Expert: Scott A Wilson - 10/20/2009

Question
2 vertical angels in an X shape, one angle is 3x and the other angle is (80-x). Find the value of each variable

Answer
If you have 2 vertical angles and together they measure X,
then that is the sum of the measurements of each.

Thus, X = 3X + 80-X.

This is the same as X = 2X + 80.

Subtracting 2X from both sides gives -X = 80, so X = -80.


Checking this out means one angle is 3X, so it is -240.
The other angle is 80-X, so it is 80--80 = 80+80 = 160.

When -240 and 160 are added together, the result is -80, and that is suppose to be X,
which it is.