Two straight lines are drawn perpendicular to each other in X−Y plane. If α…

2020

Two straight lines are drawn perpendicular to each other in X−Y plane. If α and β are the acute angles the straight lines make with the X- axis, then α+β is ________ .

  1. A.

    60°

  2. B.

    90°

  3. C.

    120°

  4. D.

    180°

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Correct answer: B

Key idea: if two lines are perpendicular their direction angles differ by 90°, and the acute angle a line makes with the x-axis is the smaller angle between the line and the axis.

  • Let one line make an acute angle α with the x-axis.

  • A line perpendicular to it has direction angle α±90°. The acute angle that this perpendicular line makes with the x-axis is 90°−α (because we take the smaller angle with the axis).

  • Therefore the sum of the two acute angles is α + (90° − α) = 90°.

Answer: 90°

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