Adjacent angles are a fundamental concept in geometry, but they’re not just limited to math textbooks and problems. These angles can be found all around us in everyday life, from the corners of buildings to the frames of pictures.
Adjacent angles are defined as two angles that share a common vertex and a common side but do not overlap. They can be found in a wide range of objects and places, and understanding them can help us better understand the world around us.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at some real-life examples of adjacent angles to help you grasp this concept even better. From building corners to road intersections, we’ll explore the different ways in which adjacent angles are present in our daily lives. So, get ready to expand your understanding of this essential concept and learn how to spot adjacent angles in your everyday surroundings!
Everyday examples of adjacent angles: Making comprehending angles facile
From obtuse angle to right angle to acute angle and reflex angle, angles are present all around us. Similarly, we can see many real-life examples of adjacent angles around us in our environment. Here are a few examples for you:
1. Mercedes Benz logo
If you have ever seen a Mercedes, the iconic logo of Mercedes Benz features three adjacent angles, each representing the company’s commitment to excellence in design, engineering, and performance. The angles also form a symbolic three-pointed star, which is a nod to the brand’s past as a maker of luxury automobiles.
2. Wings of an airplane to its body :
The wings of an airplane are carefully designed to maximize lift and minimize drag, which is essential for safe and efficient flight. The angle of the wings is known as the angle of attack.
The wings of an airplane are attached to the fuselage at adjacent angles to create lift and allow the plane to take flight. By adjusting the angle of the wings, pilots can control the altitude and speed of the plane, making it an essential feature for safe and efficient air travel.
3. Pages of a book
The rectangular shape of a book is one of the most iconic and recognizable designs to believe. The pages of a book are carefully aligned at adjacent angles to create the familiar rectangular shape for pages and pages in cover to hold in at an exact angle. This shape allows books to be easily stored on shelves and transported, making them a convenient and portable way to share information and stories.
4. Mouth opening of a crocodile
And unique examples in animals such as crocodiles also have adjacent angles to see. The jaws of a crocodile are designed with adjacent angles that allow them to easily catch and grip prey. With powerful muscles and sharp teeth, crocodiles are able to use their jaws to hunt and defend themselves in their natural habitats.
5. Steering wheel of the car
The steering wheel of a car is one of the most important features for safe and comfortable driving. The steering wheel of a car is designed with adjacent angles to give drivers precise control over the direction of their vehicle. By turning the wheel at specific angles, drivers can navigate roads and avoid obstacles, making it an essential feature for safe and comfortable driving.
6. Angles between leaf veins
Look at the picture of veins in the leaf and how they form adjacent angles. The angles between leaf veins are carefully designed to optimize photosynthesis and ensure that the plant gets the maximum amount of sunlight. By adjusting the angles of the veins, plants are able to absorb more energy from the sun, which is essential for their growth and survival.
7. Crossroads
At a crossroads, two roads intersect and form adjacent angles. For example, if one road is running north-south and the other road is running east-west, the adjacent angles formed at the crossroad would be 90 degrees. This means that the angles on either side of the intersection are directly next to each other and form a perpendicular line, creating a right angle.
8. Staircase
The angle created by the side of each step and the horizontal surface of the floor, as seen from the bottom of a staircase, will be an adjacent angle to the angle created by the side of the step above it and the horizontal surface of the step. So, the staircases are designed with adjacent angles in order to make the ascent and descent of each step safe and easy.
9. Blades of open scissors
The angles formed by the blades of a pair of scissors when you open scissors to cut, also have a common angle and vertex forming adjacent angles. They are designed to come together to form a cutting edge when they are opened. So, the two blades form adjacent angles, with a common vertex at the pivot point where the blades are joined.
The angle between the blades is typically designed to be around 60 degrees, which allows for the efficient cutting of a wide range of materials. The precise angle can vary depending on the intended use of the scissors, for example, for cutting fabric, paper, or hair, the angle may be slightly different.
10. A pencil standing position in a stand
Another example of adjacent angles can be seen when a pencil is standing on a stand. The angle between the pencil and the stand creates a base angle, and the angle between the pencil and the vertical axis creates a height angle. Together, they form a straight line and create adjacent angles. So, angles formed by a standing pencil in a stand are a great example of adjacent angles, which are important for maintaining stability and balance in a structure.
11. Roof and the wall
The relationship between a roof and a wall can be understood by examining the angles formed by their intersection. When a roof is attached to a wall at a 90-degree angle, the angle formed by the edge of the roof and the wall will be adjacent to the angle formed by the edge of the wall and the ground.
This means that the two angles will share a common edge and form a straight line. The combination of these two angles results in a straight line, which is important for the structural integrity of the building.
12. Angle between your fingers
While your hand is open, the angle formed by each pair of adjacent fingers will be an adjacent angle. These angles will share a common side and vertex (fingertips) (the edge of the fingers). So when you open your hand and extend your fingers, you can clearly see that each pair of adjacent fingers creates an angle between them.
These angles can vary in size depending on the position of the fingers and the size of the hand. However, regardless of the size, these angles are always adjacent angles as they share a common side and vertex.
13. Angle of door
A partially opened door’s angles can be regarded as adjacent angles. The angle formed between the door and the door frame on one side will be adjacent to the angle formed between the door and the door frame on the other side when a door is opened to a specific angle.
So, When a door is opened to a specific angle, the adjacent angles formed between the door and the door frame on either side will change in size. As the door opens wider, the adjacent angles will become larger and as the door closes, the adjacent angles will become smaller.
14. Sides of Pyramid
In the case of a pyramid also, the adjacent angles are formed between the sides that meet at the apex of the pyramid. The sides of a pyramid form an adjacent pair of angles. The angles generated between each pair of adjacent sides will be adjacent angles; for instance, if you imagine the base of a pyramid to be a polygon with four sides (like a square), for example.
15. Windmill
The blades of a windmill are carefully designed with adjacent angles to capture the maximum amount of wind energy. By having the blades at specific angles, the wind is able to push the blades and create rotational energy to power homes and businesses. The blades of a windmill are usually positioned at a slight angle to the wind, which allows them to capture more energy and efficiency.
Adjacent angles: Are they the same as vertical angles?
Learning angles can be made easy by using some activities that can help kids easily differentiate between the various kinds of angles. Adjacent angles and vertical angles are two different concepts that are often confused. Adjacent angles are two angles that have the same vertex and share a common side, but do not overlap. Vertical angles, on the other hand, are two angles that are created by two intersecting lines and are always in opposition to one another. They have the same measure and are always congruent.
A simple way to remember the difference between adjacent angles and vertical angles is that adjacent angles are simply two angles that are next to each other, while vertical angles are always opposite each other. For example, if you were to look at a building corner, the angles formed by the intersection of two walls would be adjacent angles, while the angles formed by the intersection of two roads at an intersection would be vertical angles.
Adjacent angles and vertical angles are not similar. However, vertical angles are always adjacent angles. In other words, vertical angles are a special type of adjacent angle, that any two vertical angles will always be adjacent to each other, but not all adjacent angles will be vertical.
Conclusion
In conclusion, adjacent angles are commonly found in everyday life and can be observed in various structures and objects around us. They are formed by the intersection of two lines or surfaces and also play a crucial role in the design and functionality of buildings, roads, and other everyday objects.
Understanding adjacent angles can also help you better understand the world around us and its ability to design and construct new structures and objects. You can find more adjacent angles around you in your room or space using these examples and list down the names of them in your notebook. Furthermore, teachers can also use some manipulatives to help children retain the angles in a much better and facile manner.
An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’,