Angles in polygons

Angles in polygons for A Level History Edexcel: what it means, how to set the working out, and the questions it is asked in.
  • A Level
  • Edexcel
  • History
  • Spec R17 · R8
  • 11 min read
  • 7 revision boxes

Introduction

2 boxes
3 min read

What is angles in polygons?

Listen to this box

Transcript

A short spoken summary of angles in polygons and where it is used.

A spoken walk-through of angles in polygons before you read the notes.
Read the units in the question before you start; a converted unit is the most common slip.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing angles in polygons laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.
Worth knowing: ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left.
4 rows

The angles in polygons reference table

The specification wording is precise here, and the mark scheme follows that wording exactly.
Term
Meaning
Example
Row 1 column 1
Row 1 column 2
×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left
Row 2 column 1
Row 2 column 2
49=7\sqrt{49} = 7
Row 3 column 1
Row 3 column 2
×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left

Learning

3 boxes
5 steps

How to work with angles in polygons

Work through the method one line at a time and write down what changes at each step.
  1. Read the question and write down what is being asked for.
  2. Set out the working for angles in polygons in the order the method gives.
  3. Substitute the values and simplify.
Start from the definition and substitute the numbers the question gives you.
Simplify one line at a time: x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0.
Answer: 49=7\sqrt{49} = 7
3 rules

Key facts: Angles in polygons

Check the answer against an estimate before you move on, so a place-value slip is caught here.
Worth knowing: 34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}.
  • Rule 1

    How angles in polygons behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2
  • Rule 2

    How angles in polygons behaves in the 2nd of the cases the specification names.
    34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}
3 steps

How to work with angles in polygons

Read the units in the question before you start; a converted unit is the most common slip.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing angles in polygons laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.
Worth knowing: x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0.
  1. Read the question and write down what is being asked for.
  2. Set out the working for angles in polygons in the order the method gives.
  3. Substitute the values and simplify.
Start from the definition and substitute the numbers the question gives you.
Simplify one line at a time: 160\approx 160.
Answer: ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left

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Examples

2 boxes
1 marks · worked

Worked example: angles in polygons

The examiner marks the working, so a correct answer with no method still drops marks.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing angles in polygons laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.
Worth knowing: 49=7\sqrt{49} = 7.
1 marks · worked

Practice question 7: 160\approx 160

The specification wording is precise here, and the mark scheme follows that wording exactly.

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Common questions

How many marks is angles in polygons usually worth?
Between one and four, depending on how many steps the question asks for.
Is this on the A Level History Edexcel paper?
Yes — it sits in the Inheritance strand.