Question 1169820:  Give a formal proof of the following theorem 
1. A quadrilateral with one pair of opposite sides equal and parallel is a parallelogram. (Construct a diagonal). 
2. If both pairs of opposite sides of a quadrilateral are equal, the quadrilateral is a parallelogram. (Construct a diagonal). 
3. The diagonals of a rhombus, (i) bisect each other at right angles, (ii) bisect the angles of the rhombus. 
 Answer by CPhill(1987)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website! Absolutely, let's provide formal proofs for these theorems.
 
**1. A quadrilateral with one pair of opposite sides equal and parallel is a parallelogram.**
 
**Given:** Quadrilateral ABCD with AB || CD and AB = CD.
 
**To Prove:** ABCD is a parallelogram.
 
**Proof:**
 
1.  **Construct Diagonal AC:** Draw diagonal AC. 
2.  **Alternate Interior Angles:** Since AB || CD, ∠BAC = ∠DCA (alternate interior angles are congruent). 
3.  **Congruent Triangles:** Consider triangles ABC and CDA. 
    * AB = CD (given) 
    * AC = AC (common side) 
    * ∠BAC = ∠DCA (proven in step 2) 
    * Therefore, ΔABC ≅ ΔCDA (SAS congruence). 
4.  **Corresponding Parts:** Since ΔABC ≅ ΔCDA, ∠BCA = ∠DAC (CPCTC - Corresponding Parts of Congruent Triangles are Congruent). 
5.  **Parallel Lines:** Since ∠BCA = ∠DAC, AD || BC (alternate interior angles are congruent, so lines are parallel). 
6.  **Parallelogram:** Since AB || CD (given) and AD || BC (proven in step 5), ABCD is a parallelogram (definition of a parallelogram).
 
**2. If both pairs of opposite sides of a quadrilateral are equal, the quadrilateral is a parallelogram.**
 
**Given:** Quadrilateral ABCD with AB = CD and AD = BC.
 
**To Prove:** ABCD is a parallelogram.
 
**Proof:**
 
1.  **Construct Diagonal AC:** Draw diagonal AC. 
2.  **Congruent Triangles:** Consider triangles ABC and CDA. 
    * AB = CD (given) 
    * BC = AD (given) 
    * AC = AC (common side) 
    * Therefore, ΔABC ≅ ΔCDA (SSS congruence). 
3.  **Corresponding Parts:** Since ΔABC ≅ ΔCDA, ∠BAC = ∠DCA and ∠BCA = ∠DAC (CPCTC). 
4.  **Parallel Lines:** 
    * Since ∠BAC = ∠DCA, AB || CD (alternate interior angles are congruent). 
    * Since ∠BCA = ∠DAC, AD || BC (alternate interior angles are congruent). 
5.  **Parallelogram:** Since AB || CD and AD || BC, ABCD is a parallelogram (definition of a parallelogram).
 
**3. The diagonals of a rhombus, (i) bisect each other at right angles, (ii) bisect the angles of the rhombus.**
 
**Given:** Rhombus ABCD with diagonals AC and BD intersecting at point E.
 
**To Prove:**
 
* (i) AC ⊥ BD (diagonals bisect each other at right angles) 
* (ii) AC bisects ∠BAD and ∠BCD, and BD bisects ∠ABC and ∠ADC.
 
**Proof:**
 
**(i) Diagonals bisect each other at right angles:**
 
1.  **Rhombus Properties:** In a rhombus, all sides are equal: AB = BC = CD = DA. 
2.  **Congruent Triangles:** Consider triangles ABE and CBE. 
    * AB = BC (sides of a rhombus) 
    * BE = BE (common side) 
    * AE = CE (Diagonals of a parallelogram bisect eachother, and a rhombus is a parallelogram) 
    * Therefore, ΔABE ≅ ΔCBE (SSS congruence). 
3.  **Corresponding Parts:** Since ΔABE ≅ ΔCBE, ∠AEB = ∠CEB (CPCTC). 
4.  **Linear Pair:** ∠AEB and ∠CEB are a linear pair, so ∠AEB + ∠CEB = 180°. 
5.  **Right Angles:** Since ∠AEB = ∠CEB and ∠AEB + ∠CEB = 180°, ∠AEB = ∠CEB = 90°. Therefore, AC ⊥ BD. 
6.  **Bisected Segments:** Since ABCD is a parallelogram, AE = CE and BE = DE. Thus the diagonals bisect eachother.
 
**(ii) Diagonals bisect the angles of the rhombus:**
 
1.  **Congruent Triangles:** Consider triangles ABE and ADE. 
    * AB = AD (sides of a rhombus) 
    * AE = AE (common side) 
    * BE = DE (diagonals of a parallelogram bisect each other) 
    * Therefore, ΔABE ≅ ΔADE (SSS congruence). 
2.  **Corresponding Parts:** Since ΔABE ≅ ΔADE, ∠BAE = ∠DAE (CPCTC). Thus AC bisects angle BAD. 
3.  **Congruent Triangles:** Consider triangles CBE and CDE. 
    * BC = CD (sides of a rhombus) 
    * CE = CE (common side) 
    * BE = DE (diagonals of a parallelogram bisect each other) 
    * Therefore, ΔCBE ≅ ΔCDE (SSS congruence). 
4.  **Corresponding Parts:** Since ΔCBE ≅ ΔCDE, ∠BCE = ∠DCE (CPCTC). Thus AC bisects angle BCD. 
5.  **Congruent Triangles:** Consider triangles ABE and CBE. 
    * AB = BC (sides of a rhombus) 
    * BE = BE (common side) 
    * AE = CE (diagonals of a parallelogram bisect each other) 
    * Therefore, ΔABE ≅ ΔCBE (SSS congruence). 
6.  **Corresponding Parts:** Since ΔABE ≅ ΔCBE, ∠ABE = ∠CBE (CPCTC). Thus BD bisects angle ABC. 
7.  **Congruent Triangles:** Consider triangles ADE and CDE. 
    * AD = CD (sides of a rhombus) 
    * DE = DE (common side) 
    * AE = CE (diagonals of a parallelogram bisect each other) 
    * Therefore, ΔADE ≅ ΔCDE (SSS congruence). 
8.  **Corresponding Parts:** Since ΔADE ≅ ΔCDE, ∠ADE = ∠CDE (CPCTC). Thus BD bisects angle ADC.
 
Therefore, the diagonals of a rhombus bisect each other at right angles and bisect the angles of the rhombus. 
 
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