document.write( "Question 578189: the measure of two complementary angles have a ratio of 2 : 7. what is the measure of the smaller angle \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #370543 by josmiceli(19441) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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Complementary means the angle add up to 90 degrees
\n" ); document.write( "Let the angles be $\"a\"$ and $\"b\"$
\n" ); document.write( "given:
\n" ); document.write( "(1) $\"+a+%2B+b+=+90+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "(2) $\"+a%2Fb+=+2%2F7+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "-------------
\n" ); document.write( "Multiply both sides of (2) by $\"+7b+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "(2) $\"+7a+=+2b++\"$
\n" ); document.write( "and
\n" ); document.write( "(1) $\"+b+=+90+-+a+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Substitute this into (2)
\n" ); document.write( "(2) $\"+7a+=+2%2A%28+90+-+a+%29+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "(2) $\"+7a+=+180+-+2a+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "(2) $\"+9a+=+180+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "(2) $\"+a+=+20+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "and
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+b+=+90+-+a+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+b+=+70+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "The smaller angle is 20 degrees \n" ); document.write( "

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