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Identify rectangles

A rectangle is a closed, flat shape with four straight sides and four square corners; its opposite sides are equal in length, and a square is a special rectangle with four equal sides. Rectangles can be identified regardless of their size, orientation, or proportions, so a shape is not excluded merely because it is tilted or not visually like a familiar horizontal rectangle.

Detailed Explanation: Identify rectangles

A rectangle is a shape that passes all four checks:

  1. It is closed—there are no gaps.
  2. It has four straight sides.
  3. It has four square corners, like the corner of a book.
  4. Opposite sides are the same length.

A rectangle can be large, small, long, short, or tilted. It does not have to sit straight across the page.

Example

Look at a shape that is tilted a little. It has:

  • four straight sides,
  • no gaps,
  • four square corners,
  • a top and bottom side that are both 66 blocks long,
  • two side lengths that are both 33 blocks long.

Check it:

  • It is closed: yes.
  • It has four straight sides: yes.
  • It has four square corners: yes.
  • Opposite sides match: yes.

So, the tilted shape is a rectangle. A square would also be a rectangle because it has four square corners and four equal sides.

Learn by doing: Identify rectangles

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