What Are Irregular Polygons and How Do You Identify Them?

Irregular polygons are common in mathematics and in real life—found in architecture, design, and nature. Understanding them is important for school exams and applying geometry to solve practical problems. These shapes challenge us to think beyond simple symmetry, testing our knowledge of shapes and properties.

Definition and Characteristics

Irregular polygons are closed, two-dimensional shapes whose sides and angles are not all equal. Unlike regular polygons, their side lengths and angles may differ from one another. This category includes a wide variety of polygons: from some quadrilaterals and pentagons to complex multi-sided shapes. Many quadrilaterals, such as quadrilaterals and parallelograms, are considered irregular polygons when their sides and angles do not match. Understanding how to recognize these is crucial for geometry and competitive exams.

Difference Between Regular and Irregular Polygons

The key differences between regular and irregular polygons can be summarized as follows:

Type	All Sides Equal?	All Angles Equal?
Regular Polygon	Yes	Yes
Irregular Polygon	No	No

This table helps you quickly compare how irregular polygons differ from regular ones in both sides and angles.

Types and Examples of Irregular Polygons

Irregular polygons can have any number of sides (three or more) where not all sides and angles are equal. Here are some common examples:

• Scalene Triangle: All sides and angles are different.
• Rectangle: Opposite sides are equal; adjacent sides are different.
• Irregular Quadrilaterals: No sides or angles are necessarily equal (ex: general parallelogram, kite, trapezium).
• Irregular Pentagons and Hexagons: Five-sided or six-sided polygons with sides and angles of varying lengths and measures.

Explore more examples on the types of polygons and types of quadrilaterals pages.

Formula Used in Irregular Polygons

The standard formula for the sum of interior angles of any polygon, including irregular ones, is:

$$\text{Sum of interior angles} = (n-2) \times 180^\circ$$ , where $$n$$ is the number of sides.

To find the perimeter of an irregular polygon, add the lengths of all its sides. For the area, break the polygon into known shapes (like triangles or rectangles), calculate each area, then add them together. More on these topics can be found at area of quadrilaterals and perimeter of a polygon.

Worked Example – Solving a Problem

1. Given an irregular quadrilateral, three angles are 80°, 95°, and 110°. Find the fourth angle.

Step 1: Use the angle sum property for quadrilaterals: $$(n-2) \times 180^\circ = (4-2) \times 180^\circ = 360^\circ$$ .

Step 2: Add all known angles: $$80^\circ + 95^\circ + 110^\circ = 285^\circ$$ .

Step 3: Subtract from 360°: $$360^\circ - 285^\circ = 75^\circ$$ .

Final Answer: The fourth angle is 75°.

2. Find the perimeter of an irregular pentagon with given side lengths: 5 cm, 4 cm, 3.5 cm, 6 cm, and 4.5 cm.

Step 1: Add all sides: $$5 + 4 + 3.5 + 6 + 4.5 = 23$$ cm.

Final Answer: The perimeter is 23 cm.

Check more on area of polygon and perimeter of quadrilateral for detailed methods.

Practice Problems

• Calculate the sum of interior angles of a seven-sided irregular polygon.
• An irregular polygon has sides 3 cm, 5 cm, 6 cm, and 7 cm. Find the perimeter.
• If three angles of an irregular quadrilateral are 75°, 95°, and 110°, what is the fourth angle?
• Break an irregular hexagon into triangles and rectangles to find its area, given all side lengths.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming all four-sided shapes are rectangles or squares—a quadrilateral can be irregular.
• Using formulas meant for regular polygons (like equal sides/angles) on irregular polygons.
• Forgetting to break complex shapes into simpler parts when finding area.
• Confusing convex and concave with regularity—refer to concave polygon and convex polygon for deeper understanding.

Real-World Applications

Irregular polygons occur in real-life objects—such as mapping lands, designing tiles and gardens, or constructing non-uniform plots and structures. They’re found in art, architecture, and nature’s patterns. Practice worksheets often use such figures for problem-solving, making math relatable. Vedantu explains how to observe and draw these polygons from real-world surroundings.

We explored the idea of irregular polygons, how to find their properties, work with angle and perimeter formulas, and their use in daily life. Practice more on Vedantu to build confidence in solving questions about all types of polygons, both regular and irregular.