How to find an angle in a polygon

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SAT Math › How to find an angle in a polygon

Questions 1 - 10
1

A regular seven sided polygon has a side length of 14”. What is the measurement of one of the interior angles of the polygon?

128.57 degrees

257.14 degrees

180 degrees

154.28 degrees

252 degrees

Explanation

The formula for of interior angles based on a polygon with a number of side n is:

Each Interior Angle = (n-2)*180/n

= (7-2)*180/7 = 128.57 degrees

2

What is the measure, in degrees, of each interior angle of a regular convex polygon that has twelve sides?

120

135

150

175

180

Explanation

The sum of the interior angles, in degrees, of a regular polygon is given by the formula 180(n – 2), where n is the number of sides. The problem concerns a polygon with twelve sides, so we will let n = 12. The sum of the interior angles in this polygon would be 180(12 – 2) = 180(10) = 1800.

Because the polygon is regular (meaning its sides are all congruent), all of the angles have the same measure. Thus, if we divide the sum of the measures of the angles by the number of sides, we will have the measure of each interior angle. In short, we need to divide 1800 by 12, which gives us 150.

The answer is 150.

3

Find the sum of the interior angles in a nonagon.

Explanation

To solve, simply use the formula for the total degrees in a polygon, where n is the number of vertices.

In this particular case, a nonagon is a shape with nine sides and thus nine vertices.

Thus,

4

What is the measure of each central angle of an octagon?

45

60

90

35

120

Explanation

There are 360 degrees and 8 angles, so dividing leaves 45 degrees per angle.

5

What is the average (arithmetic mean) of all 15 interior angles of a quadrilateral, pentagon, and hexagon?

Explanation

The 4 angles of a quadrilateral add to 360

The 5 angles of a pentagon add to 540

The 6 angles of a hexagon add to 720

6

Octagon

In the figure above, polygon ABDFHGEC is a regular octagon. What is the measure, in degrees, of angle FHI?

45

40

30

50

60

Explanation

Angle FHI is the supplement of angle FHG, which is an interior angle in the octagon. When two angles are supplementary, their sum is equal to 180 degrees. If we can find the measure of each interior angle in the octagon, then we can find the supplement of angle FHG, which will give us the measure of angle FHI.

The sum of the interior angles in a regular polygon is given by the formula 180(n – 2), where n is the number of sides in the polygon. An octagon has eight sides, so the sum of the angles of the octagon is 180(8 – 2) = 180(6) = 1080 degrees. Because the octagon is regular, all of its sides and angles are congruent. Thus, the measure of each angle is equal to the sum of its angles divided by 8. Therefore, each angle in the polygon has a measure of 1080/8 = 135 degrees. This means that angle FHG has a measure of 135 degrees.

Now that we know the measure of angle FHG, we can find the measure of FHI. The sum of the measures of FHG and FHI must be 180 degrees, because the two angles form a line and are supplementary. We can write the following equation:

Measure of FHG + measure of FHI = 180

135 + measure of FHI = 180

Subtract 135 from both sides.

Measure of FHI = 45 degrees.

The answer is 45.

7

Each interior angle of a regular polygon has measure . How many sides does the polygon have?

Explanation

The easiest way to work this is arguably to examine the exterior angles, each of which forms a linear pair with an interior angle. If an interior angle measures , then each exterior angle, which is supplementary to an interior angle, measures

The measures of the exterior angles of a polygon, one per vertex, total ; in a regular polygon, they are congruent, so if there are such angles, each measures . Since the number of vertices is equal to the number of sides, if we set this equal to and solve for , we will find the number of sides.

Multiply both sides by :

The polygon has 72 vertices and, thus, 72 sides.

8

Which of the following cannot be the measure of an exterior angle of a regular polygon?

Explanation

If one exterior angle is taken at each vertex of any convex polygon, the sum of their measures is . In a regular polygon - one with congruent sides and congruent interior angles, each exterior angle is congruent to one another. If the polygon has sides, each exterior angle has measure .

Given the common measure ,

Multiplying both sides by :

and

Since is equal to a number of sides, it is a whole number. Thus, we are looking for a value of which, when we divide 360 by it, yields a non-whole result. We see that is the correct choice, since'

A quick check confirms that 360 divided by 8, 10, 12, or 15 yields a whole result.

9

To the nearest whole degree, give the measure of each interior angle of a regular polygon with 17 sides.

Explanation

The measure of each interior angle of an -sided polygon can be calculated using the formula

Setting :

The correct choice is therefore .

10

In triangle ABC, the measure of angle A = 70 degrees, the measure of angle B = x degrees, and the measure of angle C = y degrees. What is the value of y in terms of x?

70 – x

70 + x

110 – x

110 + x

x – 70

Explanation

Since the three angles of a triangle sum to 180, we know that 70 + x + y = 180. Subtract 70 from both sides and see that x + y = 110. Subtract x from both sides and see that y = 110 – x.

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