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Isosceles at Work

Part of the Angles section of Coddy's Geometry journey. Lesson 51 of 62.

Expressions join the symmetry. An isosceles triangle with a labeled apex still obeys both of its rules at once: base angles equal, budget 180. Read the ticks, copy the known base angle, and write the full sum.

An isosceles triangle with apex y plus 15 degrees and base angles of 65 degrees

In the figure the ticks double the 65°: (y + 15) + (65 + 65) = 180. Gather 145, so y + 145 = 180 and y = 35. The apex is then 50°, and 50 + 65 + 65 closes the budget exactly.

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Challenge

Medium

The ticked triangle has apex (x + 20)° and base angles of 50° each.

An isosceles triangle with apex x plus 20 degrees and base angles of 50 degrees

Find x.

Try it yourself

(x + 20) + (50 + 50) = 180

Solve for x

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