<img src="https://d5nxst8fruw4z.cloudfront.net/atrk.gif?account=iA1Pi1a8Dy00ym" style="display:none" height="1" width="1" alt="" />

Angles

Classification of angles, such as right or vertical, and their relation to lines and rays.

Estimated4 minsto complete
%
Progress
Practice Angles

MEMORY METER
This indicates how strong in your memory this concept is
Progress
Estimated4 minsto complete
%
Angles and Lines

Angles are formed by intersecting lines or rays. If you take any two lines or rays, will you form at least one angle?

Angles and Lines

A line segment is a portion of a line with two endpoints. A ray is a portion of a line with one endpoint. Line segments are named by their endpoints and rays are named by their endpoint and another point. In each case, a segment or ray symbol is written above the points. Below, the line segment is and the ray is .

When two rays meet at their endpoints, they form an angle. Depending on the situation, an angle can be named with an angle symbol and by its vertex or by three letters. If three letters are used, the middle letter should be the vertex. The angle below could be called or or . Use three letters to name an angle if using one letter would not make it clear what angle you are talking about.

Angles are measured in degrees. You can use a protractor or geometry software to measure angles. Remember that a full circle has .

An angle that is exactly (one quarter of a circle) is called a right angle. A right angle is noted with a little square at its vertex. An angle that is more than but less than is called an obtuse angle. An angle that is less than   is called an acute angle. An angle that is exactly (one half of a circle) is called a straight angle.

Two angles are complementary if the sum of their measures is . Two angles are supplementary if the sum of their measures is . Two angles that together form a straight angle will always be supplementary. When two lines intersect, many angles are formed, as shown below.

In the diagram above and are adjacent angles because they are next to each other and share a ray. They are also supplementary because together they form a straight angle. and are called vertical angles. You can show that vertical angles will always have the same measure.

Identifying Angles

Explain why you must use three letters to identify any of the angles in the diagram below.

All angles in this diagram have a vertex of . Therefore, is ambiguous because it could refer to many different angles. Use three letters with  as the middle letter to be clear about which angle you are referring to.

and are complementary angles with . What is ?

The “” in front of the angle symbol is read as “the measure of”. means “the measure of angle ”. Because the two angles are complementary, their measures must add to . Therefore, .

Let's look at an example problem.

Let . Show that must also equal .

If , then because and form a straight angle and are therefore supplementary. Similarly, . This is how you can be confident that vertical angles will always have the same measure.

Examples

Example 1

Earlier, you were asked if will you form at least one angle if you take any two lines or rays.

As long as the lines or rays intersect, at least one angle will be formed. If the lines (or rays) are parallel, and therefore don't intersect, then no angles will be formed.

Example 2

Name the angle below and classify it by its size.

or or . It is an acute angle.

Example 3

Estimate the measure of the angle from #1. Use a protractor to confirm your answer.

Remember that exactly half of a right angle is . This angle looks to be more than half of a right angle. You might guess that it is approximately . Using a protractor, you can see that it is about .

Source: CK-12 Foundation. Author: Kaitlyn Spong and Laura Guerin

Example 4

What are two lines that form a right angle called?

Perpendicular lines.

Review

1. What's the difference between a line segment, a line, and a ray?

2. Draw an example of a right angle.

3. Draw an example of an obtuse angle.

4. Draw an example of an acute angle.

5. Why are two angles that make a straight angle always supplementary?

6. If , , and and are complementary, what are the measures of the angles?

7. If , , and and are supplementary, what are the measures of the angles?

Use the diagram below for #8-#12.

8. Give an example of vertical angles.

9. Give an example of a straight angle.

10. Give an example of supplementary angles.

11. If , find .

12. If , find .

13. What do you remember about perpendicular lines?

Use the angle below for #14-#15.

14. Name the angle and classify it based on its size.

15. Estimate the measure of the angle. Use a protractor to confirm your answer.

To see the Review answers, open this PDF file and look for section 1.2.

Notes/Highlights Having trouble? Report an issue.

Color Highlighted Text Notes

Vocabulary Language: English

Acute Angle

An acute angle is an angle with a measure of less than 90 degrees.

Two angles are adjacent if they share a side and vertex. The word 'adjacent' means 'beside' or 'next-to'.

Angle

A geometric figure formed by two rays that connect at a single point or vertex.

Complementary angles

Complementary angles are a pair of angles with a sum of $90^{\circ}$.

line segment

A line segment is a part of a line that has two endpoints.

Obtuse angle

An obtuse angle is an angle greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees.

Ray

A ray is a part of a line that has one endpoint and continues indefinitely in one direction.

Right Angle

A right angle is an angle equal to 90 degrees.

Supplementary angles

Supplementary angles are two angles whose sum is 180 degrees.

Vertical Angles

Vertical angles are a pair of opposite angles created by intersecting lines.