SAT MATH FORMULAS

These formulas are provided in the reference information at the beginning of each SAT math section:

Area of a Circle: A = π r2 Volume of a Rectangular Prism (Box): V = lwh

Circumference of a Circle: C = 2π r Volume of a Cylindar: V = π r 2h

Area of a Rectangle: A = lw 4 3
Volume of a Sphere: V = πr
1 3
Area of a Triangle: A = bh
2 1 2
Volume of a Cone: V = πr h
3
Pythagorean Theorem: a2 + b 2 =
c2
Special Right Triangles: 1
Volume of a Pyramid: V = lwh
3

Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages: (for this section, r is the percent in decimal form)

part Increase by a percent: multiply by (1 + r )

Fraction =
whole
Decrease by a percent: multiply by (1 − r )
part
percent = Simple Interest: =
A P(1 + rt )
100
Interest Compounded Annually: =
A P(1 + r ) t
Percent Increase or Decrease:
old − new Interest Compounded n times per year:
×100%
old  r
nt

=
A P 1 + 
 n

Rates, Ratios, and Proportions:

General form of a conversion factor: Concentration of A x Volume of A

 ending _ units  + Concentration of B x Volume of B
 starting _ units  = Final concentration (Vol. of A + Vol. of B)
 
Distance = Rate x Time
 12inches 
Example: 10feet   = 120inches
 1foot 
Exponents, Roots, & Polynomials:

Multiplication Rule for Exponents: ab + c

ab ⋅ a c = −b 1
Negative Exponents: a =
ab
ab
Division Rule for Exponents: = ab − c
( a)
c b
a b
Fractional Exponents: a = a or c c b c

(a )
c
Power Rule for Exponents:
b
= abc
i 2 = −1 ; i 3 = −i ; i 4 = 1
i 4 n = 1 ; i 4 n+1 = i ; i 4 n+2 = −1 ; i 4 n+3 = −i
Parabolas:

Standard Form: f ( x ) = ax + bx + c ; Discriminant = b − 4 ac ; Pos=2 real roots Zero=

2 2

1 real root; Neg=2 imaginary roots

 b  b 
vertex=  − ,f  −   ; Factored Form: f ( x ) =a( x − m)( x − n) ;
 2a  2a  
x-intercepts are m and n;
y-intercept = c;
m+n
x-coordinate of vertex =
−b ± b2 − 4ac 2
x-intercepts =
2a
Vertex Form: f ( x ) = a( x − h) + k ;
2

−b
Sum of solutions =
a vertex = (h, k )

Difference of Squares: a − b =(a + b)(a − b)

2 2

( ) ( )
2 2
Perfect Square Trinomial: a + 2ab + b = a + b and a − 2ab + b = a − b
2 2 2 2

2 2
b  b
Completing the Square: x + bx +   =  x + 
2

2  2
Graphing Lines:

y 2 − y1 Standard Form: Ax + By =
C
Slope Formula: m =
x2 − x1
Slope-Intercept Form:=
y mx + b
Slope of horizontal line = 0
Point-Slope Form: y − y1 = m( x − x1 )
Slope of vertical line = undefined
Distance Formula: d= ( x2 − x1 )2 + (y 2 − y1 )2

 x1 + x2 y1 + y 2 
Midpoint Formula: M =  ,
 2 2 
Parallel lines: equal slopes

⊥ Lines: slopes are opposite reciprocals

Data and Probability:

sum _ of _ items =
range max imum − minimum
average =
number _ of _ items
desired _ outcomes
probability =
median = middle _ number possible _ outcomes
Angles:

Vertical ∠’ s are ≅ ∠’ s that form a circle add up to 360°

∠’s that form a linear pair are supplementary (add When ∥ lines are cut by a transversal, all acute ∠’ s
up to 180°) are ≅ and all obtuse ∠’ s are ≅

Triangles:

The three ∠’ s of a ∆ add up to 180° Pythagorean Triples: 3-4-5 and 5-12-13

An exterior ∠ is equal to the sum of the two

remote interior ∠’ s

Circles:

A radius and tangent make a right ∠ A central ∠ is double the inscribed ∠

x arc x sec tor

= and = where x = central angle
360 circumference 360 area _ of _ circle

Formula for a Circle: ( x − h) + (y − k ) =

2 2 2
r , where (h,k) is the center and r is the radius
Polygons: (for this section, n is the number of sides)

1 One interior angle of a regular polygon:

Area of a trapezoid: (b1 + b2 )h 180(n − 2)
2
n
Sum of the interior angles: 180(n − 2)

Sum of the exterior angles: 360°

Properties of Parallelograms:

1. Opp sides are ∥ and ≅ 5. Diagonals bisect each other

2. Opp ∠’ s are ≅ If they are ≅ it is a rectangle

3. Consec ∠’s are supplementary If they are ⊥ it is a rhombus

4. Each diagonal forms a pair of ≅∆’s 6. = base × height

Area
Trigonometry:

opp adj opp

sin = cos = tan = 360°=2π radians
hyp hyp adj

=
sin( x ) cos(90 − x ) The sine of an ∠ is equal to the cosine of its complement.
Parent Graphs & Transformations:

y=x y= x y = x2 y = x3 y = ax y= x

Transformation Visual effect

f (x) + k Shift up by k units
f (x) − k Shift down by k units
f ( x + h) Shift left by h units
f ( x − h) Shift right by h units
−f ( x ) Reflect over the x axis (flip upside down)
cf ( x ) Stretch vertically by a factor of c (becomes skinnier)

1 Shrink vertically by a factor of c (becomes fatter)

f (x)
c