Understanding Supplementary Angles in Mathematics | Definitions, Properties, and Applications

Supplementary

In mathematics, the term “supplementary” refers to a pair of angles that add up to 180 degrees

In mathematics, the term “supplementary” refers to a pair of angles that add up to 180 degrees. When two angles are supplementary, they are said to be “supplementary angles.”

To understand this concept better, it is important to know that an angle is formed by two rays with a common endpoint, known as the vertex. The rays are also called “sides” of the angle.

When two angles are adjacent (meaning they share a common vertex and a common side), and their non-common sides are aligned in a straight line, those angles are supplementary.

For example, if we have two angles, X and Y, and the measure of angle X is 120 degrees, to determine the measure of angle Y (the supplementary angle to X), we subtract the measure of angle X from 180 degrees. In this case, angle Y would measure 180 – 120 = 60 degrees.

It is important to note that angles do not have to be adjacent to be supplementary. As long as their measures add up to 180 degrees, they are considered supplementary.

Supplementary angles are commonly encountered in geometry and can be useful in a variety of applications, such as solving problems involving parallel lines, triangles, and quadrilaterals.

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