Question

Difficulty: MediumPolygon Angles and Properties

An irregular convex heptagon (7-sided polygon) has three interior angles that each measure 140140^\circ. The remaining four interior angles have measures in the ratio 2:3:3:42:3:3:4. What is the measure of the largest interior angle of this heptagon?

  1. A
    8080^\circ
  2. B
    120120^\circ
  3. C
    140140^\circ
  4. 160160^\circAnswer
  5. E
    300300^\circ

Answer

160160^\circ
The total sum of the interior angles of a convex heptagon is (72)×180=900(7-2) \times 180^\circ = 900^\circ. Subtracting the three angles that each measure 140140^\circ (3×140=4203 \times 140^\circ = 420^\circ) leaves 480480^\circ for the remaining four angles. Using the ratio 2:3:3:42:3:3:4, we represent the angles as 2x2x, 3x3x, 3x3x, and 4x4x, giving the equation 2x+3x+3x+4x=4802x + 3x + 3x + 4x = 480^\circ, which simplifies to 12x=48012x = 480^\circ and yields x=40x = 40^\circ. The largest of these four angles is 4x=4(40)=1604x = 4(40^\circ) = 160^\circ. Since 160160^\circ is larger than 140140^\circ, the largest interior angle of the heptagon is 160160^\circ.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Calculate the sum of the interior angles of a heptagon.
900900^\circ
The sum of the interior angles of a convex polygon with nn sides is given by (n2)×180(n-2) \times 180^\circ. For a heptagon (n=7n=7), the sum is (72)×180=5×180=900(7-2) \times 180^\circ = 5 \times 180^\circ = 900^\circ.
2
Find the sum of the three known interior angles.
420420^\circ
Since three interior angles each measure 140140^\circ, their sum is 3×140=4203 \times 140^\circ = 420^\circ.
3
Calculate the sum of the remaining four interior angles.
480480^\circ
Subtracting the sum of the three known angles from the total interior sum gives 900420=480900^\circ - 420^\circ = 480^\circ.
4
Set up and solve an equation for the remaining four angles using the given ratio.
x=40x = 40^\circ
Let the measures of the remaining four angles be 2x2x, 3x3x, 3x3x, and 4x4x. Their sum is 2x+3x+3x+4x=12x2x + 3x + 3x + 4x = 12x. Setting this equal to the remaining sum gives 12x=48012x = 480^\circ, which simplifies to x=40x = 40^\circ.
5
Determine the measures of the remaining angles and identify the largest angle.
160160^\circ
The remaining angles measure 2(40)=802(40^\circ) = 80^\circ, 3(40)=1203(40^\circ) = 120^\circ, 3(40)=1203(40^\circ) = 120^\circ, and 4(40)=1604(40^\circ) = 160^\circ. The largest of these is 160160^\circ. Comparing this with the three 140140^\circ angles, the largest interior angle of the entire heptagon is 160160^\circ.

Key Concept

Interior angle sum of polygons and ratio division
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