Have you ever wondered the difference between a rhombus and a diamond? 5th-grade students never fail to call a rhombus a diamond while studying quadrilaterals, and we’re pretty sure you still do the same unless you know the clear distinction among both shapes. A diamond looks exactly like a kite, and a rhombus seems very similar to a diamond, but it is a little tilted and stretched. The difference between a diamond and a rhombus is the same as that of a circle and ellipsis.

You encounter diamonds and rhombuses at different ages with different representations. You will learn about a diamond in your kindergarten. The diamond will be shown with a sharp vertex at the bottom, and the shape is standing at its tip.

After some time, when you reach middle school, you start calling it a rhombus. A rhombus is drawn as a diamond, except that it is drawn as it’s leaning downwards.

Some of the similarities are mentioned below:

• Both have the same number of sides.
• Both are quadrilaterals.
• Both have a pair of parallel lines.

Rhombus

A rhombus is a quadrilateral that has four sides. Its sides are equal in length, but its diagonals are not. Therefore, the diagonals can differ in length, depending on how you have made the rhombus. It may sound a little unclear to you, but don’t worry because all your ambiguities will be cleared once you peruse through the whole article.

A square is considered a special case of a rhombus, where all four sides are equal in length, but the diagonals are not. The angles inside a square are all right angles, so it is considered a special rhombus.

Properties of a rhombus:

1. It is a parallelogram that has sides that are equal in length.
2. Its diagonals bisect each other at right angles; thus, the two diagonals are perpendicular to one another.
3. The angles of its opposing sides are equal.
4. The tips of adjacent sides sum up to 180 degrees.
5. Its sides (that are opposite each other) are also parallel. So, it has two parallel lines – hence it is called a parallelogram.
6. The diagonal of the rhombus divides it into two congruent triangles i.e.both the triangles have the same size and shape!
7. A simple formula to calculate the area of a rhombus is: 1/2 x length of side A x length of side B (which is opposite to side A).
8. A rhombus has four vertices and also two lines of symmetry. Lines of symmetry are the ones that cut a 2D or a 3D shape into half. 

Diamond

The shape of a diamond is widely understood, but its definition is vaguely mentioned. The diamond is just a layman’s term for a rhombus.

Properties of diamond

1. It is a quadrilateral.
2. It is a two-dimensional flat figure.
3. It is enclosed in four straight lines.
4. Just like a rhombus, its opposite angles are equal.
5. Its opposite sides are parallel, thus making it a parallelogram.

Are diamonds the same as rhombus?

We agree that many people think that a rhombus has the same shape as a diamond, and there’s nothing wrong with that perception. With our naked eyes, diamond and rhombus look the same as well. However, to eliminate this confusion, we must understand that some shapes can classify as certain other shapes by changing their orientation and sizes and the angle they are looked at.

This is why a rhombus looks like a diamond to you. The orientation and angle with which you view a rhombus can make a rhombus look like a diamond. But remember! Not all rhombuses are diamonds!

People use diamonds in simple terms – for example, for tiles and window panes, while rhombus is used mostly while studying geometry and playing cards, kites, jewelry, and crystals.

Only those quadrilaterals whose four sides are equal in length can be called a rhombus; however, diamonds do not always necessarily have four sides of equal length. So, before you confuse yourself with both of these terms, remember that the difference is subtle, and a diamond may or may not be a rhombus!

  We hope you understand the tiny difference between a rhombus and a diamond by the end of this article.

FAQs

Is diamond a rhombus?

Yes, a diamond can be a rhombus, but it is not always the case.

Is diamond a rectangle?

No, a diamond is not a rectangle. A diamond and a rectangle are parallelograms.

What are the properties of the rhombus?

All the sides of the rhombus are equal, and their opposite sides are parallel. Its opposite angles are equal, and its diagonal bisect at right angles. Its adjacent angles are supplementary.

What is the difference between kite and diamond?

A diamond can have a kite shape. A kite shape has all four sides equal in length, whereas a diamond does not always have that property.