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Measuring Angles with a Protractor

  • Grade 4
  • Mathematics
  • 4.MD.C.6
  • Measurement & Data
  • Free lesson

Aligned to 4.MD.C.6 — Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

What this lesson teaches

A protractor measures angles in degrees. Put its center point on the vertex and line up one ray with the zero line. Read where the other ray crosses the scale. Start from zero and count up to the correct number.

Worked examples

Example 1

Place the protractor center on the vertex and line up the bottom ray with 0. The top ray crosses the scale at 60. So the angle measures 60 degrees. To draw a 45 degree angle, mark a point at 45 on the scale and draw a ray from the vertex through it.

Example 2

A protractor has two scales, one counting up from each side. Use the one that starts at 0 on your bottom ray, or a 40-degree angle reads as 140.

Example 3

To draw a 110-degree angle, draw one ray, put the protractor's center on its endpoint, mark 110 on the correct scale, and join the two points.

Practice questions

  1. An angle's ray crosses the protractor scale at 30. What is its measure?
  2. Explain in your own words where to place the protractor's center.
  3. Sketch an angle that measures about 90 degrees and label it.

Watch the lesson

Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.

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En español

Medir ángulos con transportador

Un transportador mide ángulos en grados. Coloca su punto central sobre el vértice y alinea un rayo con la línea del cero. Lee dónde el otro rayo cruza la escala. Empieza desde cero y cuenta hasta el número correcto.

Ejemplo 1: Coloca el centro del transportador sobre el vértice y alinea el rayo de abajo con el 0. El rayo de arriba cruza la escala en 60. Entonces el ángulo mide 60 grados. Para dibujar un ángulo de 45 grados, marca un punto en el 45 de la escala y traza un rayo desde el vértice pasando por él.

Ejemplo 2: Un transportador tiene dos escalas, una que cuenta desde cada lado. Usa la que empieza en 0 sobre tu rayo de abajo, o un ángulo de 40 grados se leerá como 140.

Ejemplo 3: Para dibujar un ángulo de 110 grados, traza un rayo, pon el centro del transportador en su extremo, marca 110 en la escala correcta y une los dos puntos.

More Measurement & Data lessons

Measurement, Conversion, and Line Plots4.MD.A.1Word Problems with Time, Money, and Measures4.MD.A.2Area and Perimeter of Rectangles4.MD.A.3Line Plots with Fractions4.MD.B.4What Is an Angle?4.MD.C.5Adding and Subtracting Angles4.MD.C.7

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