How to Draw a Parallelogram

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

A parallelogram is a quadrilateral that has two sets of parallel sides. Each pair of opposite sides are parallel to each other, and each pair of opposite sides are the same length as each other. [1] You can sketch this by hand pretty easily, but if you need to make a parallelogram of a certain length or angle, or if you only have a drawing compass to work with, you'll need to follow an exact process. Fortunately, it's not difficult once you know what to do.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Drawing a Parallelogram with Certain Measurements

PDF download Download Article
  1. You'll need a ruler and a protractor to draw a parallelogram with specific side lengths and angles. If you don't have a protractor, you can print one out from an online picture, or make your own out of paper.
  2. The steps below tell you how to make a parallelogram with certain side lengths and angles. If your problem only tells you an angle, or only one length instead of two, the rest is up to you. For example, if a step below tells you to draw a line of the specified length, and the problem you are following doesn't mention a specific length, just draw the line as long as you like. [2]
    Advertisement
  3. Put your ruler flat against the paper and draw a line across its edge with your pencil. Make this a long line, but don't bother measuring it yet. A longer line will make some of the later steps easier.
  4. Move the ruler to the center of the line. If your parallelogram is supposed to be 10 centimeters (4 inches) long, make two pencil marks, next to the 0 line and the 10 cm line on the ruler. These mark the two lower corners of your parallelogram.
  5. Put the protractor down so the flat side is along the line (this is where a longer line will help guide you). Move it from side to side so the dot in the center of the protractor is over the left pencil mark that represents a corner of the parallelogram.
  6. The edge of the protractor is labeled with numbers from 0 to 180. These are the degrees in the angle. If you are trying to draw a parallelogram with a 75º angle, find the line labeled 75, or estimate where the line would be halfway between the 70 mark and the 80 mark. Draw a pencil line at the edge of the protractor, continuing the line you found. [3]
    • If your protractor has two sets of numbers, use the one that has "0" on the line between your two pencil marks.
    • If your protractor has one set of numbers and the line between your pencil marks is labeled "180," move the protractor to the right pencil mark instead and count from there.
  7. Move the protractor out of the way and arrange your ruler between the corner where the protractor was placed, and the pencil mark you just drew using the protractor. Connect these two marks by running your pencil along the ruler edge. Measure the length this side is supposed to be with the "0" of the ruler on the lower pencil mark. Make yet another pencil mark to show where the side ends.
  8. The left and right sides of a parallel ogram are always parallel, meaning they are at the same angle. Position the protractor on the other corner of the parallelogram, and mark the same angle using the method described above. When you have both the left and right sides drawn, they should be parallel to each other and exactly the same length.
  9. Position your ruler between the two top corners of the parallelogram, where the left and right sides end. Draw a straight line between them, and your parallelogram is finished. [4]
    10. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Constructing a Parallelogram with a Compass

PDF download Download Article
  1. Draw two straight lines that share a corner. A perpendicular L shape will result in a rectangle, which is one type of parallelogram. Change the angle between the two lines to get different parallelograms. [5]
    • For each of the methods below, we'll call the horizontal part of the L the bottom of the parallelogram and the vertical or angled part of the L the left side of the parallelogram.
  2. We're talking about the drawing tool, not the magnetic navigation compass. The drawing compass has one end with a spike, and one end with a pencil, connected by a hinge. [6]
  3. The top and bottom sides of a parallelogram are always equal, and the left and right sides of a parallelogram are always equal. We can use this information to finish the parallelogram.
  4. Set your compass to the exact length of the bottom side, by placing the spike end on the bottom left corner and the pencil end on the bottom right.
  5. Move the compass without moving the hinge, so the spike rests at the top left corner. With the spike fixed in place, draw an arc along the paper by moving the pencil back and forth. You could draw a straight line from the spike to any point on this arc, and it would be the same length as the bottom side – but don't try that yet. [7]
  6. Remember, the left and right sides are also the same length, so we can repeat this step again. Set the compass to the length of the left side, then move it so the spike rests at the bottom right corner. Draw another arc with the pencil, overlapping the first arc. [8]
  7. The point where the two arcs cross is the top right corner of the parallelogram. This is the only place where you can connect a right side that's the correct length starting from the bottom right corner, and you can connect a top side that's the correct length starting from the top left corner. [9]
  8. Connect the top right corner to the lower right and the top left corners with a straightedge. [10]
    9. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How do you Connect the top right corner to the lower right and the top left corners with a straightedge?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    The lines you're suggesting are already part of the perimeter of the parallelogram. If you're asking about diagonals, you would use a straightedge to connect the upper left to the lower right, and the upper right to the lower left corners.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 9 Helpful 13
  • Question
    How do I draw a parallelogram with a compass?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Draw a straight line. Choose two points on it at a convenient distance from each other. Using those points as centers, inscribe two arcs of the same radius. Draw a straight line on one side of the first line and tangent to both arcs. You now have two parallel lines which will form two sides of the parallelogram. Draw another straight line through both parallel lines. This will be the third side of the parallelogram. Use the compass to mark a point on each of the original lines equidistant from their intersections with the third line. Draw a fourth line through the latter two points. That line will be parallel to the third line you drew. You now have a parallelogram.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 10 Helpful 12
  • Question
    Why am I getting a square when following these directions?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    You're drawing 90-degree angles with your protractor. Choose a different angle.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 12 Helpful 20
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Things You'll Need

      Quick parallelogram:

      • Straightedge or ruler
      • Pencil

      Or, for certain measurements:

      • Protractor
      • Ruler
      • Pencil

      Or, compass method:

      • Drawing compass
      • Straightedge

      Tips

      • There are several other ways to draw a parallelogram with a compass and straightedge, such as the opposite angle method, or the parallel congruent sides method. [11]
        Thanks
        Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Draw a Polygon
      How to
      Draw a Square
      How to
      Calculate the Circumference of a Circle
      How to
      Find the Center of a Circle
      How to
      Visualize Square Feet
      How to
      Calculate Angles
      How to
      Find the Height of a Triangle
      2 Different Ways to Find a Circle’s Arc Length
      How to
      Calculate the Diameter of a Circle
      How to
      Measure an Angle Without a Protractor
      How to
      Calculate the Radius of a Circle
      Your Ultimate Guide to Metatron’s Cube and its Divine Patterns
      3 Methods to Find and Solve Circumcenter
      How to
      Determine if Three Side Lengths Are a Triangle
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/parallelogram.html
      2. ↑ https://my.homecampus.com.sg/Learn/Primary-Grade-5/Geometry/Drawing-a-parallelogram
      3. ↑ https://my.homecampus.com.sg/Learn/Primary-Grade-5/Geometry/Drawing-a-parallelogram
      4. ↑ https://my.homecampus.com.sg/Learn/Primary-Grade-5/Geometry/Drawing-a-parallelogram
      5. ↑ https://www.longbranch.k12.nj.us/cms/lib3/NJ01001766/Centricity/Domain/427/Student_Reference_Book%20for%20Lesson%201.8.pdf
      6. ↑ https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-cbse-maths-class-7/section/9.1/primary/lesson/construction-of-parallel-and-perpendicular-lines/
      7. ↑ https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-cbse-maths-class-7/section/9.1/primary/lesson/construction-of-parallel-and-perpendicular-lines/
      8. ↑ https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-cbse-maths-class-7/section/9.1/primary/lesson/construction-of-parallel-and-perpendicular-lines/
      9. ↑ https://www.mathopenref.com/constparallelrhombus.html
      1. ↑ https://www.longbranch.k12.nj.us/cms/lib3/NJ01001766/Centricity/Domain/427/Student_Reference_Book%20for%20Lesson%201.8.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k66tSX4ucxg

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      A parallelogram is any 4-sided shape where its opposite sides are parallel and equal in length. To draw a parallelogram using a specific angle, start by drawing a straight line. Then, line up the flat side of your protractor with the line your drew so that the left edge of the line is in the middle of the protractor. From here, find the number on the protractor for the angle you need to measure and draw a small mark at the edge of the protractor by the number. Next, connect the point you made with the left end of the line you drew. Now, move the protractor so the dot in the center lines up with the right end of the first line you drew and mark the same angle like you did for the last corner. Then, connect the third and first lines with a straight line to complete your parallelogram. For more tips, including how to draw a parallelogram with a compass, read on!

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 115,700 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Jordyn Johnson

        May 3, 2018

        "You guys are amazing."
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement