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Prove: Intersecting line segments always form 2 pairs of vertical angles.

Which image provides a counterexample to disprove this staterent?

Prove: Intersecting line segments always form 2 pairs of vertical angles. Which image-example-1
User Wescpy
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2 Answers

6 votes

Step-by-step explanation:

when two lines intersect, 4 angles are formed. They create two pairs of nonadjacent angles. These pairs are called vertical angles.

now, the problem speaks about line segments. not endless lines.

with limited line segments some strange situations can occur, that could not happen with endless lines.

we cannot prove the statement, because there is already a counter example in the picture. so, the word "always" and therefore the whole statement is disproven.

the first picture did not prove or disprove anything, because these 2 line segments are not intersecting.

the second and the third picture show 2 intersecting line segments forming 2 pairs of equal, non-adjacent angles : vertical angles. so, all is ok here.

the fourth picture show 2 line segments that officially intersect, but the actually only touch each other at 1 point (O). so, they actually only form 2 angles : a smaller interior angle, and a larger exterior angle. together they describe a whole circle of 360° around O. but no 2 pairs of vertical angles.

so, this picture disproves it.

User Aitchkhan
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7.9k points
0 votes

Answer:

The fourth one.

Step-by-step explanation:

The first option is actually the image of non intersecting (parallel) lines, while the statement given in the question is only for the intersecting lines.

However, the lines in fourth option are intersecting but do not form two pairs of vertical angles.

User Evgeniy Mikhalev
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