The main distinction between a square and a rectangle is that a square has all of its sides equal, whereas a rectangle has its opposite sides equal. In geometry, we’ve learned about squares, rectangles, cubes, cones, cylinders, parallelograms, rhombuses, and many other shapes.
All of these shapes fall into one of two categories: two-dimensional or three-dimensional. All of the forms can have a few common traits that distinguish them from one another.
Both the square and the rectangle are members of the Quadrilateral family of four-sided polygons. They have certain things in common and some things they don’t. All angles are equal, the measurement is 90 degrees, and the diagonals are likewise equal.
Square
A square is a four-sided polygon known as a quadrilateral in geometry. It is also known as a parallelogram in addition to being a quadrilateral (opposite sides are parallel to each other). However, trapezoids, cyclic quadrilaterals, trapeziums, and other four-sided polygons abound. According to Euclidean geometry (a mathematical system credited to the Alexandrian Greek mathematician Euclid), a square is a polygon that is equiangular (all angles are equal in measure) and equilateral (all sides are equal in length). A square is a specific case of a rhombus and can be characterised as a special rectangle because its opposite sides are parallel to each other (having four equal sides).
Rectangle
A rectangle is a quadrilateral in Euclidean geometry, and like the square, it contains four equal angles at 90°. It’s also known as a parallelogram because its opposite sides are parallel.
A rectangle is a four-sided quadrilateral. A rectangle’s opposite sides are parallel to each other. It signifies that the rectangle’s opposite faces are of equal size. Each of the four angles in a rectangle is around 90 degrees. A rectangle is sometimes known as an equiangular quadrilateral, just like a square. They’re in line with each other.
Two-Dimensional Shape
A flat figure is considered a two-dimensional shape. It’s a two-dimensional flat figure with two dimensions: length and width. There is no thickness or depth to these figures. A paper sheet, for example, is two-dimensional in shape, with a length and width but no height or depth. Rectangles, squares, circles, hexagons, and triangles are just a few examples of 2-D figures. Both the square and the rectangle are two-dimensional objects that only have length and width.
2D figures can have a variety of properties that help us distinguish and characterise each shape. Both square and rectangle have distinct properties that allow us to distinguish them.
Difference Between Square and Rectangle
Property | Square | Rectangle |
| A square has four equal sides. | In a rectangle, the opposite sides are equal. |
| The diagonals of a square bisect each other at 90°. | The diagonals of a rectangle bisect each other at different angles. One angle is an obtuse angle and the other one is an acute angle. |
| A circle can be formed with the point of bisection of the diagonals as the center of the circle since all the four vertices are equidistant from the point of bisection. | No such shapes can be formed with the point of bisection of the diagonals of the rectangle. |
| The area of a square is measured using the formula: Area = Side × Side | The area of a rectangle is measured as the product of its length and width. Area = Length × Width |
| The perimeter of a square is calculated by using the formula: Perimeter = 4 × Side | The perimeter of a rectangle is calculated by using the formula: Perimeter = 2 (length + width) |
| As per the Pythagoras theorem (Pythagorean theorem), the length of the diagonal of a square is the product of the square root of 2 and the side of the square. Length of diagonal = √ (2 × Side) | As per the Pythagoras theorem (Pythagorean theorem), the length of the diagonal of a rectangle is the square root of the sum of squares of the length and width. Length of diagonal = √(Length2 + Width2) |
Properties of Square and Rectangle
The following are some of the most important qualities of a square:
- The length of all four sides is the same
- A square’s internal angles are all 90 degrees
- A square’s opposite sides are parallel to one another
- A square’s diagonals are equal in length and bisect each other
The following are some of the most important properties of a rectangle:
- A rectangle’s opposite sides are equal and parallel to one another
- A rectangle’s internal angles are all 90 degrees
- A rectangle’s opposite angles are equal, thus it’s also known as a parallelogram
- A rectangle’s diagonals are equal in length and bisect each other
Conclusion
Quadrilaterals include squares and rectangles. A square is a unique quadrilateral because it is a regular polygon with equal sides and angles. If diagonal lines were drawn from corner to corner through a square, the lines would be the same length and the angles in the centre would be the same (right angles). There are two different angles in a rectangle.
A square is defined as an item or plane with all four sides equal in length and all angles connected to the sides equal in length. A rectangle, on the other hand, is defined as a plane figure with four straight sides and the same number of right angles, with two parallel sides of equal length.