Calculate Angle A in a Quadrilateral with Parallel Sides and Diagonals

Quadrilateral Angles with Parallel Constraints

ABCD is a quadrilateral.

AB||CD
AC||BD

Calculate angle A ∢A .

90°90°90°AAABBBDDDCCC45°45°

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Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations
00:00 Find angle A
00:05 The sum of angles in a triangle is always equal to 180
00:14 Let's substitute appropriate values according to the given data
00:29 and isolate A
00:48 and this is the solution to the problem

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution
1

Understand the problem

ABCD is a quadrilateral.

AB||CD
AC||BD

Calculate angle A ∢A .

90°90°90°AAABBBDDDCCC45°45°

2

Step-by-step solution

Angles ABC and DCB are alternate angles and equal to 45.

Angles ACB and DBC are alternate angles and equal to 45.

That is, angles B and C together equal 90 degrees.

Now we can calculate angle A, since we know that the sum of the angles of a square is 360:

360909090=90 360-90-90-90=90

3

Final Answer

90°

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic
  • Parallel Properties: When AB||CD and AC||BD, opposite sides create equal alternate angles
  • Technique: Use alternate angles ABC = DCB = 45° and ACB = DBC = 45°
  • Check: Sum of all quadrilateral angles: 90° + 90° + 90° + 90° = 360° ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors
  • Ignoring the parallel line constraints
    Don't treat this as a regular quadrilateral and guess angle A = 45°! This ignores the parallel conditions that create specific angle relationships. Always use alternate angles from parallel lines to find the actual angle measures first.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

Find the measure of the angle \( \alpha \)

949494AAABBBCCC92

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why does having parallel sides matter for finding angles?

+

Parallel lines create special angle relationships! When lines are parallel, alternate angles are equal and corresponding angles are equal. These relationships help us find exact angle measures.

How do I know this quadrilateral is actually a rectangle?

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The parallel conditions AB||CD and AC||BD, combined with the 45° alternate angles shown, create four right angles. This makes ABCD a rectangle where all angles equal 90°.

What are alternate angles and why are they equal?

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Alternate angles are angles on opposite sides of a transversal crossing parallel lines. They're always equal because parallel lines never meet, creating identical angle relationships.

Could angle A be anything other than 90°?

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No! With the given constraints (AB||CD, AC||BD, and the 45° markings), the quadrilateral must be a rectangle. All angles in a rectangle are exactly 90°.

Why don't I just use the 45° angles I see marked?

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Those 45° angles are alternate angles, not the interior angles of the quadrilateral! They help us determine that angles B and C each equal 90°, which then helps find angle A.

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