What is the sum of the interior angles of a quadrilateral?

The sum of the interior angles of a quadrilateral is 360 degrees. This can be derived from a general rule for polygons, which states that the sum of the interior angles can be calculated using the formula ( (n - 2) \times 180 ) degrees, where ( n ) is the number of sides in the polygon. For a quadrilateral, which has four sides, you would substitute 4 for ( n ):

[

(4 - 2) \times 180 = 2 \times 180 = 360 \text{ degrees}

]

This means that no matter what type of quadrilateral it is (square, rectangle, trapezoid, etc.), the sum of its interior angles will always total 360 degrees. Understanding this concept is essential in geometry and helps build a foundation for more advanced mathematical concepts involving angles and shapes.