All SSAT Upper Level Math Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #18 : Acute / Obtuse Triangles
Refer to the above diagram.
Which of the following could be a measure of ?
All of the other responses are correct.
All of the other responses are correct.
The measure of an exterior angle of a triangle is the sum of the measures of its remote interior angles, so
or
Therefore, the maximum value of is the least possible value of subtracted from the greatest possible value of :
The minimum value of is the greatest possible value of subtracted from the least possible value of :
Therefore,
Since all of the choices fall in this range, all are possible measures of .
Example Question #19 : Acute / Obtuse Triangles
Find the angle measurement of .
All the angles in a triangle must add up to .
Example Question #4 : How To Find An Angle In An Acute / Obtuse Triangle
Find the angle measurement of .
All the angles in a triangle must add up to
Example Question #7 : How To Find An Angle In An Acute / Obtuse Triangle
Find the angle measurement of .
All the angles in a triangle must add up to .
Example Question #21 : Acute / Obtuse Triangles
An isosceles triangle has an angle whose measure is .
What could be the measures of one of its other angles?
(a)
(b)
(c)
(b) only
(a) or (c) only
(a) only
(c) only
(a), (b), or (c)
(a), (b), or (c)
By the Isosceles Triangle Theorem, an isosceles triangle has two congruent interior angles. There are two possible scenarios if one angle has measure :
Scenario 1: The other two angles are congruent to each other. The degree measures of the interior angles of a triangle total , so if we let be the common measure of those angles:
This makes (b) a possible answer.
Scenario 2: One of the other angles measures also, making (c) a possible answer. The degree measure of the third angle is
,
making (a) a possible answer. Therefore, the correct choice is (a), (b), or (c).
Example Question #9 : How To Find An Angle In An Acute / Obtuse Triangle
One of the interior angles of a scalene triangle measures . Which of the following could be the measure of another of its interior angles?
A scalene triangle has three sides of different measure, so, by way of the Converse of the Isosceles Triangle Theorem, each angle is of different measure as well. We can therefore eliminate immediately.
Also, if the triangle also has a angle, then, since the total of the degree measures of the angles is , it follows that the third angle has measure
.
Therefore, the triangle has two angles that measure the same, and can be eliminated.
Similarly, if the triangle also has a angle, then, since the total of the degree measures of the angles is , it follows that the third angle has measure
.
The triangle has two angles that measure . This choice can be eliminated.
can be eliminated, since the third angle would have measure
,
an impossible situation since angle measures must be positive.
The remaining possibility is . This would mean that the third angle has measure
.
The three angles have different measures, so the triangle is scalene. is the correct choice.
Example Question #111 : Properties Of Triangles
Given: with . Locate on so that is the angle bisector of . What is ?
Above is the figure described.
The measures of the interior angles of a triangle total , so the measure of is
Since bisects this angle,
and
Example Question #21 : Acute / Obtuse Triangles
Given: with . is located on so that bisects and forms isosceles triangle .
Give the measure of .
Insufficient information is given to answer the question.
If is isosceles, then by the Isosceles Triangle Theorem, two of its angles must be congruent.
Case 1:
Since bisects into two congruent angles, one of which must be ,
However, this is impossible, since and are two angles of the original triangle; their total measure is
Case 2:
Then, since the degree measures of the interior angles of a triangle total ,
Since bisects into two congruent angles, one of which must be ,
and
Case 3:
Then
, which is not possible.
Therefore, the only possible measure of is .
Example Question #111 : Properties Of Triangles
The interior angles of a triangle measure . Of these three degree measures, give the greatest.
This triangle cannot exist.
The degree measures of the interior angles of a triangle total 180 degrees, so
One angle measures
The other two angles measure
and
.
We want the greatest of the three, or .
Example Question #23 : Acute / Obtuse Triangles
is a right triangle with right angle . is located on so that, when is constructed, isosceles triangles and are formed.
What is the measure of ?
The figure referenced is below:
Since is an isosceles right triangle, its acute angles - in particular, - measure each. Since this angle forms a linear pair with :
.
is also isosceles, so, by the Isosceles Triangle Theorem, it has two congruent angles. Since is obtuse, and no triangle has two obtuse angles:
.
Also, is an exterior angle of , whose measure is equal to the sum of those of its two remote interior angles, which are the congruent angles . Therefore,
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