Question

On a math test the students are given a right triangle. One of the acute angles has a measure of 53°. One student says that the measure of the other acute angle is 127°. What is the measure of the other acute​ angle? What error might the student have​ made?

Answer 1

The other acute angle is 37°.

The student made two errors. First of all, a triangle doesn't have two angles, it has three. Since it's a right triangle, there's an immediate 90° angle that's a part of the triangle. Secondly, an acute angle is lower than 90°. 127° is an obtuse angle. Anyway, we know that the other acute angle is 37° because 53° + 37° = 90, and since we have a right triangle, 90° + 90° = 180°.