Sunday, October 21, 2012

Angle Sum Theorem


Today we learned about the angles in triangles and how they relate to each other. 
Today’s objective: The students will discover and apply the Interior Angle Sum Theorem and the Exterior Angle Theorem for triangles. 
Today’s TEKS: G.9.B - Formulate and test conjectures about the properties and attributes of polygons and their component parts based on explorations and concrete models.

First, we were each told to draw a triangle.  Then we learned about using a protractor to measure the interior angles in the triangles.  We all realized that the sum of the interior angles in our triangles was 180 degrees, no matter what the triangle looked like.  This is known as the Interior Angle Sum Theorem. 

Interior Angle Sum Theorem- The sum of the measures of the interior angles of a triangle is 180 degrees.



Next, we learned that the angle formed by one side of triangle with the extension of another side is called an exterior angle of the triangle.  We all drew an exterior angle on our triangles and tried to relate it to the interior angles.  We learned that the two angles that are not adjacent, or next to, the exterior angle of the triangle are called remote interior angles.  We discovered the exterior angle theorem:

Exterior Angle Theorem- The measure of the exterior angle of a triangle is equal to the sum of the measures of the two remote interior angles.



I do have a question though.  How many exterior angles does a triangle have?  Is it three or six?  If someone could answer in the comments, that would be great!

3 comments:

  1. I think it's six. If you make all the line segments longer, then you get six angles next to the triangle, but you get nine angles altogether. Do the other three have a name, or do they just happen?

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  2. But are there truly six since there are 3 pairs of equivalent angles? Yes you get 6 but is that considered the same angle? Mr Escalantes?

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  3. Yea like Allie said those exterior angles are congruent because they are vertical angles, so I think there are just 3 pairs of congruent exterior angles.

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