- Definition
A right angle is a perfect square corner, like the corner of a book or a doorframe.
The corner of a square or a rectangle is a right angle because it measures exactly 90 degrees.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A right angle is like the perfect corner of a square building block or a piece of paper.
Ask your child: Where can you find a perfect square corner in this room?
Common mix-up: Kids may think the length of the lines changes the angle. The angle is the amount of turn between the lines, so a right angle is always 90 degrees no matter how long its sides are.
Examples
- The corners of a book's page are right angles.
- Where the wall meets the floor, it usually forms a right angle.
- On a clock, the hands make a right angle at 3:00 and 9:00.
right angle is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
