FTCE General Knowledge Math Practice Test

Which description fits a parallelogram?

1. Two pairs of parallel sides that meet at right angles

2. Two pairs of non-congruent sides

3. Its diagonals bisect each other and create congruent triangles

4. Only one pair of opposite sides is congruent

The correct answer is: Its diagonals bisect each other and create congruent triangles

A parallelogram is defined as a quadrilateral with two pairs of opposite sides that are parallel. One of the key properties of parallelograms is that their diagonals bisect each other. This means that if you draw the diagonals of a parallelogram, they will intersect at a point that splits each diagonal into two equal segments. When the diagonals bisect each other, they also create two pairs of congruent triangles within the parallelogram. Considering the properties of a parallelogram, options A, B, and D do not accurately describe its characteristics. Two pairs of parallel sides meeting at right angles describes a rectangle, while two pairs of non-congruent sides does not apply to parallelograms, as opposite sides in a parallelogram are always congruent. Finally, having only one pair of opposite sides be congruent more closely resembles a trapezoid than a parallelogram. Thus, the identification of the property regarding diagonals creating congruent triangles and bisecting each other is integral to the definition and characteristics of a parallelogram.