What is a kite?
A kite is a four-sided shape with two pairs of equal sides, where each pair of equal sides sits next to each other.
The answer
A kite has 4 sides and 4 vertices. The one drawn here has no parallel sides and 1 line of symmetry. A rhombus, the special kite with four equal sides, has 2 pairs of parallel sides and 2 lines of symmetry. The angles inside a kite add up to 360°.
Kite diagram and properties
| Property | Count |
|---|---|
| Sides | 4 |
| Vertices (corners) | 4 |
| Angles add up to | 360° |
| Right angles | 0 |
| Pairs of parallel sidesA rhombus, the special kite with four equal sides, has 2. | 0 |
| Lines of symmetryA rhombus has 2. | 1 |
Key facts about the kite
- It has one pair of equal angles: the two angles where a short side meets a long side.
- Its one line of symmetry runs through the two corners where the equal sides meet.
- The two diagonals cross at a right angle.
- A rhombus is a special kite with all four sides equal.
Where you see it
A flying kite is where the name comes from. Some window panes and badges are kite-shaped too.
The common mistake
Mixing up a kite with a rhombus. In a kite the equal sides are next to each other, not opposite, and it has no parallel sides.
An 11+ style question
A kite has two equal angles of 120°. Its third angle is 50°. What is the fourth angle?
Answer: 70°
- The angles of a quadrilateral add up to 360°.
- 120 + 120 + 50 = 290
- 360 − 290 = 70, so the fourth angle is 70°.
Related shapes and skills
More shapes
Questions parents ask
How many sides and vertices does a kite have?
A kite has 4 straight sides and 4 vertices (corners). Its angles add up to 360°.
How many lines of symmetry does a kite have?
A kite like the one drawn here has 1 line of symmetry. A rhombus has 2.
Does a kite have parallel sides?
No, unless it is a rhombus, the special kite with four equal sides. Any other kite has no parallel sides at all, which is one of the quickest ways to tell it apart from a parallelogram.
Is a rhombus a kite?
Yes. A rhombus has two pairs of equal sides next to each other, so it fits the definition of a kite. It is a special kite whose four sides are all equal.
Shape questions are quick marks in the 11+
Angles, symmetry, nets and 3D shapes come up in 11+ maths and non-verbal reasoning. The free diagnostic checks maths, English and both kinds of reasoning, and shows what to practise next. No card is required.