Verified answer

Let x = the number of degrees in one angle.

The other angle is almost three times bigger (3x) -- it is 2° less than 3x. So it's 3x - 2.

Since these angles are complements, they add up to 90°

x + 3x - 2 = 90

Combine like terms

4x - 2 = 90

Add 2 to both sides

4x = 92

Divide both sides by 4

x = 23

So one angle is 23°

The other is 3x - 2

3 (23) - 2

69 - 2

67°

CHECK:

Together they should add to 90°

23 + 67 = 90

ANSWER: The angles are 23° and 67°

Two angles are complementary. One angle is 2° less than three times the other. Find the angles.

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Let x be one angle.

90 - x is its complement

x = 3( 90 - x ) -2

x = 270 - 3x -2

4x = 268

x = 67

90 - x = 23

The angles have measures 67 and 23.