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Question from Anna, a student:

<A and <B are supplementary angles. Twice the measure of <B is one-fourth the measure of <A. Find the measure of both angles.

Anna,

Look up the definition of supplementary angles. This definition tells you that if you know the measure of one of the angles you can calculate the measure of the other. To put this in mathematical terms let the measure of angle A be x degrees. Since the total of the measures of the two angles is 180o the angle B must have measure 180 - x degrees.

Now look at the second sentence in the problem. "Twice the measure of <B is one-fourth the measure of <A." Turn this into a mathematical equation by substituting 180 - x for the measure of <B and x for the measure of <A. Solve this equation for x.

Penny

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