The sum of the interior angles of a triangle is 180º. If we add the three angles of any triangle we choose, the result will always be 180º. This means that if we know the values of two angles of a triangle we can always calculate, with ease, the value of the third one: first we add the two angles we know and then we subtract from 180º The result of this subtraction will give us the value of the third angle of the triangle.
For example, given a triangle with two known interior angles of 45º and 60º degrees, we are asked to discover the measure of the third angle. First we add 45º plus 60º resulting in 105º degrees. Now we subtract 105º from 180º, yielding 75º degrees. In other words, the third angle of the triangle equals 75º degrees.
The above property is also called the triangle sum theorem, and can help us to solve problems involving the interior angles of a triangle, regardless of whether it is equilateral, isosceles or scalene.
Examples of different types of triangles and the sum of the interior angles in each
Angle A is equal to 30°. Angle B is equal to 60°. Angle C is equal to 90°.
Can these angles form a triangle?
Incorrect
Correct Answer:
Yes
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Questions on the subject
What does the triangle sum theorem tell us?
The theorem tells us that the sum of the interior angles of any triangle is equal to 180°.
How do we find the third interior angle of a triangle, knowing the other two?
By applying the theorem, we subtract the sum of the two given angles from 180°.
How much must the interior angles of a triangle add up to?
180°.
Exercises for addition of the interior angles of a triangle:
Exercise 1
Task:
Given three angles:
Angle A is equal to 30°
Angle B is equal to 60°
Angle C is equal to 90°
Can these angles form a triangle?
Solution
It is known that the sum of the angles of the triangles must be equal to 180°
Let's add the value of the angles and see if together they are equal to 180°
A+B+C=30+60+90=180
Answer
Yes
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Test your knowledge
Question 1
Angle A equals 56°. Angle B equals 89°. Angle C equals 17°.
Can these angles make a triangle?
Incorrect
Correct Answer:
No.
Question 2
True or false:
DE not a side in any of the triangles.
Incorrect
Correct Answer:
True
Question 3
Is DE side in one of the triangles?
Incorrect
Correct Answer:
Not true
Exercise 2
Task:
Given three angles:
Angle A is equal to 60°
Angle B is equal to 60°
Angle C is equal to 60°
Can these angles form a triangle?
Solution
It is known that the sum of the angles of the triangles must be equal to 180°
Let's add the value of the angles and see if together they are equal to 180°
A+B+C=60+60+60=180
Answer
Yes
Exercise 3
Task:
Given three angles:
Angle A is equal to 90°
Angle B is equal to 115°
Angle C is equal to 35°
Can these angles form a triangle?
Solution
We know that the sum of the angles of the triangle must be equal to 180°
We add the total of the angles to see if together they are equal to 180°
A+B+C=90+115+35=240
We observe that the sum of the three angles are equal to 240°, that is to say that they cannot form a triangle.
Answer
No
Do you know what the answer is?
Question 1
The triangle ABC is shown below.
To which side(s) are the median and the altitude drawn?
Incorrect
Correct Answer:
BC
Question 2
The triangle ABC is shown below.
Which line segment is the median?
Incorrect
Correct Answer:
BE
Question 3
Look at triangle ABC below.
What is the median of the triangle and to which side is it drawn?
Incorrect
Correct Answer:
BE for AC
Exercise 4
Assignment:
Given the parallel lines.
Find the angle α
Solution
The angle beta is equal to 90°. The adjacent angle is also equal to 90° since the sum is equal to 180° degrees. The adjacent angle gamma 120° and their sum is equal to 180°, therefore, gamma is equal to 60° degrees.
α+γ+δ=180°
α+60°+90°=180°
α+150°=180°
α=180°−150°
α=30°
Answer
30°
Exercise 5
CE is parallel to AD
What is the value of X if it is given that ABC is isosceles, such that AB=BC
Solution
Angles ∢UCH and angle ∢ACE are opposite angles.
ACE=ICH=2X
∢DAC and angle ∢ACE are collateral angles.
2x+DAC=180
DAC=180−2x
∢FGA and angle ∢DAB are opposite angles.
FGA=DAB=x−10
BAC=DAC−DAB=
180−2x−(x−10)=
190−3x
The sum of the angles in the triangle is 180
ACB+CAB+B=180
ACB=180−(190−3x)−(3x−30)=20
ACB=BAC
20=190−3x
x=56.67
Answer
56.67
Check your understanding
Question 1
Look at triangle ABC below.
Which is the median?
Incorrect
Correct Answer:
EC
Question 2
Look at the triangle ABC below.
\( AD=\frac{1}{2}AB \)
\( BE=\frac{1}{2}EC \)
What is the median in the triangle?
Incorrect
Correct Answer:
DC
Question 3
ABC is a triangle.
What is the median of the triangle?
Incorrect
Correct Answer:
EC
Examples with solutions for The Sum of the Interior Angles of a Triangle
Exercise #1
Angle A is equal to 30°. Angle B is equal to 60°. Angle C is equal to 90°.
Can these angles form a triangle?
Video Solution
Step-by-Step Solution
We must first add the three angles to see if they equal 180 degrees:
30+60+90=180
The sum of the angles equals 180, therefore they can form a triangle.
Answer
Yes
Exercise #2
Angle A equals 56°. Angle B equals 89°. Angle C equals 17°.
Can these angles make a triangle?
Video Solution
Step-by-Step Solution
We add the three angles to see if they are equal to 180 degrees:
56+89+17=162
The sum of the given angles is not equal to 180, so they cannot form a triangle.
Answer
No.
Exercise #3
Angle A equals 90°. Angle B equals 115°. Angle C equals 35°.
Can these angles form a triangle?
Video Solution
Step-by-Step Solution
We add the three angles to see if they are equal to 180 degrees:
90+115+35=240 The sum of the given angles is not equal to 180, so they cannot form a triangle.
Answer
No.
Exercise #4
ABC is an isosceles triangle.
AD is the median.
What is the size of angle ∢ADC?
Video Solution
Step-by-Step Solution
In an isosceles triangle, the median to the base is also the height to the base.
That is, side AD forms a 90° angle with side BC.
That is, two right triangles are created.
Therefore, angle ADC is equal to 90 degrees.
Answer
90
Exercise #5
What type of angle is α?
Step-by-Step Solution
Remember that an acute angle is smaller than 90 degrees, an obtuse angle is larger than 90 degrees, and a straight angle equals 180 degrees.
Since the lines are perpendicular to each other, the marked angles are right angles each equal to 90 degrees.