Understanding Complementary Angles | Definition, Examples, and Algebraic Expressions

complementary angles

Complementary angles refer to a pair of angles whose measures sum up to 90 degrees

Complementary angles refer to a pair of angles whose measures sum up to 90 degrees. In other words, when two angles are complementary, one angle is the “complement” of the other.

For example, if Angle A measures 40 degrees, then its complement, Angle B, will measure 90 – 40 = 50 degrees. Similarly, if Angle B measures 60 degrees, then its complement, Angle A, will measure 90 – 60 = 30 degrees.

Complementary angles are often found in geometric shapes, such as right triangles, where one angle is a right angle measuring 90 degrees. In a right triangle, one of the acute angles (less than 90 degrees) will be complement to the other.

Complementary angles can also be expressed algebraically. If we let “x” represent the measure of one angle, then the other angle’s measure can be expressed as 90 – x. This is useful when solving equations involving complementary angles.

It is worth noting that only two angles can be considered complementary. If the sum of two angles is anything other than 90 degrees, they are not complementary.

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