Property match-up

Statements of the properties of quadrilaterals contain complex ideas. Students can find it challenging to decode thefullmeaning of these statements.

Consider the following:

The diagonals bisect each other at right angles.

This statement of a property contains two elements: that each of the diagonals is halved (bisect) and that they are perpendicular to each other.

You can download a comprehensive list of properties in Quadrilateral Properties which can then be used in the Property Match-up: Student Worksheet. This activity contains a collection of diagrams which students then have to match to the appropriate property. It illustrates that the use of the English language can be inefficient compared with the diagrams and symbols used in plane geometry.

Curriculum links

Year 7: Classify triangles according to their side and angle properties and describe quadrilaterals

Year 8: Establish properties of quadrilaterals using congruent triangles and angle properties, and solve related numerical problems using reasoning