1999 AMC 12 Problem 7

Attempt Problem 7 of the 1999 AMC 12 below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 1999 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

7.

What is the largest number of acute angles that a convex hexagon can have?
22
33
44
55
66
Answer: B
Concepts:angle sumbounding to limit cases
Small hint:
The exterior angles of a convex polygon sum to 360∘360^\circ
Big hint:
An acute interior angle gives an exterior angle greater than 90∘90^\circ
Solution:
Each acute interior angle corresponds to an exterior angle greater than 90∘.90^\circ. Since the exterior angles of a convex polygon sum to 360∘,360^\circ, at most three of them can exceed 90∘.90^\circ. This bound is attainable: take a hexagon with equal side lengths and exterior angles alternating 100∘100^\circ and 20∘.20^\circ. Its edge directions split into two triples 120∘120^\circ apart, so it closes, and its interior angles alternate between 80∘80^\circ and 160∘.160^\circ. Hence the largest possible number is three.
Thus, the correct answer is B.
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