Interior Angles of Polygons

Jasmine Vincent
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@DrFrostMaths

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Last modified:11th October 2024 charity in England and Wales (no
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Teacher Notes
Prerequisite
Knowledge Future Links
• Angles on a straight line and angles • Exterior angles of polygons (regular
around a point and irregular)
• Vertically opposite angles • Geometric proof involving angles
• Angle sum of a triangle including
base angles in an isosceles triangle
• Geometric notation for shapes and
lines
• Angle sum of a quadrilateral
• Solving linear equations with
unknowns on both sides

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Skills in this Lesson
261 Interior and exterior angles of regular and irregular polygons
261a Calculate the interior angle sum of a polygon given its number of sides.
261b Determine missing angles in a non-regular polygon.
261c Determine interior angles of a polygon where there is a relationship given
between some angles.
261e Calculate the size of the interior angles of a regular polygon.
261f Determine the remaining angle around a point where two or more
polygons meet. Dr Frost Learning is a registered
charity in England and Wales (no
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TEACHERS STUDENTS
Generate a Start an
random independent
worksheet practice involving
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setting).
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Clicking this box takes you to a single question practice for a

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subskill to allow you further Test Your Understanding opportunities. (e.g.
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Skills in this Lesson
261 Interior and exterior angles of regular and irregular polygons
261g Determine an angle formed in a shape using sides or extended sides of
polygons.
261i Determine the number of sides of a regular polygon given the size of its
interior angles.
261k Determine angles in polygons within regular polygons.
261l Determine if a regular polygon will tesselate.
261m Determine the number of sides of an unknown regular polygon required to
complete a tessellation. Dr Frost Learning is a registered
charity in England and Wales (no
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 Show

RECAP: Using Angle Rules all

solutio
ns

1 Calculate the missing angles; give reasons for your

answers.
a Angles that form a These markers show
132 ° straight line sum to the sides have equal
𝟒𝟖
? ° length

b Angles around a
d 1 01°
27 ° point sum to
? ° 101 °
𝟕𝟗
𝟐𝟒𝟑
? °
Angles in a
quadrilateral sum to

e
c 𝟏𝟖? °
41°
105 °
75° 8 7 ° 93 °
58 °
𝟖𝟏
? °
Angles in a
triangle sum to
RECAP: Definition of a Polygon

What do each of the Are there any

polygons have in similarities/differences between
common? the two groups?

Polygon Not a polygon

A polygon is a 2-dimensional closed shape with straight

sides
Poly:
many
Gon:
The Big Idea: Calculating Missing Angles in
Polygons
Calculate the
We have previously learnt missing angle in 41°
how to calculate missing this triangle.
angles in shapes such as
58 °
triangles and quadrilaterals.

We know the angle sum of 41°+58 °=99 °

a triangle is 𝟏𝟖𝟎° −𝟗𝟗°=𝟖𝟏°

Calculate the
missing angle in 91 ° Here, will evolve what we
this pentagon. 100 ° have learnt in order to
calculate missing angles in
104 °162 ° other polygons!

Doing this allows us to solve

91 °+100 °+104 °+162°=457 ° more complicated angle
problems.
𝟓𝟒𝟎° −𝟒𝟓𝟕 °=𝟖𝟑° But where did
come from?
The Big Idea: The Angle Sum for Any
Polygon

Triangle
Total of interior angles =

How could you

convince
Quadrilateral
someone that
Total of interior angles = this is true for all
quadrilaterals?
The Big Idea: The Angle Sum for Any
Polygon
This quadrilateral can be split into two
triangles
The sum of the interior angles of
this parallelogram is:

Is this true for all the quadrilaterals

below?

The sum of the interior angles of

any quadrilateral is:
The Big Idea: The Angle Sum for Any
Polygon
How many triangles can I split a pentagon into?

The easiest way to do this is to pick a

vertex and connect all the others to it.

There are many ways to split a pentagon into triangles, but to be

able
to consider the angle at each vertex only once, we need to
consider the minimum number of non-overlapping triangles.

The sum of the interior angles of

this pentagon is:
The Big Idea: The Angle Sum for Any Show
all
solutio
Polygon ns

No. of What’s the

Shape Sides Angle sum relationship
triangles
between the
Triangle number of
Quadrilateral sides and
the number
Pentagon of triangles?
Hexagon ? ?
Heptagon ? ? What’s the
Octagon relationship
? ? ? between the
Dodecagon
? ? ? number of
Hectogon triangles and
? ? ? the angle
Any polygon ? ? ? sum?

 For an -sided polygon, the sum of the interior angles

is:
 FYI: For Your Interest
Individual polygons are named according to the number of sides,
combining a Greek-derived numerical prefix with the suffix -gon, e.g.
pentagon, dodecagon.

Polygons with sides are named in the same way but have the suffix –
decagon, e.g. pentadecagon ( sides), octadecagon ( sides).
You can identify the name of polygons beyond sides using the method below:

Sides Sides
For example; a sided
Icosi… …gon
polygon is called a
Triaconta… …henagon Heptacontatrigon.
Tetraconta… …digon
Pentaconta… …trigon
Hexaconta… …tetragon Can you name some
Heptaconta… …pentagon more polygons with
Octaconta… …hexagon more than sides?
Enneaconta… …heptagon
Hecta… …octagon
…enneagon
Spot the Mistake

I split the pentagon into

5 triangles.

Therefore the angle sum

of a pentagon is

Imani

We already saw earlier

in the lesson that the
angle sum of a
Starting the triangles from the centre point pentagon is actually .
means we have included more than just What mistake has Imani
the interior angles of the polygon (at each made?
vertex).
This means that the shape is split into as
many triangles as there are sides.
Deeper Thinking
Nathan thinks he
can adapt Imani’s
method to make it
correct.
You need to
subtract to Nathan
remove the
angles around
the point at the
centre of the
pentagon
This would make the
Therefore the calculation
angle sum of a
pentagon is Can you generalise Nathan’s method
Imani to show it will work for other
polygons?

Angle sum This is the same as

our formula from
earlier in the lesson!
Quickfire Questions [Link]/ 261a
s/

Find the sum of the

interior angles of this
regular decagon.

Angle sum =
? =
=

Find the sum of the Angle sum =

interior angles of a ? =
polygon with sides. =
Example Test Your
Understanding
70 ° °
Determine . 𝑥
40 °
𝑥 100 °
110° 60 °
130° Determine .
40°

6-sided polygon (hexagon)

therefore the sum of the interior ?
angles:
?

Total of angles given in the ?

question:

Missing angle:
[Link]/ 261b
s/
Deeper Thinking
What’s the same/different
Determine .
about this question
compared to the previous
2𝑥 107°
question?
98° This question has two
137° missing angles; and .

126° How does this affect our

𝑥 method?
This time, forming
and solving an
equation is more
useful.
The sum of the interior angles:

3 𝑥+ 468=720
3 𝑥=252
𝑥=𝟖𝟒 °
Test Your Understanding [Link]/ 261c
s/

Determine Determine . 𝑦 + 15
𝑥 𝑦
𝑦 + 10
𝑥
290 °
265 °
79 ° 165 °
𝑥 152° 3 𝑦 +15
110 °

180 × (?5 − 2 )=540 ° ? ¿1080

180 × ( 8− 2 )=
𝑥+ 𝑥 + 𝑥+ 79+152=540
? 6 𝑦 +870 =¿
? 1080

3 𝑥+
? 231=540 6 𝑦 =? ¿210
? 3 𝑥=309 𝒚 =¿
? 𝟑𝟓

? 𝒙=𝟏𝟎𝟑°
Deeper Thinking
Calculate an interior
This question
angle of this regular
is impossible;
hexagon.
we haven’t
been given
All sides and angles any of the
are equal angles! Logan

Professor Cheng
What does the word regular mean
in this context?

Sum of the interior angles:

All of the interior angles are equal,

therefore we need to divide by the
number of angles.
 Show

The Big Idea: Angles in Regular Polygons all

solutio
ns

One interior
No. of
Shape Sides Angle sum angle
triangles
(regular)
Triangle ?
Quadrilateral ?
Pentagon ?
Hexagon ?
Heptagon ?
Octagon ?
Dodecagon ?
Hectogon ?
Any polygon
?

 To find an interior angle of a regular polygon divide the interior

angle sum by (the number of sides/angles)
Interior angle of a regular polygon =
Example Test Your
Understanding
A regular polygon has A regular polygon has
sides. sides.

Find the size of each of its Find the size of each of its
interior angles. interior angles.
?

8640 ° ÷ ?50=𝟏𝟕𝟐.𝟖°
The sum of the interior angles:

All of the interior angles are

equal therefore divide by the
number of angles:

[Link]/ 261e
s/
Working Backwards [Link]/ 261i
s/

A regular polygon has its interior angles all equal

to .
Find the number of sides of the polygon.
There’s an easier
Nathan knew that the
way! We can use
angle sum for the
the formula to
polygon will be a
form an equation
multiple of ; he therefore
Nathan decided to use trial and ( )
𝑛− 2 ×180
in terms of Imani
error using the angle =171
sum formula for different 𝑛
values of n.
( 20 − 2 ) × 180=20 ×171
3 240 ≠ 342 0
( 30 − 2 ) × 180=30 ×171
5 040 ≠ 513 0
( 40 −2 ) ×180=40 ×171
6 840=684 0
What do their methods
𝒏=𝟒𝟎 have in common?
 Show
(Available as a separate
Exercise 1 worksheet)
all
solutio
ns

1 Find the sum of the interior 4 Work out the size of an interior angle of a
angles of a polygon with sides. regular polygon with sides.
( 180 − 2 ) × 180
( 22 −2 ) ×180=𝟑𝟔𝟎𝟎
? ° 180 ?
=𝟏𝟕𝟖 °

2 An irregular hexagon has 5 A polygon has an angle sum of .

angles of and . How many sides does the polygon have?
Calculate the sixth angle.

Angle sum: ?
?

3 6 A regular polygon has it’s interior angles

3𝑥 all equal to .
How many sides does the polygon have?
244 °
𝑥 3𝑥
Determine ?

? 𝑥 N [TMC Final 2013 Q3] How many regular polygons

have an interior angle such that ?
Hint: What regular polygon would have an interior angle of ?
 Show
(Available as a separate
Exercise 1 worksheet)
all
solutio
ns

N [TMC Final 2013 Q3]

How many regular polygons have an interior angle
such that ?
Hint: What regular polygon would have an interior angle of ?

An sided regular polygon has angles of

A sided polygon has angles of - however is not in the
? number of sides is
range; therefore the maximum
This means there are polygons with angles in this
range.
 Show

RECAP: Using Angle Rules all

solutio
ns

1 Determine 4 Determine
𝑧
92°
𝑥=𝟒𝟒
?°
𝑥 𝑥 150 ° 115 °
? 134 °110 °
2 Determine

5 Calculate the interior angle of a

regular -sided polyon.
2𝑦 ( 15 −2 ) ×180
2 37 ° 𝑦 ? =𝟏𝟓𝟔 °
𝑦 =𝟒𝟏? ° 15

6 A regular polygon has its interior

3 Calculate the angle sum angles all equal to .
for a -sided polygon. Find the number of sides of the
polygon.
( 21 −2 ) ×180=𝟑𝟒𝟐𝟎°
? 𝟒𝟓
?
Deeper Thinking
There are many
Determine . unknown angles in
42° this question.
9 4° 𝑎
138° What angle rules
6𝑐
4° can we use?
198° 56𝑏
° 304°
91°
Professor Cheng
25 ° 145°
𝑥 Great work! Now we can
calculate the missing
angle using the interior
Logan Imani angles of the hexagon.
Nathan

We didn’t
need angle
after all!
because angles because because
on a straight line angles around angles in a
Issum to a method wherea point sum
there to
Yes, we couldtriangle sumthe
have used
we could have used ? ? to
whole shape; a heptagon!
Example Test Your
Understanding
Determine . Determine .
𝑥 32°
129°
241°
93 ° 119°
276° 93 °
8 4°
99 ° 148°
𝑦 136°
4 4°

360−119=241°
Angles around a point sum to : Angles around a point sum to :
?
Angles on a straight line sum to :
Angle sum of a pentagon
180−44=136°
?

𝒙=𝟏𝟏𝟔° ?
? 𝒚 =𝟖𝟗°
Multi-Step Problems [Link]/ 261g
s/

Shown is a regular Let’s zoom in on the

decagon. problem
Two of the sides have 144 °
been extended to form a
triangle.
36°

36°
144 °

Calculate the highlighted

angle. Calculating the interior angle of a
regular decagon.

The highlighted angle

Can you give an = Angles on a straight line sum to
explanation for each
step of the working
Angles in a triangle sum to
out?
Deeper Thinking
[Edexcel GCSE June 2022 1F Q27, Angle sum for a hexagon is
Edexcel GCSE June 2022 1H Q5]
Here is a regular hexagon and a Therefore each angle in a regular
regular pentagon. hexagon is

108 ° Add this information to the

120 ° diagram
Angle sum for a pentagon is

Therefore each angle in a regular

Work out the size of the angle pentagon is
marked

How might you start this Add this information to the

question? diagram
Now we can use the sum of angles
Consider the angles in the around a point to calculate
hexagon and the pentagon first.
Test Your Understanding [Link]/ 261f
s/

[Edexcel GCSE Nov2011-1F Q23, Nov2011-3H Q3]

The diagram shows a regular

hexagon and a square.
90°
Calculate the size of the angle . 120 °

Interior angle of a
regular hexagon: Interior angle in a
? Hexagon square:? Square

Angles around a point sum to 360,

so:
? Final Answer
Deeper Thinking

The last question reminds me of

the tiles in my bathroom at
home.
Each square is surrounded by
4 regular hexagons.
Logan

You must be remembering

it wrong. There would be
gaps if each
square was surrounded by
Nathan 4 regular hexagons!

Nathan is correct.
Is there a way to make a pattern
120 ° 9 0 ° using polygons so that there are no
gaps like Logan is suggesting?
120 °
Let’s take a look at the
angles
Deeper thinking
You’re right; there are gaps because
the angles only add up to at each
intersection.
Exactly! So if there are
120 ° 9 0 °
square tiles surrounded by
Logan a different regular polygon
120 °
it must be a polygon with
larger interior angles, and
therefore have more sides
Would it work if it was a
than a hexagon.
pattern of squares
surrounded by regular Yes that works! Now
octagons? the angles at the
intersection sum to so Nathan
there are no gaps.

Shapes ‘tessellate’ if they fit

together, without overlap or
gaps, to form a repeating
pattern. The angles that meet
135 °9 0 °
at each intersection need to 135 °
sum to .
Professor Cheng
Example
! If shapes tesselate then the interior angles around
any point where the shapes meet add to .

Angle (interior angle of

[Edexcel GCSE Nov2012-1H Q18] The equilateral triangle)
pattern is made from two types of
tiles, tile A and tile B. Therefore we can calculate :
Both tile A and tile B are regular
polygons.
Work out the number of sides tile A
has.

𝑥
𝑦 𝑦

We saw a method
to calculate the
number of sides
from the interior
angle earlier
Further Example

The diagram shows 4 Angle is the interior angle of a

congruent regular regular pentagon:
pentagons that form the
sides of an -sided regular
polygon.

𝑥 Therefore we can calculate :

𝑥
𝑦
?

Determine the value of .

Test Your Understanding [Link]/ 261m
s/

B The repeating
C C pattern consists
of three regular
A A polygons, A
B B 𝟏𝟐𝟎° B B (hexagon), B
A 𝟏𝟓𝟎° A (square) and C.

C C C Determine how
B B many sides C
has.

Interior angle of A ?

Interior angle of B ? ?

Interior angle of C ?
 Show
(Available as a separate
Exercise 2 worksheet)
all
solutio
ns

[Edexcel IGCSE [Edexcel GCSE Mar13-1H

1 3
Jan2014(R)-3H Q3b] Q13] The diagram shows a
The diagram shows a square and regular 𝑥
regular -sided pentagons.
polygon. Work out the
Work out the size of the
value of .
angle marked .
Square:
? Pentagon: ?

2 Determine the value of . 4 [Edexcel IGCSE

May2015(R)-3H Q2b]
The diagram shows
identical regular
pentagons.
𝑎 80 ° Work out the value
of .
80 °
Pentagon:
?
?
 Show
(Available as a separate
Exercise 2 worksheet)
all
solutio
ns

5 [Edexcel IGCSE Jan 2021 1F(R) Q23, 1H(R) Q8]

The diagram shows a regular pentagon, ABCDE, a regular
hexagon CFGHID, and a quadrilateral, EDIJ.

AEJ and HIJ are

straight lines.
Work out the size of
the angle marked

(pentagon)
(hexagon)
(angles around a point)
?
(angles on a straight line)
(angles on a straight line)
(angles in a quadrilateral)
 Show
(Available as a separate
Exercise 2 worksheet)
all
solutio
ns

6 [Edexcel IGCSE Nov 2020 1F(R) Q27]

The diagram shows a regular octagon ABCDEFGH.

(octagon)
Work out the size of angle HAC. (isosceles triangle)
?
 Show
(Available as a separate
Exercise 2 worksheet)
all
solutio
ns

7 [KS3 SATs 2004 L6-L8

Paper 2 Q19 Edited] Square:
A pupil has three tiles. Octagon:
One is a regular octagon, Hexagon:
one is a regular hexagon, ?
and one is a square. The Therefore the pupil is
side length of each tile is not correct as it
the same. The pupil says would need to sum to
the hexagon will fit
exactly like this.
Is the pupil correct?
8
A regular polygon with sides is surrounded
by squares and regular pentagons in an
alternating pattern, as shown.
Determine the value of .

Square:
𝐵 Pentagon:
Polygon :
?
 Show
(Available as a separate
Exercise 2 worksheet)
all
solutio
ns

9 [IMC 2015 Q4] The diagram shows a 11 [Kangaroo Grey 2009 Q14]
regular pentagon inside a square. The diagram shows a
What is the value of ? regular 9-sided polygon (a
nonagon or an enneagon)
Pentagon: with two of the sides
The triangle in the bottom extended to meet at the
?
right has angles and point .
Therefore What is the size of the
acute angle at ?
140 ° 40 °
10 [IMC 2006 Q19] The diagram shows a
regular pentagon and a regular hexagon 140 ° 2 20 °
which overlap. What is the value of ? 140 ° 40 °
Middle pentagon
? =
angle sum
360 − 40 −220? − 40=𝟔𝟎°
Find all regular polygons
108 ° 12
which tessellate (when
120 ° restricted only to one type
of polygon).
120108
° °
?
Equilateral triangle, square,
hexagon.
 (Available as a separate
Exercise 2 worksheet)

12 Find all regular polygons which tessellate with themselves (so we are
restricted to only one type of polygon at a time).

The interior angle of the

One interior
Shape
angle (regular) polygon needs to be a factor
of (less than )
Triangle
The factors of are:
Quadrilateral
Pentagon There are no polygons with an
interior angle therefore the
Hexagon
list becomes
Heptagon ?
Octagon
: Equilateral triangle
Dodecagon : No regular polygon
Hectogon : Square
: Regular hexagon
Any polygon