Question

An angle measures 42° less than the measure of a complementary angle. What is the measure of each angle?

Answer 1

Complimentary angles add to 90 degrees.  So if you have an angle, x, and another angle, x - 42, they should add together to equal 90...

x + x-42 = 90
2x - 42 = 90
2x = 132
x = 66 degrees (1st angle)

66 - 42 = 24 degrees (2nd angle)

 *Check  66 + 24 = 90  :)

Answer 2

Complementary angles will add up to 90 degrees.
Let X = one of the angles
Let X - 42 = the other angle
X + X - 42 = 90
2X - 42 = 90
2X = 132
X = 66
X - 42 = 24
Check 66 + 24 = 90