Angle between Two Lines

Inclination
The Inclination of a non-horizontal line is the
positive angle theta measured counterclockwise
from the x-axis to the line.

Acute angle Obtuse angle

 Slope of the Line

𝑦2 − 𝑦1
𝑚= or 𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑏
𝑥2 − 𝑥1

The slope of the line is the tangent of inclination.

𝑚 = tan 𝜃
where:
𝜃 is the inclination of the line
 Exterior Angle Theorem

An exterior angle of a triangle

is equal to the sum of the two
b opposite interior angles.
c a 𝑎 =𝑏+𝑐
Difference Formula for the Tangent Function

tan(𝑥 − 𝑦) = ? ? ? ?

tan 𝑥 − tan 𝑦
tan(𝑥 − 𝑦) =
1 + tan 𝑥 tan 𝑦
 Angle between two lines
𝑙2
𝜃2 = 𝜑 + 𝜃1
𝑙1
𝜑 = 𝜃2 − 𝜃1
tan 𝜑 = tan (𝜃2 −𝜃1 )
tan 𝜃2 − tan 𝜃1
𝜑 tan 𝜑 =
1 + tan 𝜃2 tan 𝜃1
𝜃2
𝜃1 𝑚2 − 𝑚1
tan 𝜑 =
Note: 1 + 𝑚2 𝑚1
𝑚1 = tan 𝜃1
𝑚2 = tan 𝜃2
 Angle between two lines
Let:
𝑚1 = 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒 1 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒
𝑚2 = 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒 2 (𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒)
𝑚2 − 𝑚1
tan 𝜑 =
1 + 𝑚2 𝑚1

Note that:
𝜑 must be in counter clockwise direction!
Example 1:
Determine the measure of the acute angle determined
by the lines 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 5 and 𝑦 = 6𝑥 − 2.
𝑙2 𝑙1
𝑙2 : 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 5 𝑦 = −𝑥 + 5 𝒎𝟐 = −𝟏
𝑙1 : 𝑦 = 6𝑥 − 2 𝑦 = 6𝑥 − 2 𝒎𝟏 = 𝟔
𝑚2 − 𝑚1
𝜑 tan 𝜑 = Therefore,
1 + 𝑚2 𝑚1
−1
7
−1 − (6) 𝜑 = tan
tan 𝜑 = 5
1 + (−1)(6)
𝝋 ≈ 𝟓𝟒. 𝟒𝟔°
−7
tan 𝜑 =
1−6
7
tan 𝜑 =
5
Example 2:
Determine the measure of the obtuse
angle formed by the line that passes through
the points −1,0 and (2, −2) and the line
that passes through (0,0) and (1, −2) .
Example 2: −1,0 and (2, −2) ; (0,0) and
(1, −2) ; obtuse angle
−2 − 0 2
𝑙1 : −1,0 and (2, −2) 𝑚1 = =−
2 − (−1) 3
𝑙2
−2 − 0
𝑙2 : 0,0 and (1, −2) 𝑚2 = = −2
1 − (0)
𝑚2 − 𝑚1
tan 𝜑 =
𝜑 1 + 𝑚2 𝑚1
`
2 4
−2 − − − 4
tan 𝜑 = 3 = 3 =−
2 7 7
1 + −2 − 3
3
𝑙1 4
𝜑 = tan −1 − ≈ 𝟏𝟓𝟎. 𝟐𝟔°
7
Exercises:
1. If A (-2, 1), B (2, 3) and C (-2, -4) are three points,
find the acute angle between the straight lines AB
and BC.
2. Find the obtuse angle between the lines 7𝑥 − 4𝑦 =
0 and 3𝑥 − 11𝑦 + 5 = 0.
3. Find the interior angles of the triangle with vertices
2, −5 , 6,2 and (4,1).
4. Find the interior angles of the triangle bounded by
the lines 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 3, 2𝑥 − 𝑦 = 2 and 3𝑦 + 𝑥 = −2.