Angle Measurements

How do we measure the space between two rays? Understanding angles is essential for geometry, navigation, construction, and many real-world applications!

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What Is an Angle?

An angle is formed by two rays that share a common endpoint.

Parts of an angle:

• Vertex: The common endpoint where the rays meet
• Rays (or sides): The two lines extending from the vertex
• Angle measure: The amount of rotation between the rays

Symbol: ∠ (means "angle")

Example: ∠ABC means the angle at vertex B, formed by rays BA and BC

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Measuring Angles

Angles are measured in degrees.

Symbol: ° (degree symbol)

Full rotation: 360° Half rotation (straight line): 180° Quarter rotation (right angle): 90°

Think: Like a circle divided into 360 equal parts!

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Using a Protractor

A protractor is a tool for measuring angles.

How to use:

1. Place the center point on the vertex
2. Align the 0° line with one ray
3. Read where the other ray crosses the scale
4. Use the correct scale (0-180 from left or right)

Tips:

• Most protractors have two scales (inner and outer)
• Start from 0° on the ray you aligned
• Read the same scale all the way around

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Types of Angles by Measure

Acute Angle: Less than 90°

• Examples: 30°, 45°, 60°, 89°
• Sharp, small opening

Right Angle: Exactly 90°

• Forms a square corner
• Marked with a small square symbol □
• Like the corner of a book

Obtuse Angle: Greater than 90° but less than 180°

• Examples: 120°, 135°, 150°, 179°
• Wide opening, larger than right angle

Straight Angle: Exactly 180°

• Forms a straight line
• Opposite rays

Reflex Angle: Greater than 180° but less than 360°

• Examples: 270°, 300°
• Larger than straight angle
• Goes the "long way around"

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Special Angles

0°: No rotation, rays point same direction

90°: Right angle, perpendicular lines

180°: Straight line, opposite directions

270°: Three-quarters of a rotation

360°: Full rotation, complete circle, back to start

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Complementary Angles

Complementary angles add up to 90°.

Example: 30° and 60° are complementary 30° + 60° = 90°

Example 2: 45° and 45° are complementary 45° + 45° = 90°

Finding complement: Complement of angle x = 90° - x

If angle is 35°, complement is 90° - 35° = 55°

Real-world: Two acute angles that form a right angle

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Supplementary Angles

Supplementary angles add up to 180°.

Example: 120° and 60° are supplementary 120° + 60° = 180°

Example 2: 90° and 90° are supplementary 90° + 90° = 180°

Finding supplement: Supplement of angle x = 180° - x

If angle is 110°, supplement is 180° - 110° = 70°

Real-world: Angles on a straight line

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Adjacent Angles

Adjacent angles:

• Share a common vertex
• Share a common side (ray)
• Don't overlap

Example: If one angle is 50° and the adjacent angle is 40°, together they form a 90° angle (they're also complementary).

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Vertical Angles

When two lines intersect, they form four angles.

Vertical angles are opposite each other.

Key property: Vertical angles are ALWAYS equal!

Example: If one angle is 40°, the vertical angle across from it is also 40°.

The other two angles are both 140° (supplementary to 40°).

This is always true for intersecting lines!

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Angles on a Straight Line

Angles on a straight line add up to 180°.

Example: Three angles on a line are 60°, 70°, and x° 60° + 70° + x° = 180° 130° + x° = 180° x° = 50°

Any number of angles along a straight line sum to 180°!

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Angles Around a Point

Angles around a point add up to 360°.

Example: Four angles meet at a point: 90°, 100°, 80°, and x° 90° + 100° + 80° + x° = 360° 270° + x° = 360° x° = 90°

Like a full rotation around a circle!

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Drawing Angles

To draw a 60° angle:

1. Draw a ray (starting side)
2. Place protractor with center at endpoint
3. Mark 60° on the protractor
4. Draw ray from endpoint through the mark

Accuracy tips:

• Use a sharp pencil
• Read the protractor carefully
• Check which scale you're using (0-180)

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Estimating Angles

Helpful benchmarks:

45°: Half of a right angle (90°) 30°: One-third of a right angle 60°: Two-thirds of a right angle 135°: 90° + 45° 150°: Almost a straight line (180°)

Practice estimating before measuring!

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Angle Bisector

An angle bisector divides an angle into two equal parts.

Example: Bisector of a 60° angle creates two 30° angles 60° ÷ 2 = 30°

Each half is equal!

Finding the bisector: If angle is x°, each half is x° ÷ 2

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Interior and Exterior Angles

Interior angles: Inside a shape Exterior angles: Outside a shape, formed by extending a side

Triangle fact: Interior angles of a triangle sum to 180°

Example: Triangle with angles 60°, 70°, x° 60° + 70° + x° = 180° x° = 50°

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Parallel Lines and Transversals

When a line crosses two parallel lines:

Corresponding angles are equal Alternate interior angles are equal Alternate exterior angles are equal Co-interior angles add to 180°

These relationships help find unknown angles!

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Real-World Applications

Construction:

• Right angles for walls (90°)
• Roof pitch angles
• Stair angles

Navigation:

• Compass bearings (0° = North, 90° = East, 180° = South, 270° = West)
• Turn angles

Sports:

• Basketball shooting angles
• Golf club angles
• Skateboard ramp angles

Clock:

• Hour hand moves 30° per hour (360° ÷ 12)
• Minute hand moves 6° per minute (360° ÷ 60)

Photography:

• Camera angles
• Wide angle vs narrow angle lenses

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Clock Angles

Finding angle between clock hands:

At 3:00:

• Hour hand at 3 (90°)
• Minute hand at 12 (0°)
• Angle: 90°

At 6:00:

• Hour hand at 6 (180°)
• Minute hand at 12 (0°)
• Angle: 180°

Each hour = 30° (360° ÷ 12 hours) Each minute = 6° (360° ÷ 60 minutes)

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Compass Directions

Cardinal directions on a compass:

• North: 0° (or 360°)
• East: 90°
• South: 180°
• West: 270°

Example: Turning from North to East is a 90° clockwise rotation.

Bearing: The angle measured clockwise from North.

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Angle Addition

If you know two adjacent angles, you can find the total:

Angle ABC and Angle CBD share vertex B and side BC.

Total angle ABD = Angle ABC + Angle CBD

Example: ∠ABC = 35° ∠CBD = 55° ∠ABD = 35° + 55° = 90°

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Common Angle Measures to Know

Common angles:

• 30°, 45°, 60° (divide right angle)
• 90° (right angle)
• 120°, 135°, 150° (obtuse angles)
• 180° (straight line)

Special triangle angles:

• 30°-60°-90° triangle
• 45°-45°-90° triangle (isosceles right triangle)

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Solving for Unknown Angles

Example 1: Two supplementary angles. One is 3 times the other. Find both.

Let x = smaller angle 3x = larger angle

x + 3x = 180° 4x = 180° x = 45°

Angles are 45° and 135°

Example 2: Complementary angles differ by 20°. Find both.

Let x = smaller x + 20 = larger

x + (x + 20) = 90° 2x + 20 = 90° 2x = 70° x = 35°

Angles are 35° and 55°

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Angle Relationships in Shapes

Triangle: Interior angles sum to 180°

Quadrilateral: Interior angles sum to 360°

Pentagon: Interior angles sum to 540°

Pattern: For n-sided polygon: Sum = (n - 2) × 180°

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Congruent Angles

Congruent angles have the same measure.

Symbol: ≅ (means "congruent to")

Example: If ∠A = 50° and ∠B = 50°, then ∠A ≅ ∠B

In geometry:

• Vertical angles are congruent
• Angles in an equilateral triangle are congruent (all 60°)
• Base angles of an isosceles triangle are congruent

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Mistake 1: Reading wrong scale on protractor

• Check which scale starts at 0° for your angle

❌ Mistake 2: Confusing complementary and supplementary

• Complementary = 90°
• Supplementary = 180°

❌ Mistake 3: Assuming angles look a certain size

• Always measure! Angles can be deceiving visually

❌ Mistake 4: Forgetting angle sum rules

• Triangle = 180°
• Straight line = 180°
• Full rotation = 360°

❌ Mistake 5: Not labeling angle measurements

• Always include the ° symbol!

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Problem-Solving Strategies

To find unknown angles:

1. Identify relationships

   • Complementary? Supplementary?
   • Vertical angles? Angles on a line?

2. Write an equation

   • Use angle sum rules
   • Set up based on given information

3. Solve the equation

   • Use algebra skills
   • Check that answer makes sense

4. Verify

   • Do angles add to correct sum?
   • Is answer in reasonable range?

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Angle Notation

Ways to name angles:

By three points: ∠ABC (vertex in middle) By vertex: ∠B (if only one angle at that vertex) By number: ∠1, ∠2 (labeled angles)

Angle measure notation: m∠ABC = 45° (means "measure of angle ABC is 45 degrees")

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Quick Reference

Angle types:

• Acute: < 90°
• Right: = 90°
• Obtuse: 90° to 180°
• Straight: = 180°
• Reflex: 180° to 360°

Angle relationships:

• Complementary: sum to 90°
• Supplementary: sum to 180°
• Vertical: opposite and equal when lines intersect

Angle sums:

• Straight line: 180°
• Around a point: 360°
• Triangle: 180°

Tools:

• Protractor for measuring
• Ruler for drawing straight rays
• Compass for constructing angles

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Practice Tips

Tip 1: Practice with a protractor

• Measure many angles
• Draw angles of different sizes
• Check your estimates by measuring

Tip 2: Memorize key angle relationships

• Complementary, supplementary
• Vertical angles equal
• Angles on a line

Tip 3: Visualize common angles

• Know what 45°, 90°, 180° look like
• Use these as reference points

Tip 4: Set up equations for unknowns

• Use algebra to solve
• Check answers make sense (positive, reasonable size)

Tip 5: Look for angle relationships in real life

• Corners, intersections, shapes
• Clock positions, compass directions

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Summary

Angles measure the rotation between two rays:

Measured in degrees (°):

• Full rotation = 360°
• Straight line = 180°
• Right angle = 90°

Angle types:

• Acute (< 90°), Right (90°), Obtuse (90°-180°), Straight (180°), Reflex (180°-360°)

Angle relationships:

• Complementary sum to 90°
• Supplementary sum to 180°
• Vertical angles are equal
• Angles on a line sum to 180°
• Angles around a point sum to 360°

Tools and skills:

• Use protractor to measure and draw
• Estimate angle sizes
• Solve for unknowns using relationships
• Apply to triangles, polygons, parallel lines

Applications:

• Construction and design
• Navigation and bearings
• Time (clock angles)
• Sports and everyday activities

Understanding angles is fundamental to geometry and essential for many practical applications!