Prime Angles

Geometry Level 1

Angle A A is 41 degrees, angle B B is larger than angle C , C, and all three angles are prime numbers .

What is the measure of angle B B ?

Clarification : All the angles are measured in degrees.


The answer is 137.

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1 solution

Colin Carmody
Mar 2, 2016

The sum of angle of any triangle is 18 0 180^\circ , so A + B + C = 18 0 \angle A+ \angle B + \angle C = 180^\circ .

Since we are given that A = 4 1 \angle A = 41^\circ , substituting it into the equation above and simplifying yields:

A + B + C = 18 0 4 1 + B + C = 18 0 B + C = 18 0 4 1 B + C = 13 9 \begin{aligned} \angle A+ \angle B + \angle C &=& 180^\circ \\ 41^\circ + \angle B + \angle C &=& 180^\circ \\ \angle B + \angle C &=& 180^\circ - 41^\circ \\ \angle B + \angle C &=& 139^\circ \\ \end{aligned}

Since the B B and C C are are prime numbers and we know from above that the sum of these two prime numbers yields 139, which is an odd number, then by Parity properties of even and odd numbers , we have

even + odd = odd . \text{ even } + \text{ odd } = \text{ odd }.

In other words, one of the values of B B and C C has to be an even number. And because the only even prime number is 2, then either one of B B or C C is equal to 2 and the other is equal to 139 2 = 137 139 - 2 = 137 . Since we are told that the angle B B is larger than the angle C C , then B = 137 B= 137 and C = 2 C=2 .

We can verify that all the numbers, 2 , 41 , 137 2,41,137 are prime numbers using Sieve of Eratosthenes . Hence, all the conditions have been fulfilled. And so B = 137 B = \boxed{137} .

Ok, I wrote a solution yesterday, but it wasn't as detailed as this. Yet it looks like it was updated to be better (a lot better) but says that I posted it. Any ideas??

Colin Carmody - 5 years, 3 months ago

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Maybe some moderator or staff edited it.

Abdur Rehman Zahid - 5 years, 3 months ago

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That's my guess. They also seem to have edited the problem, including the photo. Oh well, it looks better now! I wonder why they didn't take credit!

Colin Carmody - 5 years, 3 months ago

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