Angles in

Parallel
Lines
 Prior Knowledge:
• Angles on straight lines.

• Angles in triangles.
Parallel Lines
Parallel lines are equidistant – they never touch, however far they are
extended. Sometimes, it helps to think of a set of train tracks.

Arrows are often used to show that two lines are parallel. If there is
more than one set of parallel lines, one set will have a single arrow, the
next set will have two arrows and so on.

When a line intersects two parallel lines, different types of angle are
formed. You will need to be able to remember and use these to explain
the relationships between different angles around parallel lines.

The first two types of angles do not require parallel lines, but are
frequently used in these types of question:
Angle on a Straight Line
Angles on a straight line always add to 180°.

Vertically Opposite Angles

Vertically opposite angles are equal.

You can prove this yourself. Look at the example

on the right. Angles on a straight line add to 180°,
b
so b must equal 180 – 80 = 100°. Using angles on a 80° c
straight line again, if b is 100° then c must equal
180 – 100 = 80°. This is the same as the angle
opposite!
Corresponding Angles
Corresponding angles are equal. Look at each example below, and
imagine the upper parallel line is moved down towards the lower parallel
line. You can see that each angle around the intersection on the top line is
the same as the corresponding angle around the intersection of the
bottom line.

These angles
are equal.

Corresponding angles form an F shape. Notice that the F shape can be

upside down or back to front.
Alternate Angles
Alternate angles are equal.

These angles
are equal.

You can prove this yourself. Look at the example on the left. If the top
alternate angle was 60°, then that corresponds to the bottom-left angle
at the lower intersection, so that is also 60°. That bottom-left angle is
opposite the lower alternate angle, so that must also equal 60°.

Alternate angles form a Z shape. Notice that the Z shape can be back to
front.
Co-interior/Supplementary/Allied Angles
Co-interior angles add up to 180°. These angles are sometimes also called
supplementary or allied angles.

These two angles

add up to 180°.

Again, you can prove this yourself. Say the upper co-interior angle is 100°.
That corresponds to the bottom-right angle at the lower intersection. The
bottom-right angle at the lower intersection is on a straight line with the
lower co-interior angle, so they must add to 180°. 180 – 100 = 80°. This
means our co-interior angles add to 180°.
Example 1: Find the value of the missing angle marked a. Give a reason for
your answer.

70°
a

70° This is an example of alternate angles,

a which are equal. Therefore, the value
of angle a is 70°.

The question also asks for a reason. Simply writing ‘alternate angle’ or ‘Z’
angle is not sufficient. You should explain that alternate angles are equal.
Example 2: Find the value of the missing angles marked b and c.

65°
c
b

Here, we can see an example of a

65° corresponding angle. Remember,
corresponding angles are equal,
c
therefore angle b is also 65°
b
To find the value of c, we can use angles
on a straight line from b, or co-interior
65°
angles from 65°. In either case, we
c subtract 65° from 180°.
b 180 – 65 = 115
c = 115°
Example 3: Find the value of the missing angle d. Give a reason for your
answer.
110°

In some questions, you will have to use more than one rule to find an answer.
For these questions, there is normally more than one line of reasoning leading to
the correct answer.

In this case, we know the angle opposite 110° is also 110°, because vertically
opposite angles are equal.

This opposite angle is a co-interior angle with d and we know that co-interior
angles add to 180°. 180 – 110 = 70°, therefore d = 70°. Note that we gave reasons
for each step of our answer.

See if you can spot any other ways of answering this question. There are at least
4 more ways using two steps, and even more if you answer it in three steps.
Your Turn
Your turn:

1.

a. Which angle is corresponding to angle g

b. Which angle is alternate to angle f?

c. Which angle is corresponding to angle b?

d. Which angle is supplementary to angle c?

e. Which angle is alternate to angle c?

f. Which angle is corresponding to angle h?

Your turn:

2. For each of the following questions, find the value of the missing angle.
Give a reason for your answer.

a. b.

c. d.
Your turn:

e. f.

g. h.
Your turn:

3. Find the value of the missing angles, marked x and y. Give a reason for
each stage of your workings.

4. Find the value of the missing angles, marked a, b and c. Give a reason for
each stage of your working.
Your turn:

5. Find the value of the missing angle, marked x. Give a reason for each stage
of your workings.

Challenge
Prove that the opposite angles of a parallelogram are equal.
Answers:

1. a. Which angle is corresponding to angle g?

c

b. Which angle is alternate to angle f?

d

c. Which angle is corresponding to angle b?

f

d. Which angle is supplementary to angle c?

f

e. Which angle is alternate to angle c?

e

f. Which angle is corresponding to angle h?

d
Answers:

2. For each of the following questions, find the value of the missing angle.
Give a reason for your answer.

a. b.

a = 110° b = 105°
(alternate angles are equal) (corresponding angles are equal)

c. d.

x = 140° y = 63°
(alternate angles are equal) (corresponding angles are equal)
Answers:

e. f.

a = 180 – 94 c = 78°
a = 86° (corresponding angles are equal)
(co-interior angles add to 180°)

g. h.

d = 57° y = 180 – 135

(alternate angles are equal) y = 45° (corresponding angles are
equal, and angles on a straight line
add to 180°, or equivalent)
Answers:

3. Find the value of the missing angles, marked x and y. Give a reason for
each stage of your workings.

x = 125° (Corresponding angles are equal)

y = 180 – 115 = 65° (Co-interior or supplementary
angles add up to 180°)
Answers:

4. Find the value of the missing angles, marked a, b and c. Give a reason for
each stage of your working.

a = 32° (Alternate angles are equal)

b = 180 – 128 – 32 = 20° (Angles in a triangle add up to 180°)
c = 128° (Alternate angles are equal or angles on a straight line
add up to 180°)
Answers:

5. Find the value of the missing angle, marked x. Give a reason for each stage
of your workings.

180 – 128 = 52° (Angles on a straight line add up to 180°)

(180 – 52) ÷ 2 = 64° (Angles in a triangle add up to 180°.
Isosceles base angles are equal)
x = 64° (Alternate angles are equal)
Or equivalent answer (there’s more than one way to answer
this question)
Answers:

Challenge
Prove that the opposite angles of a parallelogram are equal.

a = y (Alternate angles are equal)

b = x (Alternate angles are equal)

So, a + b = x + y and the opposite angles of a parallelogram are equal.

Mastery Task
 Mastery Task:

Calculate all the angles in the diagram below.

Answers:

Calculate all the angles in the diagram below.