The Triangle Angle Sum Theorem states that the sum of the measures of the angles in a triangle is 180 degrees. So, we can write an equation:
2x + 3x + 4x = 180
Simplifying the left side, we get:
9x = 180
Dividing both sides by 9, we get:
x = 20
Now we can find the measure of each angle by substituting x = 20:
Smallest angle = 2x = 2(20) = 40 degrees
Middle angle = 3x = 3(20) = 60 degrees
Largest angle = 4x = 4(20) = 80 degrees
Therefore, the measure of the smallest angle in this triangle is 40 degrees.