document.write( "Question 234283: What is the maximum possible number of acute angles in a pentagon? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #172777 by Edwin McCravy(20056)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! What is the maximum possible number of acute interior (vertex) angles in a pentagon?\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \r\n" ); document.write( "The sum of the interior angles of any polygon is\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( " (N-2)180° \r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "where N is the number of sides (and interior angles). \r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "In the case of a pentagon, N=5, so the sum of the \r\n" ); document.write( "5 interior angles is\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "(5-2)180° = (3)180° = 540°.\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "Let the angles be A, B, C, D, and E. Then\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "A + B + C + D + E = 540\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "Let's see if all 5 can be acute:\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "A < 90°\r\n" ); document.write( "B < 90°\r\n" ); document.write( "C < 90°\r\n" ); document.write( "D < 90°\r\n" ); document.write( "E < 90°\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "Adding all those inequalities:\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( " A < 90°\r\n" ); document.write( " B < 90°\r\n" ); document.write( " C < 90°\r\n" ); document.write( " D < 90°\r\n" ); document.write( " E < 90°\r\n" ); document.write( "---------------\r\n" ); document.write( "A+B+C+D+E < 450°\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "No, since that sum must equal 540°,\r\n" ); document.write( "not less that 450°. But we could make\r\n" ); document.write( "4 of them, A, B, C, and D acute, \r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( " A < 90°\r\n" ); document.write( " B < 90°\r\n" ); document.write( " C < 90°\r\n" ); document.write( " D < 90°\r\n" ); document.write( "---------------\r\n" ); document.write( " A+B+C+D < 360°\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "and so E would then have to be more than 180°,\r\n" ); document.write( "which is called a \"reflex angle\".\r\n" ); document.write( "for instance\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |