Chapter 2

ANGLES
Angles are used widely in everyday. For example, builders use them in constructing houses;
artists use them to help in sketching and painting; and architects and engineers use their
knowlage and understanding of angles for design and construction work.

An angle is made when two lines meet at a point. The point where two lines meet is called a
vertex and the lines themselves are called arms of the angle.

Measuring angles

Angle are measured in degrees (⁰). The device used for measuring angles is called a protractor.
There are two types: circular and semicircular protractors.

a. The circular protractor

Circular protractor are marked from 0⁰ to 360⁰.

Tutorial to measuring angle by the circular protractor:

1. Place the center of the protractor on the vertex of the angle.

2. Match the 0⁰ horizontal centre line with one of the arms of the angle.
3. Read the size of the angle indicated by the other arm.

b. The semicircular protractor

Semicircular protractor have two scale (inner and outer) which are marked from 0⁰ to 180⁰.
Either oh these two scales can be used for measuring angles.

Tutorial to measuring angle by the semicircular protractor:

1. Place the center of the base of the protractor on the vertex.

2. Match the base of protractor with one of the arms of the angle.
3. Use the scale on the base starting at 0 to read the number of degrees spanned by angle.

Tutorial to measuring angle greater than 180⁰ by the semicircular protractor:

1. Measure the angle enclosed by the straight lines ( that is, the one that is smaller than
180⁰).
2. Subtract the number obtained in step (1) from 360⁰.

Constructing angles with a protractor

Protractor can be used not only for measuring, but also for constructing angles. To construct an
angle using circular protractor, follow the steps below:

1. Draw a straight line.

2. Put a dot at one end of the line. ( The line represents one of the arms and the dot represent
the vertex of the angle.)
3. Place the protractor so that it’s the centre is on the vertex and 0⁰ is on the base line.
4. Find the required angle on the scale and mark a small dot at the edge of the protractor.
5. Join the small dot with the vertex to form the second arm of the angle.
6. Label the angle.

A semicircular protractor cal also be used for constructing angles. If the angle to be constructed
is between 0⁰ and 180⁰, the steps are exactly the same as for using a circular protractor.
However, if the angle is larger than 180⁰, the procedure is different.

Tutorial to construct an angle larger than 180⁰ using a semicircular protractor:

1. Subtract the given angle from 360⁰.

2. Construct the resulting angle (it will be less than 180⁰).
3. Label the required angle: it’s ‘outside’ the one that has been constructed.

Types of angles

Angles can be classified according to their size.

1. An acute angle is greater than 0⁰, but less than 90⁰.

Example:

2. A right angle is an angle that equals exactly 90⁰.

 3. An obtuse angle is greater than 90⁰ but less than 180⁰.

4. A straight angle equals exactly 180⁰.

5. A reflex angle is greater than 180⁰ but less than 360⁰.

6. A revolution or a perigon is an angle of 360⁰ (a full circle).

Naming angles

In geometry, points are named with capital letter. For example, the point A ( •A ). A line or an
interval is named by two points that lie on that line. The interval XY is drawn X• •Y.
When two intervals meet, with a point in common (called the vertex), they from an angle. An
angle is named by the three points that from it. The letter denoting the vertex is always placed in
the middle (between the two other letters). Instead of writing the word ‘angle’ we use the sign ∠
before the letters. For example:

P The angle shown at left can be named ∠𝑀𝑁𝑃 OR ∠𝑃𝑁𝑀.

In some cases, the angle may be labeled ∠𝑁. However, this

N M can lead to confused of there is more than one angle at this

point.

Calculating the size of angles

There are two size of angles: complementary and supplementary angles.

 1. Complementary angles are angles that add up to 90⁰.
Example:
C
B

O A

∠AOB and ∠BOC are the complementary angle.

2. Supplementary angles are angle that add up to 180⁰.

Example:
B

C O A

∠AOB and ∠BOC are the supplementary angle.

If the size of an angle is unknown, we can write a pronumeral to take its place. A pronumeral
can be any letter of the alphabet or a symbol. It takes the place of a number.in the following
example, the pronumeral x is used to indicate the size of the unknown angle in each case, but any
pronumeral could have been used. Example:

Answer:

x x + 20⁰ = 90⁰

20⁰ complementary angle, add to 90⁰

x = 90⁰ - 20⁰

x = 70⁰

Angles at a point

Angles with a common vertex that from a complete revolution will add to 360⁰

y + x + z = 360⁰
y x

z
Vertically opposite angles

When two straight lines intersect, they form four angles with a common vertex. The angles that
are opposite to each other are called vertically opposite angles. These angles are equal in size.

In the diagram, there are two pairs of vertically opposite angles.

∠𝐴𝑂𝐵 = ∠𝐷𝑂𝐶 and ∠𝐵𝑂𝐶 = ∠𝐴𝑂𝐷

A B

O C
D