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Lesson 2 of 11

The other direction

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8 min

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Two angles total 180°. Must they be next to each other on a line?

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One angle is 80°. It is drawn alone.
Step 1 of 4
  1. One angle is 80°. It is drawn alone.
  2. Another is 100°. It is drawn far away.
  3. 80° + 100° = 180°, but they share no line.
  4. The same two angles, now a real linear pair.

The rule

No. Two angles can total 180° and be far apart.

A converse turns a claim around. The theorem says: linear pair, so 180°. The converse says: 180°, so linear pair.

That converse is false. The angles above total 180°. They share no vertex and no arm. One such drawing shows the claim is false.

Axiom. An axiom is a fact we accept without proof. Suppose two angles share a vertex and an arm. They lie on opposite sides of that arm. If the angles total 180°, their outer arms form a straight line.

The careless claim and the repaired one
ClaimTrue?Reason
Any two angles that total 180° sit on a line.No80° and 100°, drawn apart.
Two angles share a vertex and an arm, lie on opposite sides of it, and total 180°. Their outer arms form a line.YesThe axiom.

Try the lab to finish this lesson.