Folded angles are equal; chain to the unknown
4.MD.C.7
From the workbook (authentic) — 1
A sheet of paper shaped like an equilateral triangle is folded as shown, so that the bottom-left corner is folded up onto the triangle. Find the measure of the marked angle.
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Understand
An equilateral triangle ABC has its bottom-left corner B folded up. The crease goes from P on the base BC to Q on the left side BA, and corner B lands at B'. The folded edge PB' makes a 70-degree angle with the base. I must find the flap angle at Q, which is angle PQB'.
- Triangle ABC is equilateral, so every interior angle is 60 degrees (in particular angle B = 60 degrees)
- The corner B is folded over crease PQ, so B lands at B' and the fold copies every length and angle exactly
- The folded edge PB' makes a 70-degree angle with the base toward C (angle B'PC = 70 degrees)
- The measure of the flap angle at Q, angle PQB'
- Angles in a triangle add to 180 degrees
- Angles on a straight line add to 180 degrees
- Folding preserves angle sizes, so a folded angle equals the original angle it came from
Plan
#10 Create a Physical Representation · also uses: #7 Identify Subproblems#1 Draw a Diagram
Folding paper is a hands-on action, so picturing the fold shows that the crease reflects corner B onto B' and keeps angles equal. Then I break the figure into small pieces: the angles meeting at P on the base, and the small triangle BPQ, and chain them to the flap angle at Q.
Execute
Review
The flap angle 65 degrees is acute, which matches the narrow corner shown at Q. Checking triangle BPQ: 60 + 55 + 65 = 180 degrees, and the folded corner at B' keeps its 60 degrees (180 - 55 - 65 = 60), exactly the equilateral corner that was folded. Everything is consistent.
Draw the figure to scale (tool 1) and measure the flap angle at Q with a protractor to confirm the 65-degree answer found by angle chasing.
Standards · min grade 4
4.MD.C.7Recognize angle measure as additive and solve addition and subtraction problems — Splitting the straight-line angle at P, using the equilateral 60-degree corner, and chaining through the triangle-sum and the equal folded angle to reach the flap angle at Q.