Right angle facts for kids
A right angle is a special kind of angle that measures exactly 90 degrees. Imagine two straight lines crossing each other in a way that makes all four corners look exactly the same size. Each of those corners is a right angle!
You can see right angles everywhere around you. For example, the top part of the letter "T" forms a right angle with its vertical line. Also, the walls of most buildings usually meet the floor at a perfect right angle.
When two lines or surfaces meet at a right angle, we say they are "perpendicular" to each other. Another word for this is "orthogonal." In math, we sometimes use a special symbol, 
, to show that two lines are perpendicular. For example, 
means line 1 is perpendicular to line 2.
Flat surfaces, also known as planes, can also meet at right angles. Think about a room: the wall and the floor are perpendicular to each other, forming a right angle. Sometimes, a right angle is also called a "square angle" because it looks like the corner of a square.
Contents
Understanding Angles
Angles are a basic part of geometry, which is the study of shapes and spaces. An angle is formed when two lines or rays meet at a point. The size of an angle is measured in degrees.
Types of Angles
Besides right angles, there are other types of angles you might learn about:
- Acute angle: An angle that is smaller than a right angle (less than 90 degrees).
- Obtuse angle: An angle that is larger than a right angle (more than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees).
- Parallel (geometry): Lines that are always the same distance apart and never meet, even if you extend them forever. They don't form an angle with each other.
Where You See Right Angles
Right angles are super important in many areas, especially in building and design.
In Buildings and Architecture
Architects and builders use right angles all the time to make sure structures are strong and stable. If walls weren't built at right angles to the floor, buildings would be wobbly and could fall over! Think about the corners of a room, the edges of a doorframe, or the intersection of streets on a map – many of these use right angles.
In Everyday Objects
Look around your home or classroom. You'll find right angles in:
- The corners of a book or a table.
- The edges of a window or a picture frame.
- The intersection of the hands on a clock at 3:00 or 9:00.
- The corners of a computer screen or a television.
Images for kids
-
Another option of diagrammatically indicating a right angle, using an angle curve and a small dot.
In Spanish: Ángulo recto para niños
