Compare Angles A and B in an Obtuse Triangle: Vertex Angle Analysis

Question

Triangle ABC is an obtuse triangle.

Which angle is larger, B ∢B or A ∢A ?

AAABBBCCC

Video Solution

Solution Steps

00:00 Which angle is larger - A or B?
00:03 The triangle is obtuse according to the given information
00:08 The sum of angles in a triangle equals 180
00:14 We want to isolate angle A
00:26 Since angle B is obtuse, this difference is less than 90
00:36 Therefore this sum is less than 90
00:41 Which means that angle A must be less than 90
00:46 And if angle A is less than 90, it must be smaller than angle B
00:50 And that's the solution to the question

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve this problem, we need to compare B \angle B and A \angle A in an obtuse triangle ABC.

A triangle is classified as obtuse when one of its angles is greater than 9090^\circ. In such a triangle, the largest angle is the obtuse angle.

Without loss of generality, if we consider any angle of the triangle, say C \angle C , to be the obtuse angle, it must be that C>90 \angle C > 90^\circ. This makes C \angle C the largest angle.

Given the angle sum property of triangles (A+B+C=180 \angle A + \angle B + \angle C = 180^\circ ), the sum of the two non-obtuse angles (A \angle A and B \angle B ) must be less than 9090^\circ, hence ensuring C \angle C remains the largest.

Since B \angle B and A \angle A must both be less than 9090^\circ, and the problem requires determining which is larger without any specific constraints on C \angle C , we observe:

  • If C \angle C is indeed obtuse, then A \angle A and B \angle B must add up to less than 9090^\circ, leading to B\angle B generally being greater than A \angle A under typical conditions unless otherwise specified.
  • This result denotes that B \angle B being comparably larger than A \angle A unless specified otherwise by additional conditions, which are absent here.

Therefore, B>A \angle B > \angle A .

Hence, in the context of the problem's provided choices and lacking other conditions, the solution is B>A\angle B > \angle A.

Thus, the larger angle is B>A\angle B > \angle A.

Answer

∢B>∢A