Exterior Angles of Triangles Practice Problems & Solutions

Master exterior angle theorems with step-by-step practice problems. Learn to find missing angles using the exterior angle property of triangles.

📚Practice Exterior Angle Problems and Build Your Confidence
  • Apply the exterior angle theorem to find missing interior angles
  • Calculate exterior angles using the sum of non-adjacent interior angles
  • Solve problems involving supplementary relationships between adjacent angles
  • Work with right triangles and exterior angle properties
  • Use the 360° sum property of all exterior angles
  • Practice both direct calculation and algebraic methods

Understanding Exterior angles of a triangle

Complete explanation with examples

Exterior angles of a triangle

The exterior angle of a triangle is the one that is found between the original side and the extension of the side.

Key Properties:

  • The exterior angle is equal to the sum of the two interior angles of the triangle that are not adjacent to it.
  • Each exterior angle is supplementary to its adjacent interior angle, meaning their sum is 180180^\circ.
  • The sum of all exterior angles of a triangle is always 360360^\circ, no matter the shape of the triangle.

It is defined as follows:

α=A+Bα=∢A+∢B

A1 - Exterior angle of a triangle

Detailed explanation

Practice Exterior angles of a triangle

Test your knowledge with 63 quizzes

Given the following triangle:

Write down the height of the triangle ABC.

AAABBBCCCDDD

Examples with solutions for Exterior angles of a triangle

Step-by-step solutions included
Exercise #1

True or false:

DE not a side in any of the triangles.
AAABBBCCCDDDEEE

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve the problem of determining whether DE is not a side in any of the triangles, we will methodically identify the triangles present in the diagram and examine their sides:

  • Identify triangles in the diagram. The diagram presented forms a right-angled triangle ABC with additional lines forming smaller triangles within.
  • Triangles formed: Triangle ABC (major triangle), Triangle ABD, Triangle BEC, and Triangle DBE.
  • Let's examine the sides of these triangles:
    • Triangle ABC has sides AB, BC, and CA.
    • Triangle ABD has sides AB, BD, and DA.
    • Triangle BEC has sides BE, EC, and CB.
    • Triangle DBE has sides DB, BE, and ED.
  • Notice that while point D is used, the segment DE is only part of line BE and isn't listed as a direct side of any triangle.

Therefore, the claim that DE is not a side in any of the triangles is indeed correct.

Hence, the answer is True.

Answer:

True

Video Solution
Exercise #2

Is DE side in one of the triangles?
AAABBBCCCDDDEEE

Step-by-Step Solution

Since line segment DE does not correspond to a full side of any of the triangles present within the given geometry, we conclude that the statement “DE is a side in one of the triangles” is Not true.

Answer:

Not true

Video Solution
Exercise #3

What type of angle is α \alpha ?

αα

Step-by-Step Solution

Remember that an acute angle is smaller than 90 degrees, an obtuse angle is larger than 90 degrees, and a straight angle equals 180 degrees.

Since the lines are perpendicular to each other, the marked angles are right angles each equal to 90 degrees.

Answer:

Straight

Exercise #4

True or false:

AB is a side of the triangle ABC.

AAABBBCCC

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve this problem, let's clarify the role of AB in the context of triangle ABC by analyzing its diagram:

  • Step 1: Identify the vertices of the triangle. According to the diagram, the vertices of the triangle are points labeled A, B, and C.
  • Step 2: Determine the sides of the triangle. In any triangle, the sides are the segments connecting pairs of distinct vertices.
  • Step 3: Identify AB as a line segment connecting vertex A and vertex B, labeled directly in the diagram.

Considering these steps, line segment AB connects vertex A with vertex B, and hence, forms one of the sides of the triangle ABC. Therefore, AB is indeed a side of triangle ABC as shown in the diagram.

The conclusion here is solidly supported by our observation of the given triangle. Thus, the statement that AB is a side of the triangle ABC is True.

Answer:

True

Video Solution
Exercise #5

True or false:

AD is a side of triangle ABC.

AAABBBCCC

Step-by-Step Solution

To determine if line segment AD is a side of triangle ABC, we need to agree on the definition of a triangle's side. A triangle consists of three sides, each connecting pairs of its vertices. In triangle ABC, these sides are AB, BC, and CA. Each side is composed of a direct line segment connecting the listed vertices.

In the diagram provided, there is no indication of a point D connected to point A or any other vertex of triangle ABC. To claim AD as a side, D would need to be one of the vertices B or C, or a commonly recognized point forming part of the triangle’s defined structure. The provided figure and description do not support that AD exists within the given triangle framework, as no point D is defined within or connecting any existing vertices.

Therefore, according to the problem's context and based on the definition of the sides of a triangle, AD cannot be considered a side of triangle ABC. It follows that the statement "AD is a side of triangle ABC" should be deemed not true.

Answer:

Not true

Video Solution

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the exterior angle theorem for triangles?

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The exterior angle theorem states that an exterior angle of a triangle equals the sum of the two non-adjacent interior angles. For example, if angles A and B are 50° and 30°, the exterior angle at vertex C would be 80°.

How do you find an exterior angle of a triangle step by step?

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To find an exterior angle: 1) Identify the two interior angles that are NOT adjacent to the exterior angle, 2) Add these two angles together, 3) The sum equals the exterior angle. Alternatively, subtract the adjacent interior angle from 180°.

What is the sum of all exterior angles of a triangle?

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The sum of all three exterior angles of any triangle is always 360°, regardless of the triangle's shape or size. This is a fundamental property that applies to all triangles.

How are exterior and interior angles of triangles related?

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An exterior angle and its adjacent interior angle are supplementary, meaning they add up to 180°. The exterior angle also equals the sum of the two remote (non-adjacent) interior angles.

What are common mistakes when solving exterior angle problems?

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Common errors include: confusing which angles are adjacent vs. non-adjacent, forgetting that exterior and adjacent interior angles sum to 180°, and incorrectly identifying which angle is actually the exterior angle.

Can you use exterior angles to find interior angles of triangles?

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Yes! If you know an exterior angle, you can find interior angles by: 1) Subtracting from 180° to get the adjacent interior angle, or 2) Using the exterior angle theorem if you know one of the non-adjacent interior angles.

Do exterior angle rules work for all types of triangles?

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Yes, the exterior angle theorem applies to all triangles - acute, right, obtuse, scalene, isosceles, and equilateral. The relationships between exterior and interior angles remain consistent regardless of triangle type.

How do you identify an exterior angle in a triangle diagram?

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An exterior angle is formed between one original side of the triangle and the extension of an adjacent side. It lies outside the triangle and is supplementary to the interior angle at the same vertex.

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