What Are Polygons?

A polygon is a 2-dimensional shape with straight sides. Examples of polygons include triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, and so on. Each polygon is classified based on the number of sides it has.

Interior Angles of a Polygon

The interior angles of a polygon are the angles found inside the shape. One of the key properties of polygons is that the sum of the interior angles depends on the number of sides the polygon has.

Formula for the Sum of Interior Angles

To find the sum of the interior angles of a polygon, you can use the formula:
\text{Sum of interior angles} = (n – 2) \times 180^\circ
Where:

  • n is the number of sides of the polygon.
  • Each time you add a side to a polygon, you add an additional triangle to the shape, which is why the sum increases by 180^\circ for every extra side.

For example:

  • A triangle (3 sides) has a sum of interior angles of:
    (3 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 180^\circ
  • A quadrilateral (4 sides) has a sum of interior angles of:
    (4 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 360^\circ
  • A pentagon (5 sides) has a sum of interior angles of:
    (5 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 540^\circ

Exterior Angles of a Polygon

The exterior angles of a polygon are the angles formed between one side of the polygon and the extension of an adjacent side. One important fact about the exterior angles of any polygon is that they always sum to 360^\circ, regardless of the number of sides.


Practice Questions: Sums of Angles in Polygons

Easy Level Questions

  1. What is the sum of the interior angles of a triangle?
  2. What is the sum of the interior angles of a quadrilateral?
  3. How many degrees are in each interior angle of an equilateral triangle?
  4. What is the sum of the exterior angles of any polygon?
  5. What is the sum of the interior angles of a pentagon?
  6. How many degrees are in each interior angle of a square?
  7. What is the sum of the interior angles of a hexagon?
  8. How many degrees are in each interior angle of a regular pentagon?
  9. What is the sum of the interior angles of a heptagon (7-sided polygon)?
  10. What is the sum of the interior angles of an octagon (8-sided polygon)?
  11. How many degrees are in each interior angle of a regular hexagon?
  12. What is the sum of the interior angles of a nonagon (9-sided polygon)?
  13. How many degrees are in each interior angle of a regular octagon?
  14. What is the sum of the interior angles of a decagon (10-sided polygon)?
  15. How many degrees are in each interior angle of a regular decagon?
  16. What is the sum of the interior angles of a dodecagon (12-sided polygon)?
  17. How many degrees are in each interior angle of a regular dodecagon?
  18. What is the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with 6 sides?
  19. What is the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with 10 sides?
  20. What is the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with 4 sides?

Medium Level Questions

  1. Find the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with 7 sides.
  2. What is the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with 9 sides?
  3. What is the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with 11 sides?
  4. Find the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with 15 sides.
  5. What is the measure of each interior angle of a regular pentagon?
  6. How many degrees are in each interior angle of a regular heptagon?
  7. What is the sum of the interior angles of a 20-sided polygon?
  8. What is the measure of each interior angle of a regular nonagon?
  9. What is the measure of each exterior angle of a regular hexagon?
  10. Find the sum of the exterior angles of a polygon with 12 sides.
  11. What is the sum of the exterior angles of a polygon with 15 sides?
  12. What is the measure of each interior angle of a regular dodecagon?
  13. Find the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with 18 sides.
  14. What is the measure of each interior angle of a regular 20-sided polygon?
  15. What is the measure of each exterior angle of a regular octagon?
  16. Find the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with 25 sides.
  17. What is the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with 30 sides?
  18. Find the sum of the exterior angles of a polygon with 8 sides.
  19. What is the measure of each interior angle of a regular heptagon?
  20. How many sides does a polygon have if the sum of its interior angles is 1080^\circ?

Hard Level Questions

  1. What is the measure of each interior angle of a regular 24-sided polygon?
  2. What is the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with 40 sides?
  3. How many sides does a polygon have if each exterior angle measures 15^\circ?
  4. Find the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with 50 sides.
  5. What is the measure of each exterior angle of a regular 30-sided polygon?
  6. How many sides does a polygon have if the sum of its interior angles is 1440^\circ?
  7. What is the sum of the exterior angles of a polygon with 20 sides?
  8. How many sides does a polygon have if the sum of its exterior angles is 180^\circ?
  9. What is the measure of each interior angle of a regular 18-sided polygon?
  10. Find the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with 60 sides.
  11. What is the measure of each interior angle of a regular 36-sided polygon?
  12. How many sides does a polygon have if each exterior angle is 9^\circ?
  13. What is the sum of the exterior angles of a polygon with 50 sides?
  14. What is the measure of each exterior angle of a regular 24-sided polygon?
  15. Find the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with 100 sides.
  16. What is the measure of each interior angle of a regular 50-sided polygon?
  17. How many sides does a polygon have if each interior angle measures 150^\circ?
  18. Find the sum of the exterior angles of a regular 36-sided polygon.
  19. What is the measure of each exterior angle of a regular polygon with 72 sides?
  20. How many sides does a polygon have if each interior angle measures 160^\circ?

Answers with Explanation

Easy Level Answers

  1. Answer: 180^\circ
    Explanation: A triangle has 3 sides. Using the formula for the sum of interior angles:
    (3 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 180^\circ
  2. Answer: 360^\circ
    Explanation: A quadrilateral has 4 sides:
    (4 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 360^\circ
  3. Answer: 60^\circ
    Explanation: An equilateral triangle has 3 equal interior angles, and the sum of the interior angles is 180^\circ, so each angle is:
    \frac{180^\circ}{3} = 60^\circ
  4. Answer: 360^\circ
    Explanation: The sum of the exterior angles of any polygon is always 360^\circ.
  5. Answer: 540^\circ
    Explanation: A pentagon has 5 sides:
    (5 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 540^\circ
  6. Answer: 90^\circ
    Explanation: A square is a regular quadrilateral, so each angle is:
    \frac{360^\circ}{4} = 90^\circ
  7. Answer: 720^\circ
    Explanation: A hexagon has 6 sides:
    (6 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 720^\circ
  8. Answer: 108^\circ
    Explanation: A regular pentagon has 5 equal angles. The sum of the interior angles is 540^\circ, so each angle is:
    \frac{540^\circ}{5} = 108^\circ
  9. Answer: 900^\circ
    Explanation: A heptagon has 7 sides:
    (7 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 900^\circ
  10. Answer: 1080^\circ
    Explanation: An octagon has 8 sides:
    (8 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 1080^\circ
  11. Answer: 120^\circ
    Explanation: A regular hexagon has 6 equal angles, so each interior angle is:
    $$ \frac{720^\circ}{6} = 120^\

circ $$

  1. Answer: 1260^\circ
    Explanation: A nonagon has 9 sides:
    (9 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 1260^\circ
  2. Answer: 135^\circ
    Explanation: A regular octagon has 8 equal angles, so each interior angle is:
    \frac{1080^\circ}{8} = 135^\circ
  3. Answer: 1440^\circ
    Explanation: A decagon has 10 sides:
    (10 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 1440^\circ
  4. Answer: 144^\circ
    Explanation: A regular decagon has 10 equal angles, so each interior angle is:
    \frac{1440^\circ}{10} = 144^\circ
  5. Answer: 1800^\circ
    Explanation: A dodecagon has 12 sides:
    (12 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 1800^\circ
  6. Answer: 150^\circ
    Explanation: A regular dodecagon has 12 equal angles, so each interior angle is:
    \frac{1800^\circ}{12} = 150^\circ
  7. Answer: 720^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 6 sides is a hexagon:
    (6 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 720^\circ
  8. Answer: 1440^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 10 sides is a decagon:
    (10 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 1440^\circ
  9. Answer: 360^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 4 sides is a quadrilateral:
    (4 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 360^\circ

Medium Level Answers

  1. Answer: 900^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 7 sides is a heptagon:
    (7 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 900^\circ
  2. Answer: 1260^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 9 sides is a nonagon:
    (9 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 1260^\circ
  3. Answer: 1620^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 11 sides:
    (11 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 1620^\circ
  4. Answer: 2340^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 15 sides:
    (15 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 2340^\circ
  5. Answer: 108^\circ
    Explanation: A regular pentagon has 5 sides, and the sum of its interior angles is 540^\circ. Each angle is:
    \frac{540^\circ}{5} = 108^\circ
  1. Answer: 128.57^\circ
    Explanation: A regular heptagon has 7 sides. The sum of its interior angles is 900^\circ. Each interior angle is:
    \frac{900^\circ}{7} \approx 128.57^\circ
  2. Answer: 3240^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 20 sides is called an icosagon:
    (20 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 3240^\circ
  3. Answer: 140^\circ
    Explanation: A regular nonagon has 9 sides. The sum of its interior angles is 1260^\circ. Each interior angle is:
    \frac{1260^\circ}{9} = 140^\circ
  4. Answer: 60^\circ
    Explanation: The exterior angle of any polygon can be found by dividing 360^\circ by the number of sides. For a regular hexagon:
    \frac{360^\circ}{6} = 60^\circ
  5. Answer: 360^\circ
    Explanation: The sum of the exterior angles of any polygon is always 360^\circ.
  6. Answer: 360^\circ
    Explanation: The sum of the exterior angles of any polygon is always 360^\circ, regardless of the number of sides.
  7. Answer: 150^\circ
    Explanation: A regular dodecagon has 12 sides. The sum of its interior angles is 1800^\circ. Each interior angle is:
    \frac{1800^\circ}{12} = 150^\circ
  8. Answer: 2880^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 18 sides:
    (18 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 2880^\circ
  9. Answer: 162^\circ
    Explanation: A regular 20-sided polygon (icosagon) has 20 equal interior angles. The sum of its interior angles is 3240^\circ. Each interior angle is:
    \frac{3240^\circ}{20} = 162^\circ
  10. Answer: 45^\circ
    Explanation: The exterior angle of a regular octagon (8-sided polygon) is:
    \frac{360^\circ}{8} = 45^\circ
  11. Answer: 4140^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 25 sides:
    (25 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 4140^\circ
  12. Answer: 5040^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 30 sides:
    (30 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 5040^\circ
  13. Answer: 360^\circ
    Explanation: The sum of the exterior angles of any polygon is always 360^\circ, including an octagon with 8 sides.
  14. Answer: 128.57^\circ
    Explanation: A regular heptagon has 7 equal interior angles, with a total sum of 900^\circ. Each angle is:
    \frac{900^\circ}{7} \approx 128.57^\circ
  15. Answer: 9 sides
    Explanation: The sum of the interior angles is given as 1080^\circ. Using the formula:
    (n – 2) \times 180^\circ = 1080^\circ
    Solving for n:
    n – 2 = \frac{1080^\circ}{180^\circ} = 6
    n = 8 + 1 = 9

Hard Level Answers

  1. Answer: 165^\circ
    Explanation: A regular 24-sided polygon has a sum of interior angles of 3960^\circ. Each interior angle is:
    \frac{3960^\circ}{24} = 165^\circ
  2. Answer: 6840^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 40 sides:
    (40 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 6840^\circ
  3. Answer: 24 sides
    Explanation: The exterior angle of a regular polygon is given as 15^\circ. Since the sum of exterior angles is always 360^\circ:
    \frac{360^\circ}{15^\circ} = 24 sides.
  4. Answer: 8640^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 50 sides:
    (50 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 8640^\circ
  5. Answer: 12^\circ
    Explanation: The exterior angle of a regular 30-sided polygon is:
    \frac{360^\circ}{30} = 12^\circ
  6. Answer: 10 sides
    Explanation: The sum of the interior angles is given as 1440^\circ. Using the formula:
    (n – 2) \times 180^\circ = 1440^\circ
    Solving for n:
    n – 2 = \frac{1440^\circ}{180^\circ} = 8
    n = 8 + 2 = 10
  7. Answer: 360^\circ
    Explanation: The sum of the exterior angles of any polygon is always 360^\circ.
  8. Answer: 8 sides
    Explanation: The sum of exterior angles is 180^\circ. Since the sum of the exterior angles of a polygon is always 360^\circ, this must be a mistake—verify the problem setup.
  9. Answer: 160^\circ
    Explanation: A regular 18-sided polygon has a sum of interior angles of 2880^\circ. Each interior angle is:
    \frac{2880^\circ}{18} = 160^\circ
  10. Answer: 10,680^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 60 sides:
    (60 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 10,680^\circ
  11. Answer: 170^\circ
    Explanation: A regular 36-sided polygon has a sum of interior angles of 6120^\circ. Each interior angle is:
    \frac{6120^\circ}{36} = 170^\circ
  12. Answer: 40 sides
    Explanation: The exterior angle of a regular polygon is given as 9^\circ. Since the sum of exterior angles is 360^\circ:
    \frac{360^\circ}{9^\circ} = 40 sides.
  13. Answer: 360^\circ
    Explanation: The sum of the exterior angles of any polygon is always 360^\circ.
  14. Answer: 15^\circ
    Explanation: The exterior angle of a regular 24-sided polygon is:
    \frac{360^\circ}{24} = 15^\circ
  15. Answer: 17,640^\circ
    Explanation: A polygon with 100 sides:
    (100 – 2) \times 180^\circ = 17,640^\circ
  16. Answer: 172.8^\circ
    Explanation: A regular 50-sided polygon has a sum of interior angles of 8640^\circ. Each interior angle is:
    \frac{8640^\circ}{50} = 172.8^\circ
  17. Answer: 12 sides
    Explanation: Each interior angle is given as 150^\circ. Using the formula for regular polygons:
    \text{Exterior angle} = 180^\circ – 150^\circ = 30^\circ
    Since the sum of the exterior angles is 360^\circ:
    \frac{360^\circ}{30^\circ} = 12 sides.
  18. Answer: 360^\circ
    Explanation: The sum of the exterior angles of any polygon is always 360^\circ.
  19. Answer: 5^\circ
    Explanation: The exterior angle of a regular 72-sided polygon is:
    \frac{360^\circ}{72} = 5^\circ
  20. Answer: 18 sides
    Explanation: Each interior angle is given as 160^\circ. The exterior angle is:
    180^\circ – 160^\circ = 20^\circ
    Using the sum of exterior angles:
    \frac{360^\circ}{20^\circ} = 18 sides.

This covers a wide range of questions on the topic of sums of angles in polygons, progressing from basic concepts to more challenging problems, all tailored to the Key Stage 3 level.