Identifying a Kite: Comparing Quadrilaterals with Equal Sides and Equilateral Triangles

Kite Identification with Perpendicular Diagonals

The quadrilaterals ABCD and EFGH are shown below.

AB = AD

GE is perpendicular to HF.

Triangles BDC and EHF are equilateral.

Which of the quadrilaterals is a kite?

AAABBBCCCDDDEEEFFFGGGHHH

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Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution
1

Understand the problem

The quadrilaterals ABCD and EFGH are shown below.

AB = AD

GE is perpendicular to HF.

Triangles BDC and EHF are equilateral.

Which of the quadrilaterals is a kite?

AAABBBCCCDDDEEEFFFGGGHHH

2

Step-by-step solution

Let's organize the data systematically according to the order specified in the problem:

a. AB=AD AB=AD b. GEHF GE\perp HF c. DB=BC=CD DB=BC=CD d. EF=FH=HE EF=FH=HE Let's continue and refer to square ABCD. From facts a and c mentioned above, it's clearly evident that this is a square with two (different) pairs of equal adjacent sides:

AAABBBCCCDDD

And this is the definition of a kite, therefore - square ABCD is indeed a kite.

Let's continue and refer to square EFGH and note two important facts:

The fact that triangle EFH is equilateral (fact d) and the fact that the diagonals of square EFGH are perpendicular to each other (fact b),

Let's therefore draw square EFGH separately and extend its diagonals EG and HF (meaning - connect points E and G and points H and F), let's mark the intersection point of the diagonals with the letter M:

EEEFFFGGGHHHMMM

Note that segment EM is a height to side HF in the equilateral triangle EFH, and therefore also a median to that side in triangle EFH (this follows from the theorem stating that the height, median, and angle bisector to the same side in an equilateral triangle coincide), meaning:

e.

HM=MF HM=MF EEEFFFGGGHHHMMM

Therefore we found that in square EFGH the main diagonal (EG) bisects the secondary diagonal (HF) and is perpendicular to it,

Let's continue and refer to the fact that we can also write the given about the perpendicular diagonals in square EFGH as follows:

f. MGHF MG\perp HF and therefore in triangle HGF there is also a median to the side (from e) which is also a height to it (from f),

And from the theorem: "If in a triangle the median to a side is also a height to that side - the triangle is isosceles" (and the side is the base of the isosceles triangle) we conclude:

g.

HG=FG HG=FG Therefore from facts g and d we conclude that square EFGH is indeed a kite (since it meets the definition of a kite mentioned earlier)

Therefore the correct answer is answer a.

3

Final Answer

EFGH

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic
  • Kite Definition: A quadrilateral with two pairs of adjacent sides equal
  • Technique: Check if AB=AD AB = AD and EH=EF=FH EH = EF = FH form adjacent pairs
  • Verification: Confirm perpendicular diagonals and equilateral triangle properties match kite characteristics ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors
  • Confusing kites with rhombuses or squares
    Don't assume all sides must be equal like in rhombuses = wrong identification! A kite only needs two pairs of adjacent equal sides, not all four sides equal. Always check for adjacent side pairs, not opposite sides.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

Which of the following polygons is a kite?

AAABBBCCCDDDBBBAAADDDCCCAAADDDCCCBBBAAABBBDDDCCCIIIIIIIV

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

What's the difference between a kite and a rhombus?

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A kite has two pairs of adjacent equal sides (like AB = AD and BC = CD), while a rhombus has all four sides equal. Think of a kite as having a "pointy" shape!

Why does ABCD look like a square but isn't considered one?

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ABCD has the properties of a square (equal adjacent sides, right angles), but the question asks specifically about kite identification. Since squares are special types of kites, ABCD is indeed a kite.

How do perpendicular diagonals help identify a kite?

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In EFGH, the perpendicular diagonals GEHF GE \perp HF combined with the equilateral triangle EHF creates the two pairs of adjacent equal sides that define a kite.

Can a quadrilateral be both a square and a kite?

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Yes! A square is actually a special type of kite. All squares are kites, but not all kites are squares. However, in this problem, only EFGH fits the specific kite conditions given.

Why is the equilateral triangle important here?

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The equilateral triangle EHF means EH=EF=HF EH = EF = HF . Combined with the quadrilateral structure, this creates the adjacent equal sides needed for EFGH to be classified as a kite.

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