- Definition
A kite is a four-sided shape where two pairs of sides next to each other are the same length.
A four-sided shape with two top sides that are 5 inches long and two bottom sides that are 10 inches long is a kite.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A math kite is shaped just like a toy kite, with two equal short sides meeting at the top and two equal long sides meeting at the bottom.
Ask your child: If you folded a paper kite from top to bottom, what would you notice about the sides?
Common mix-up: Kids might think that as long as there are two pairs of equal sides, it's a kite. The key is that in a kite, the equal-length sides are adjacent, or next to each other, not opposite.
Examples
- A rhombus is a special type of kite where all four sides are equal in length.
- A quadrilateral with adjacent side lengths of 4 cm, 4 cm, 9 cm, and 9 cm forms a kite.
kite is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
