Find Angle BDC: Solving Quadrilateral with Expressions 3x-4, 2x+8, 6x+10, x-2

Interior Angle Sum with Variable Expressions

Look at the quadrilateral below.
Calculate the size of angle BDC ∢\text{BDC} .

AAABBBDDDCCC3x-42x+86x+10x-2

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Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations
00:00 Determine the size of angle BDC
00:04 The sum of angles in a quadrilateral equals 360
00:16 Substitute in the relevant values and proceed to solve for X
00:22 Collect terms
00:39 Isolate X
00:49 This is the value of X
00:53 Now substitute the X value in the expression for angle BDC and proceed to solve
01:00 This is the solution

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution
1

Understand the problem

Look at the quadrilateral below.
Calculate the size of angle BDC ∢\text{BDC} .

AAABBBDDDCCC3x-42x+86x+10x-2

2

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we'll follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Set up the equation for the sum of the interior angles.
  • Step 2: Solve for x x .
  • Step 3: Calculate D ∠D using the value of x x .

Now, let's work through each step:

Step 1: The angles of quadrilateral ABCD are given as follows:
A=2x+8 ∠A = 2x + 8 , B=3x4 ∠B = 3x - 4 , C=6x+10 ∠C = 6x + 10 , and D=x2 ∠D = x - 2 .
According to the angle sum property of a quadrilateral, we have:

(2x+8)+(3x4)+(6x+10)+(x2)=360 (2x + 8) + (3x - 4) + (6x + 10) + (x - 2) = 360

Step 2: Simplify and solve for x x :

Combine like terms:
2x+3x+6x+x+84+102=360 2x + 3x + 6x + x + 8 - 4 + 10 - 2 = 360

This simplifies to:
12x+12=360 12x + 12 = 360

Subtract 12 from both sides:
12x=348 12x = 348

Divide both sides by 12 to isolate x x :
x=29 x = 29

Step 3: Substitute x=29 x = 29 into the expression for D=x2 ∠D = x - 2 :
D=292=27 ∠D = 29 - 2 = 27

Therefore, the measure of angle BDC ∢\text{BDC} or D ∠D is 27 degrees.

3

Final Answer

27

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic
  • Interior Angles: Sum of quadrilateral interior angles always equals 360°
  • Technique: Combine like terms: 12x + 12 = 360 gives x = 29
  • Check: Verify all angles sum to 360°: 66 + 83 + 184 + 27 = 360° ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors
  • Confusing angle notation with angle location
    Don't assume ∠BDC means the angle at B or C = wrong vertex identification! Students often mix up which vertex the angle is actually at. Always identify that ∠BDC means the angle at vertex D.

Practice Quiz

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Can a triangle have a right angle?

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why do quadrilateral angles always add up to 360°?

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A quadrilateral can be divided into two triangles by drawing a diagonal. Since each triangle has angles summing to 180°, the quadrilateral has 180°+180°=360° 180° + 180° = 360° !

How do I know which expression goes with which angle?

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Look at the diagram carefully! Each angle is labeled with its expression. In this problem: ∠A = 2x+8, ∠B = 3x-4, ∠C = 6x+10, and ∠D = x-2.

What if I get a negative value for x?

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Check your arithmetic! In geometry problems, x usually gives positive angle measures. If x is negative, one or more angles might be negative, which isn't possible for interior angles.

Does ∠BDC mean something different from ∠D?

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∠BDC and ∠D refer to the same angle - the interior angle at vertex D. The three-letter notation just specifies the rays forming the angle more precisely.

How can I check if my final answer makes sense?

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Your angle should be between 0° and 180° for a convex quadrilateral. Since 27° falls in this range, it's reasonable. Also verify that x = 29 makes all four angles positive!

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