Knowledge Organiser: Interior and exterior angles of polygons

What you need to know: Key Terms: You need to be able to:
Interior Angles in Regular Polygons • Recognise and name
Interior Angles - angles inside the shape
Triangle Square Pentagon Hexagon different polygons
Exterior Angles - angles between the
side of a shape and a line extended from • Understand the difference
between regular and
the adjacent side
irregular polygons
Sum - total, add all the angles together
• Calculate and use the sum
Number of 3 Number of 4 Number of 5 Number of 6 Polygon - a 2D closed shape made with of interior angles in
sides sides sides sides straight lines polygons
Sum of interior 180° Sum of interior 360° Sum of interior 540° Sum of interior 720°
angles angles angles angles
Regular - when a shape is regular all • Know that the sum of the
sides are the same length and all angles exterior angles of any
Size of each 60° Size of each 90° Size of each 108° Size of each 120°
interior angle interior angle interior angle interior angle are the same polygon is 360°

Heptagon Octagon Decagon n Sided Shape Irregular - shape with sides of different • Know that the interior +
lengths and angles of different sizes. exterior angle is 180°

Congruent - objects which are the same • Understand that regular

shape and size but may be flipped polygons will tessellate if
moved or turned. the interior angles divide
3600 without remainder
Tessellation - Shapes tessellate if they fit
Number of 7 Number of 8 Number of 10 Number of n together to make a pattern with no gaps
sides sides sides sides Reminder:
Sum of interior 900° Sum of 1080° Sum of interior 1440° Sum of (n-2) x 180°
Hegarty maths clip numbers A regular triangle is an
angles interior angles angles interior angles equilateral triangle
Size of each 128.6° Size of each 135° Size of each 144° Size of each (n-2) x 180° Angles in polygons: 560 - 565 A regular quadrilateral is a
(1dp)
interior angle interior angle interior angle interior angle n
square
 Knowledge Organiser: Interior and exterior angles of polygons
What you need to know:
Exterior Angles Irregular Polygons
The sum of exterior angles in any polygon is 360° Example – find the value of 𝑥

5 sides – irregular pentagon

The size of each exterior angle in a regular polygon Sum of interior angles – (5 -2) x 180 = 540°
is 360°÷ number of sides 105 + 118 + 130 + 75 = 428
540 – 428 = 112 𝒙=112°
Interior + Exterior Angles
Tessellations
Interior + exterior angle = 180°
Regular polygons tessellate if the interior angles can be added together to make 360°
Example – calculate the size of each interior
and exterior angle of a regular pentagon

Squares, equilateral triangles and hexagons are some examples of shapes that tesselate
Exterior angle = 360÷5 = 72°
Interior angle = 180 – 72 = 108°
Example – tesselate the following shape. Draw at least 5 copies of it
5−2 ×180
Tip – you could also use 5
= 108 to
find the interior angle

Example – A regular polygon has exterior angles of 20°. How many sides does it have? This is just one way that
these shapes could tesselate.
Exterior angle = 360 ÷ number of sides Remember there should be
Rearrange: number of sides = 360 ÷ angle no gaps
Number of sides = 360 ÷ 20 = 18
18 sides