document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=107230>Question 107230</A>This question is from textbook <A HREF=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0028252756/algebrahomeworkh></A><BR>\n" );
document.write( ": <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> What is the measure of two complimentary angles if their difference is 12? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #78047 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><B>bucky(2189)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=78047\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> If two angles are complementary, the sum of their measures is 90 degrees. <BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Call one of the angles x.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "This means that its complement is 90 - x degrees.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "But the difference in their measures is 12 degrees. Therefore, you can write the equation:<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x - (90 - x) = 12<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Since the parentheses are preceded by a minus sign, you can remove the parentheses if you also<BR>\n" );
document.write( "change the signs of the terms inside the parentheses. Therefore, when you remove the parentheses<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the equation becomes:<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x - 90 + x = 12<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Combine the two x terms on the left side to get:<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2x - 90 = 12<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Get rid of the -90 on the left side by adding 90 to both sides to get:<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2x = 102<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Solve for x by dividing both sides of the equation by 2 to get:<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = 102/2 = 51<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So the measure of one of the two angles is 51 degrees. Its complement is the amount that<BR>\n" );
document.write( "must be added to that angle such that this sum is 90 degrees.  By subtracting 51 from 90 <BR>\n" );
document.write( "degrees, you find that the complement of the angle is an angle of 39 degrees. Note that <BR>\n" );
document.write( "the difference in the two angles is 51 - 39 = 12 degrees, just as the problem specified.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The answer to this problem is that the measures of the two complementary angles are 51<BR>\n" );
document.write( "degrees and 39 degrees.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Hope this helps you to understand the problem a little better.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );