Question

The measure of one angle of a right triangle is 12∘ more than the measure of the smallest angle. Find the measure of the smallest angle.

Answer 1

If x is the measure of the smallest angle, then, the measure of the other angle is x+12.

Take into account that the sum of the interior angles of a triangle is 180 degrees. Moreover, in a right triangle one angle has a measure of 90 degree.

Then, you have:

x + (x + 12) + 90 = 180

cancel out parentheses and solve for x:

x + x + 12 + 90 = 180

2x + 102 = 180

2x = 180 - 102

2x = 78

x = 78/2

x = 39

Hence, the measure of the smallest angle is 39 degrees.