Can a Rhombus Be a Square?

Date: 01/15/2004 at 10:25:55
From: Wilma
Subject: Can a rhombus be a square? Why or why not

Can a rhombus be a square?  Why or why not?

Date: 01/15/2004 at 10:41:52
From: Doctor Ian
Subject: Re: Can a rhombus be a square? Why or why not

Hi Wilma,

To answer a question like this, there are two steps.  The first is to
write down the definition of a rhombus:

  A rhombus is a quadrilateral where opposite sides are
  parallel, and all sides are the same length.

The second is to check a square to see if it fits the definition:

  Is a square a quadrilateral?  

  Are the opposite sides of a square parallel?

  Do all the sides of a square have the same length?

If the answers to all three questions are 'yes', then a square must be
a rhombus, even though a rhombus doesn't have to be a square. 

Does this help? 

- Doctor Ian, The Math Forum
  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/