Name_____________________Date____ Geometry
Required Project # 3: Create a story
Your task will be to create a story about special quadrilaterals using a creative writing
technique called personification. Personification is the ability to have an inanimate
object come to life and portrays the characteristics of a live object. For an example,
think about the movie “Beauty and the Beast”. The candlestick, teapot and cup all the
ability to move and talk although they were all under a spell.
You are to create a story using special quadrilaterals (parallelograms, trapezoids,
isosceles trapezoids, squares, rectangles, rhombi and kites). The story must include at
least 3 of the shapes. The story must also include at least 5 different references to the
characteristics of the quadrilaterals. These references must be highlighted in the story.
There must be a problem created in the story and a solution to the problem. The
problem will be an algebraic problem or graph problem related to the characteristics of
the special quadrilateral and if solved correctly will solve the problem of the story.
The story must be greater than 2 pages and less than 3 pages and must be typed. There
are computers in the library. The font to be used is 12 and the type needs to be double
spaced. If you email me, use word and send as an attachment. Another option is to
create a powerpoint or a movie. Please check with me on the length if you use either of
these techniques.
Here is an example:
In the town of Fourogon, everything is a quadrilateral with exactly 4 sides. The plants
and animals are kites with two pairs of distinct congruent adjacent sides. The people in
the town are either trapezoids or parallelograms. The girls are trapezoids and the guys
are parallelograms. More specifically all the names of the people in the town are 4
letters to represents the vertices of their shape.
When a quadrilateral is born, there are variable expressions given to parts of their
shape. The trapezoids girls were given expressions on their angles. If there were lucky
they would become an isosceles trapezoid with the base angles congruent, and the
legs would be congruent too. The pretty girls in town are isosceles trapezoids and have
one line of symmetry.
The parallelogram boys were given expressions on their opposite sides and one angle. If
the one angle turned out to be a right angle then the parallelogram is a rectangle. The
studly looking boys are rectangles and have 2 lines of symmetry.
The expressions are hidden on their body, so no other shape can see it.
In fourogon town, boys and girls meet all the time. They start dating when they are 16
and get married by the time they are 20. To complete the marriage, the parallelogram
must solve the expressions of the trapezoid and the trapezoid must solve the
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expressions of the trapezoids. This leads to the problem that shapes do not know if they
are pretty until marriage.
One day in the middle of June, Quadrilateral Paul and Toni met. As time passed, the two
started dating. They would go to the movies, mini-golf, and the museum of
mathematics. They loved M and M’s and Milky Way bars. Being totally in love with Toni,
Paul finally got an engagement ring for Toni on Valentines Day and she said yes. All of a
sudden the expressions started to appear so to the others can see it.
The expressions were as follows:
P
5x
A
89°
y2 + 7
5y + 13
L
Paul
PA= 5x
3x + 15
AU= y2 + 7
UL= 3x + 15
Toni quickly solved the problems
y2 + 7 = 5y + 13
U
LP= 5y + 13
m  A = 89°
5x = 3x + 15 2x = 15 x = 7.5
y2 - 5y -6 = 0 ( y – 6 ) ( y + 1) = 0 y = 6
Toni realized that he was only a parallelogram, but not a rectangle.
O
12x
T
N
6y + 12
6x
Paul went to work.
12x + 6x = 180° 18x = 180
15y
x = 10
I
6y + 12 + 15y = 180 21y + 12 = 180
21y = 168 y = 8
m  T = 60°
m  O = 120°
m  N= 120°
m  I = 60°
Paul thinks wow, Toni is an isosceles trapezoid, but unfortunately, I am only a
parallelogram. Paul and Toni continued their dinner conversation and Paul was worried
about Toni’s answer that he is only a parallelogram.
Toni’s reply was “Oh don’t worry that you’re not a rectangle. You are marrying me. Get
used to never being right. Besides 2 of your angles are acute and so are you.”
The town was invited to their wedding and they lived happily ever after.
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Rubric:
10 points – Being creative; It is now time to think of your own story
10 points – Following instructions
10 points – Using at least 3 special quadrilaterals
35 points – Use at least 5 correct characteristics of special quadrilaterals.
35 points – Create and properly solve the algebraic equation. Show the work. More
points for more difficult problems
*** 5 points Extra credit: Make and solve a quadratic expression
The projects are due on Wednesday April 2nd, 2014.
The last day it will be accepted in April 4th, 2014.
Lateness: Deduct 10 points for each day the project is late.
What grade would you give the project? ___________________________
Why? ____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
How would you improve the project?
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Have fun with the project 
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