Complementary & Supplementary Angles Spaghetti Activity

Math Lab (March 4th, 2018)

Lesson Preparation
Materials: pieces of uncooked spaghetti (3–5 inches in length), photocopies of Worksheet 1

Lesson Procedure
1. Review the classification of angles: acute, obtuse, right, and straight.
2. Distribute Worksheet 1 and the pieces of uncooked spaghetti (1 per student) to students.
Draw students’ attention to Worksheet 1 and the definition of complementary angles.
3. Point out that ∠RST is a right angle, so it measures 90°. Explain to students that they will be using
∠RST and the uncooked spaghetti to form complementary angles. Tell students to pick up one
piece of spaghetti and place one end on Point S, so that the spaghetti splits ∠RST into two angles,
as shown below.

4. Ask students how they know that ∠1 and∠2 are complementary angles. [The adjacent angles form
a right angle, which is 90°. So, ∠1 and ∠2 are complementary, because the sum of their measures
is 90 .° ]
5. After Question 3, ask students if there is more than one type of angle that will work in the
statement. [no]
6. Instruct students to work individually or in pairs to complete Questions 4–6 on Worksheet 1.
Monitor and assist students as needed.
7. As students work on these exercises, ask the following questions:
a. Can ∠1 be congruent to∠2? [yes]
b. Can the measure of ∠1 be less than the measure of ∠2? [yes]
c. Can the measure of ∠1 be greater than the measure of ∠2? [yes]
8. Discuss students’ answers to Question 6. Write the following sentence on the board and have
students fill in each of the blanks with acute, obtuse, or right. Point out that the varying answers
depend on whether the first angle is acute, obtuse, or right. Contrast the answers to the statement
with students’ answers to Question 3 about complementary angles.