How to Answer Questions about Angles & 2D Shapes

Angles & Lines

Names of angles
Acute Less than 90)

Obtuse (more than 90 less than 180,

Reflex (over 180)

Angles on a straight line are called adjacent they add up to 180 degrees
Remember to get full marks you need to show how you got your answer
Example

XY is a straight line.

N o t to s c a le
p
X

Angle q is 45.
What is the size of angle p?
.. p + q = 180 (adjacent).

(1)

. p = 180 45 = 135..

(1)

Answer ...............135.............................. degrees

(2)
Angles in a full rotation add up to 360 degrees
Example

The diagram shows three angles meeting at a point.

120
110 s

N o t to s c a le

What is the size of angle s?

120 + 110 + s = 360 (full rotation).

(1)

.. s = 360 (120 +110)

(1)

Answer ..............130............................... degrees

(2)

Where 2 straight lines cross, opposite angles are equal (& adjacent angles add up to 180)

Angle c = 120 (opposite a)

Angle b = 60 (adjacent to a)

Angle d = 60 oppositec)

Angles and Parallel Lines

Parallel lines are equidistant apart (they are not necessarily equal length)
Perpendicular lines are at right angles to each other
Example

The diagram shows a pentagon ABCDE.

A

(a)

Write down two lines that are parallel. Answer BC and DE(1)

(b) Write down the line that is perpendicular to BC Answer .. DC (1)

Angles & Parallel lines
Example AB is parallel to DC.
A

110

65

Not drawn accurately

(a)

Work out the size of angle x.

Give a reason for your answer.

Angle x = ......65.............degrees

(1)

Reason:..........alternate angles are equal.........................................(1)

(b)

Work out the size of angle y. Give a reason for your answer.
Angle y = ........180 110 = 70 degrees......................................... (1)
Reason: ....allied angles add up to 180 degrees

(c) Work out the size of angle x.

................

(1)

Give a reason for your answer.

Angle z = .....110.............degrees

(1)

Reason:..........corresponding angles are equal....................................(1)

Triangles :
Sum of angles = 180
Scalene : all sides different lengths, all angles different sizes
Isosceles: 2 sides equal length, 2 angles equal size
Equilateral: all sides equal length, all angles equal size, so each angle is 180

3 = 60

Note use the word equal not same as same could mean same colour, same shape etc
ExamplesThe diagram shows a triangle ABC.
A
75
N o t to s c a le
B
41
C

Angle ACB = 41.

Angle CAB = 75.

a) Calculate the size of angle ABC.

..............ABC = 180 ( 75 + 41) = 64 .................................................... (1)
Answer ................64....................... degrees (1)
b) i) What type of triangle is this?

...Scalene..

(1)

ii) Explain how you know all the angles are different sizes..

(1)

Note If you wrote all the sides are different lengths you would not get a mark because the drawing is
not to scale so there is no information given about the length of the sides,
only the size of the angles is given so you must always use the information, not assume facts
Look for the equal length sides marks to identify equilateral and isosceles triangles

EXAMPLES
Q

63

R
N o t d ra w n a c c u ra te ly

What is the size of the angle marked x?

PQR63

................

(equal angle in Isosceles triangle) (1)

PRQ180 - (63 x 2) =

..

54 (1)

Answer .............54......................... degrees

(2)

(note that angles are named with three letters, the middle letter is the one at the corner of the
angle, the other 2 are alphabetical)

C
N o t to s c a le

a) i) What type of triangle is triangle ABC?

..equilateral..

ii) Explain how you knowall the sides are equal length..

(1)
(1)

b) Work out the size of angle CDA.

......................

ACB = 60 (equilateral triangle) .

.
..............

ACD =

CDA =

(1)

180 60 = 120 (adjacent angles) . (1)

(180 120) 2 (equal angles in Isosceles triangle)......... (1)
Answer ................30........................ degrees
(5)

Quadrilaterals & other Polygons

A regular polygon has all sides equal length and all angles equal
The external angles of any polygon add up to 360 degrees
The internal angles of any polygon add up to : Number of sides 2 x 180
If the polygon is regular you could use adjacent angles rule
EXAMPLE
ABCDEF is a regular hexagon.
A

B
120
C

a) Show how you can calculate that angle ABC is 120.

.Sum of angles in a hexagon = 6-2 x 180 = 4 x 180 = 720 (1)
720 6 = 120 degrees
b) Calculate an external angle of this shape
.360 6 = 60 degrees
Characteristics of Quadrilaterals
SHAPE
SIDES
quadrilateral All different lengths
trapezium

1 pair parallel sides

(1)

(1)

ANGLES
All different sizes
All different sizes

parallelogram 2 pairs opposite sides equal length and parallel Opposite angles equal
rhombus

All sides equal, 2 pairs opposite sides parallel

Opposite angles equal

rectangle

2 pairs opposite sides equal length and parallel All angles right angles

square

All sides equal, 2 pairs opposite sides parallel

All angles right angles

kite

2 pairs of adjacent sides equal length

Opposite angles equal

Congruent and Similar Shapes

Congruent means shapes that have identical sized angles and identical lengths of sides
Though they may be rotated or reflected
Similar means shapes that have identical sized angles but the lengths of the sides are
proportionally different
Examples

These triangles are Congruent Shapes.

5 cm
30

70

9 .5 c m
10 cm
30

N o t d ra w n
to s c a le

What is the size of

(a)

x?..70 degrees

(1)

(b)

y? ..10 cm..

(1)

you match up the information from the 2nd triangle with the same information on the 1st ,this helps you to
imagine the 1st triangle rotated so that when it is laid on top of the 2nd they line up exactly.

Similar Shapes
In the diagram AB is parallel to CD.

AB = OC = 12 cm. OB = 10 cm.
12 cm

A
O

B
10 cm

12 cm
C

N o t d ra w n
to sc a le
D

Use similar triangles to calculate the length of CD.

................ AOB COD (opposite angles).......................................
................ BAO ODC and ABO ODC (alternate angles)..
imagine the top triangle twisted round and laid on top of the bottom triangle so the equal angles line
up then you can see that side BO corresponds to the side CO
................BO = 10 cm,

CO = 12 cm (the ratio of 10 to 12) ....................

................the multiplier is 12/10 = 1.2

this means triangle CDO is 1.2 x the size of triangle ABO.

 side CD is 1.2 x side AB = CD = 12 x 1.2 6 = 14.4 cm