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Finding the Complement

Part of the Angles section of Coddy's Geometry journey. Lesson 11 of 59.

When a part of a right angle carries a letter, the rule gives an equation instead of a number. The parts still add up to 90°.

A right angle split into x plus 10 degrees and 35 degrees

Here the parts are (x + 10)° and 35°, so (x+10)+35=90\left(x+10\right)+35 = 90. Collect the numbers: x+45=90x+45 = 90, so x=45x = 45. Check by putting it back: the first part is 55°, and 55 + 35 is 90.

On the board this line comes from Adjacent angles add: the two parts fill the corner ABC, and the board writes the square as 90. Tap the parts, pick the rule, and solve the equation it writes.

challenge icon

Challenge

The ray BD splits the marked right angle ABC. Tap the parts, pick the rule that connects them, and solve the equation the board writes for x. Then press Check.

Try it yourself

Use the figure to find x

Use the figure to find x

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