No? Why
The correct answer and explanation is:
No, a parallelogram is not necessarily a rectangle.
A parallelogram is a quadrilateral with opposite sides that are parallel and equal in length. It also has opposite angles that are equal. A rectangle, on the other hand, is a special type of parallelogram. Specifically, a rectangle is a parallelogram where all four angles are right angles (90 degrees).
In other words, while all rectangles are parallelograms (because they meet the criteria of having opposite sides that are parallel and equal), not all parallelograms are rectangles. For a parallelogram to be a rectangle, in addition to having parallel and equal opposite sides, the angles must also each measure 90 degrees. If the angles are not 90 degrees, the parallelogram can take on different forms, like a rhomboid or a general parallelogram where the angles can vary.
A rhomboid, for example, is a parallelogram where the opposite sides are equal, and the opposite angles are equal, but the angles are not necessarily 90 degrees. If a parallelogram has four equal sides but does not have right angles, it is called a rhombus.
Thus, the defining difference between a general parallelogram and a rectangle is the right angle property. The requirement for right angles in a rectangle is what distinguishes it from other types of parallelograms. So while the two shapes share some properties, such as opposite sides being parallel and equal, a rectangle is a more specific category within the broader classification of parallelograms.