High School Math : How to find an angle in an acute / obtuse triangle

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for High School Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : How To Find An Angle In An Acute / Obtuse Triangle

Solve for \(\displaystyle x\). (Not drawn to scale).

 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 22^o\)

\(\displaystyle 81^o\)

\(\displaystyle 57^o\)

\(\displaystyle 53^o\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 53^o\)

Explanation:

The angles of a triangle must add to 180o. In the triangle to the right, we know one angle and can find another using supplementary angles.

\(\displaystyle 57+(180-110)+x=180\)

Now we only need to solve for \(\displaystyle x\).

\(\displaystyle 57+70+x=180\)

\(\displaystyle x=180-(57+70)=180-127\)

\(\displaystyle x=53^o\)

Example Question #302 : Plane Geometry

Exterior_angleIf \(\displaystyle \angle A=42^{\circ}\) and \(\displaystyle \angle B=76^{\circ}\), what is the measure of \(\displaystyle \theta\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 76^{\circ}\)

Not enough information to solve

\(\displaystyle 42^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 62^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 118^{\circ}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 118^{\circ}\)

Explanation:

All of the interior angles of a triangle add up to \(\displaystyle 180^{\circ}\).  

If \(\displaystyle \angle A=42^{\circ}\) and \(\displaystyle \angle B=76^{\circ}\), then 

\(\displaystyle \angle C= 180^{\circ}-(42^{\circ}+76^{\circ})\)

Therefore, \(\displaystyle \angle C=62^{\circ}\)

Now, \(\displaystyle \theta\) will equal\(\displaystyle 180^{\circ}-\angle C\) because \(\displaystyle \angle C\) and \(\displaystyle \theta\) form a straight line.  Therefore,

 \(\displaystyle \theta=180^{\circ}-62^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle \rightarrow118^{\circ}\)

Also, by definition, the angle of an exterior angle of a triangle is equal to the measure of the two interior angles opposite of it \(\displaystyle \dpi{100} (\theta =76^{\circ}+42^{\circ}\rightarrow 118^{\circ})\).

Example Question #1 : How To Find An Angle In An Acute / Obtuse Triangle

Two interior angles in an obtuse triangle measure 123^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 123^{\circ}\) and 11^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 11^{\circ}\). What is the measurement of the third angle. 

Possible Answers:

46^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 46^{\circ}\)

50^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 50^{\circ}\)

57^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 57^{\circ}\)

123^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 123^{\circ}\)

104^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 104^{\circ}\)

Correct answer:

46^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 46^{\circ}\)

Explanation:

Interior angles of a triangle always add up to 180 degrees. 

Example Question #162 : Geometry

In a given triangle, the angles are in a ratio of 1:3:5.  What size is the middle angle?

Possible Answers:

45^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 45^{\circ}\)

75^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 75^{\circ}\)

20^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 20^{\circ}\)

90^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 90^{\circ}\)

60^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 60^{\circ}\)

Correct answer:

60^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 60^{\circ}\)

Explanation:

Since the sum of the angles of a triangle is 180^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 180^{\circ}\), and given that the angles are in a ratio of 1:3:5, let the measure of the smallest angle be \(\displaystyle x\), then the following expression could be written:

x+3x+5x=180\(\displaystyle x+3x+5x=180\)

9x=180\(\displaystyle 9x=180\)

x=20\(\displaystyle x=20\)

 

If the smallest angle is 20 degrees, then given that the middle angle is in ratio of 1:3, the middle angle would be 3 times as large, or 60 degrees.

Example Question #1 : Acute / Obtuse Triangles

Triangle ABC has angle measures as follows:

\dpi{100} \small m\angle ABC=4x+3\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small m\angle ABC=4x+3\) 

\dpi{100} \small m\angle ACB=2x+6\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small m\angle ACB=2x+6\)

\dpi{100} \small m\angle BAC=3x\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small m\angle BAC=3x\)

What is \dpi{100} \small m\angle BAC\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small m\angle BAC\)?

Possible Answers:

57

19

90

44

79

Correct answer:

57

Explanation:

The sum of the measures of the angles of a triangle is 180.

Thus we set up the equation \dpi{100} \small 4x+3+2x+6+3x=180\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small 4x+3+2x+6+3x=180\)

After combining like terms and cancelling, we have \dpi{100} \small 9x=171\rightarrow x=19\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small 9x=171\rightarrow x=19\)

Thus \dpi{100} \small m\angle BAC=3x=57\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small m\angle BAC=3x=57\)

Example Question #1 : How To Find An Angle In An Acute / Obtuse Triangle

The base angle of an isosceles triangle is five more than twice the vertex angle.  What is the base angle?

Possible Answers:

55\(\displaystyle 55\)

73\(\displaystyle 73\)

47\(\displaystyle 47\)

34\(\displaystyle 34\)

62\(\displaystyle 62\)

Correct answer:

73\(\displaystyle 73\)

Explanation:

Every triangle has 180 degrees.  An isosceles triangle has one vertex angle and two congruent base angles.

Let x\(\displaystyle x\) = the vertex angle and 2x+5\(\displaystyle 2x+5\) = the base angle

So the equation to solve becomes  x+(2x+5)+(2x+5)=180\(\displaystyle x+(2x+5)+(2x+5)=180\)

Thus the vertex angle is 34 and the base angles are 73.

Example Question #1 : Triangles

The base angle of an isosceles triangle is 15 less than three times the vertex angle.  What is the vertex angle?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 75\)

\(\displaystyle 25\)

\(\displaystyle 45\)

\(\displaystyle 50\)

\(\displaystyle 30\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 30\)

Explanation:

Every triangle contains 180 degrees.  An isosceles triangle has one vertex angle and two congruent base angles.

Let \(\displaystyle x\) = vertex angle and \(\displaystyle 3x-15\) = base angle

So the equation to solve becomes \(\displaystyle x+(3x-15)+(3x-15)=180\).

Example Question #1 : Isosceles Triangles

The base angle of an isosceles triangle is ten less than twice the vertex angle.  What is the vertex angle?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 65^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 70^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 35^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 20^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 40^{\circ}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 40^{\circ}\)

Explanation:

Every triangle has 180 degrees.  An isosceles triangle has one vertex angle and two congruent base angles.

Let \(\displaystyle x\) = vertex angle and \(\displaystyle 2x - 10\) = base angle

So the equation to solve becomes  \(\displaystyle x + (2x - 10) + (2x - 10) = 180\)

So the vertex angle is 40 and the base angles is 70

Example Question #141 : Triangles

The base angle of an isosceles triangle is 10 more than twice the vertex angle.  What is the vertex angle?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 74^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 45^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 32^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 60^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 50^{\circ}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 32^{\circ}\)

Explanation:

Every triangle has 180 degrees.  An isosceles triangle has one vertex angle and two congruent base angles.

Let \(\displaystyle x\)= the vertex angle and \(\displaystyle 2x + 10\) = the base angle

So the equation to solve becomes \(\displaystyle x + (2x +10) + (2x +10) = 180\)

The vertex angle is 32 degrees and the base angle is 74 degrees

Example Question #2 : Acute / Obtuse Isosceles Triangles

In an isosceles triangle, the vertex angle is 15 less than the base angle.  What is the base angle?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 25\)

\(\displaystyle 45\)

\(\displaystyle 90\)

\(\displaystyle 50\)

\(\displaystyle 65\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 65\)

Explanation:

Every triangle has 180 degrees.  An isosceles triangle has one vertex angle and two congruent base angles.

Let \(\displaystyle x\) = base angle and \(\displaystyle x - 15\) = vertex angle

So the equation to solve becomes \(\displaystyle (x - 15) + x + x = 180\)

Thus, 65 is the base angle and 50 is the vertex angle.

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