Rhombus Properties and Perimeter Formula

Real-life examples of rhombuses can include kites or a rhombus-shaped tile that meets the basic properties of the shape. Read through the following properties to gain a better understanding of how to identify rhombuses when you encounter them.

1. All Sides Are of Equal Length

The first property of a rhombus is that all four sides are the same length. Judging the side length may be difficult if the diamond shape is somewhat distorted with various interior angles. However, if you use a ruler, you’ll find that every line of a true rhombus has equal lengths.

2. Opposite Sides Are Parallel

The second property of a rhombus refers to its “opposite sides equal, opposite sides parallel” categorization as a parallelogram. “Parallel” means that two opposite lines are drawn at the same angle. So, if you were to extend these lines and draw them for infinity, they would never touch.

3. Opposite Angles Are Equal

Opposite interior angles (and only the opposite angles) of a rhombus must match. Redraw rhombus ABCD in various ways, and you can guarantee that opposite angles equal each other every time. This is, of course, another separation between squares and rhombuses, as squares have four equal angles.

4. Adjacent Angles Equal 180 Degrees

One of the basic principles of a rhombus is any two adjacent angles will equal 180 degrees. Knowing this, as well as the fact that all angles must add up to a total of 360 degrees, will help you solve geometry equations with unknown angles.

5. All Diagonals of a Rhombus Bisect at 90 Degrees (Perpendicular Bisector)

Illustrate the diagonals of a rhombus by drawing two lines connecting endpoints from each opposite side of rhombus ABCD. You’ll see that the two diagonals bisect somewhere in the middle. Measure the crosshair shape where the perpendicular diagonals meet with a protractor.

These diagonal bisects should create four right-angle L-shapes equal to 90 degrees.