GMAT MATH Formulas Cheat Sheet PDF
GMAT MATH Formulas Cheat Sheet PDF
MATH FORMULAS
By Sayali Kale
(GMAT 760)
Arithmetic Formulas
[PDF]
● Integers ∊ {...-5,-4,-3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3,4,5…}
● If integer a is divisible by b, then a = nb, i.e n is a
natural number.
● a is a multiple of b; b is a divisor/factor of a.
● a = nb + q
● a = dividend
● n = quotient
● b = divisor
● q = reminder
Ex: 29 = 4*7+1
● Fractions → 𝑛2 ⇒ 𝑑 ≠ 0
n = numerator, d =denomination
With examples
● Addition and subtraction of fractions
13 14 13+14 27
5
+ 5
= 5
= 5
6 3 6−3 3
7
- 7
= 7
= 7
1 3 4+2*3 10 5
2
+ 4
= 2*4
= 8
= 4
1 3 2*3 5
2
+ 4
= 4(𝐿𝐶𝑀)
= 4
● 5 1. 7 = 0.34
𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
● Percentage change = x 100%
𝐼𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
|𝑦−𝑥|
● If x becomes y, % change =
𝑥
𝑥100%
● If y > x, % increase, else % decrease
𝑎𝑏
● Successive % change of a% and b% = (a+b+ )%
100
so, if 100 increases by 20% and then 30%, %
20𝑥30
increase = (20+30+ )=56%
100
𝑏
➔ 𝑎 = 𝑎 𝑥 𝑎 𝑥 𝑎 𝑥 ...... (𝑢𝑝𝑡𝑜 𝑏 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠)
3
➔ 5 = 5𝑥5𝑥5
3
➔ (− 5) = -5 x -5 x -5
3
➔ (0. 5) = 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5
2
● 𝑎 → 𝑎 𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑑
𝑜𝑑𝑑
● (𝑛) = Positive (if n is positive)
= Negative (if n is negative)
2
● 25 = 5 =5
𝑎1+𝑎2+......+𝑎𝑛
● Mean = Average =
𝑛
● Median is the middle number of a list when arranged in
ascending/descending order
(It is the average of the middle 2 numbers if
the number of numbers is even)
➔ 0! = 1! = 1
𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 = 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑
multiply it by ( )
18
5
by ( )
5
18
intervals is a : b
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑
𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 = 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑇𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛
𝑆1𝑇1+𝑆2𝑇2
𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 = 𝑇1+𝑇2
𝑘𝑚/ℎ𝑟
different speeds.
𝑥+𝑦
journey is
2
𝑘𝑚/ℎ𝑟
● Constant Time:
Let the distance travelled in each part of the
journey be 𝑑1, 𝑑2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑3 and so on till 𝑑𝑛 and the
t= (𝑥 × 𝑦)
where x = time taken (after meeting) by P to reach B
and y = time taken (after meeting) by Q to reach A.
● A and B started at a time towards each other. After
𝑆1 𝑇2
𝑆2
= 𝑇1
𝐿 +𝐿
= 𝑆1 + 𝑆2 (If they are going in opposite directions)
1 2
𝐿1 + 𝐿2
= (If they are going in the same directions)
|𝑆1 − 𝑆2|
1
work X does in a day is
𝑛
𝑀1𝐻1𝐷1 𝑀2𝐻2𝐷2
𝑊1
= 𝑊2
𝑥−𝑦
⟹ Rate of stream =
2
𝑘𝑚/ℎ𝑟
𝑎+𝑥 𝑎
If a > b, then <
𝑏+𝑥 𝑏
𝑎+𝑥 𝑎
If a < b, then >
𝑏+𝑥 𝑏
𝑎−𝑥 𝑎
If a > b, then >
𝑏−𝑥 𝑏
𝑎−𝑥 𝑎
If a < b, then <
𝑏−𝑥 𝑏
𝑎 𝑐
● If two ratios and are equal
𝑏 𝑑
𝑎 𝑐 𝑏 𝑑
= ⟹ = (Invertendo)
𝑏 𝑑 𝑎 𝑐
𝑎 𝑐 𝑐 𝑏
= ⟹ = (Alternendo)
𝑏 𝑑 𝑎 𝑑
𝑎 𝑐 𝑎+𝑏 𝑐+𝑑
= ⟹ = (Componendo)
𝑏 𝑑 𝑏 𝑑
𝑎 𝑐 𝑎+𝑏 𝑐+𝑑
= ⟹ = (Componendo-Dividendo)
𝑏 𝑑 𝑎−𝑏 𝑐−𝑑
𝑎 𝑐 𝑒
= = = … then each of these ratios is
𝑏 𝑑 𝑓
𝑎+𝑐+𝑒...
equal to
𝑏+𝑑+𝑓...
Sub-duplicate ratio of a : b is 𝑎 : 𝑏
1/3 1/3
Sub-triplicate ratio of a : b is 𝑎 :𝑏
Proportions :
● A proportion is defined as an equalisation of
ratios.
● As a result, if a:b = c:d is a ratio, the first and
final terms are referred to as extremes,
Variations :
● If x ∝ y and y ∝ z then x ∝ z
● If x ∝ y and x ∝ z then x ∝ (y ± z)
● If a ∝ b and x ∝ y then ax ∝ by
● Types of mixtures:
𝑄1 𝑀2 − 𝑀𝐴
𝑄2
= 𝑀𝐴 − 𝑀1
𝑄1𝑀1+𝑄2𝑀𝐴
𝑀𝐴 = 𝑄1+𝑄2
𝑎 𝑝
𝑄𝑢𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑆1 𝑀1 ⎡ 𝑎+𝑏 ⎤ +𝑀2 ⎡ 𝑝+𝑞 ⎤
⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
𝑄𝑢𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑆2
= 𝑏 𝑞
𝑀1 ⎡ 𝑎+𝑏 ⎤ +𝑀2 ⎡ 𝑝+𝑞 ⎤
⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
nth operation,
𝑎−𝑏 𝑛
Liquid A in the container = ⎡ ⎤ × Initial
⎣ 𝑎+𝑏 ⎦
Selling Price:
The price at which a product is sold is called
Selling price (S.P)
Marked Price:
The price at which an article is marked is
called Marked price (M.P)
𝐿𝑜𝑠𝑠
%Loss = × 100
𝐶.𝑃
𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡
%Discount = × 100
𝑀.𝑃
𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟
Gain% = × 100
𝑇𝑟𝑢𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒−𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟
100 − 𝐿𝑜𝑠𝑠%
S.P = ( ) C.P (If S.P < C.P)
100
100 × 𝑆.𝑃
C.P = (If S.P > C.P)
100 + 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑓𝑖𝑡%
100 × 𝑆.𝑃
C.P = (If S.P < C.P)
100 − 𝐿𝑜𝑠𝑠%
𝑦
Buy x get y free, then the %discount = ×
𝑥+𝑦
100.
𝑦
Resultant profit % or loss % = × 100
𝑥−𝑦
remains constant.
period.
● Compound Interest
𝑅 𝑁
A=P (1 + 100 )
● The Interest occurred, I = A – P
𝑅 𝑁
I=P (1 + 100 )
-P
𝑅/2 2𝑁
Amount, A = P (1 + 100)
● If the interest is compounded quarterly, then
𝑅/4 4𝑁
Amount, A = P (1 + 100)
● If interest Rate is 𝑅1% for first year, 𝑅2% for
𝑟𝑑
second year and 𝑅3% for 3 year then the
Amount,
(
A=P 1 +
𝑅1
100 )(
1+
𝑅2
100 )( 1+
𝑅3
100 )
● If a difference between C.I and S.I for certain
2
𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑝𝑎𝑙 (𝑃) = (𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝐶𝐼 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑆𝐼) * (100/𝑅)
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
➔ If
𝑚
= 𝑛
≠ 𝑝
then the slope of the two
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
➔ If
𝑚
= 𝑛
= 𝑝
then the two lines are the
topic quickly.
2
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0
−𝑏
● Sum of the roots = p+q =
𝑎
𝑐
● Product of the roots = p*q =
𝑎
● If 'c' and 'a' are equal then the roots are reciprocal
to each other.
in sign.
−𝑏
𝑥= 2𝑎
−𝐴𝑛−1
● Sum of the roots = 𝐴𝑛
𝐴𝑛−2
● Sum of roots taken two at a time = 𝐴
𝑛
−𝐴𝑛−3
● Sum of roots taken three at a time = and so
𝐴𝑛
𝑛
[(−1) 𝐴0]
on Product of the roots = 𝐴𝑛
1 𝑥
● For any real number x >1, 2⎡1 + ⎤ < 2. 8
⎣ 𝑥⎦
a+2d, a+3d…)
𝑇𝑛 = 𝑎(𝑛 + 1)𝑑
● Number of terms in
𝑛
A. P= 2 [𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚 + 𝐿𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑇𝑒𝑟𝑚]
● Properties of A.P:
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
● , , will also be in A.P
𝑘 𝑘 𝑘
ratio)
𝑛 𝑛
𝑎(1−𝑟 ) 𝑎(𝑟 −1)
Sn= 1−𝑟 (if r<1) or 𝑟−1 (if r>1)
● Properties of G.P:
𝑎
𝑆∞ = 1−𝑟
(− 1 < 𝑟 < 1)
Properties of H.P :
If a, b, c, d,…are in H.P, then
ad > bc
𝑛(𝑛+1)
=
2
𝑛(𝑛+1)(𝑛+2)
= 2
𝑛(𝑛+1) 2
= { 2 }
2
● The sum of first ‘n’ odd natural numbers = 𝑛
n(n+1)
𝑎+𝑏
mean =
2
𝑏−𝑎
● Then the common difference d =
𝑛+1
G.M = 𝑎×𝑏
● Inserting ‘n’ means between two quantities a and
b with common ratio ‘r’
2
● The final series is 𝑎, 𝑎𝑟, 𝑎𝑟
Harmonic Mean:
● If a, b, c, d,.. are the given numbers in H.P then the
Harmonic mean of
𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑠
‘n’ terms = 1 1 1
𝑎
+ 𝑏 + 𝑐 +.......
2𝑎𝑏
Harmonic Mean =
𝑎+𝑏
numbers a and b,
𝑎+𝑏
● A.M= 2
● G.M= 𝑎 * 𝑏
2𝑎𝑏
● H.M= 𝑎+𝑏
● G.M= 𝐴𝑀 * 𝐻𝑀
−𝑚 1
➔ 𝑥 = 𝑚
𝑥
( )
𝑚
𝑛 𝑚 𝑛 𝑚 𝑛
➔ 𝑥 = 𝑥 =𝑥
𝑎 𝑏
➔ 𝑥 =𝑥 ⇒ 𝑎 = 𝑏
Concurrent lines:
If three or more lines lying in the same plane
intersect at a single point then those lines are called
concurrent lines.
The three lines X, Y and Z are concurrent lines here.
2 2
D = (𝑋2 − 𝑋1) + (𝑌2 − 𝑌1)
𝑦2−𝑦1
● Slope, m=
𝑥2−𝑥1
(If 𝑥2=𝑥1then the lines are
𝑥1+𝑥2 𝑦1+𝑦2
is ( , )
2 2
i.e. 𝑚1= 𝑚2
● When two lines are perpendicular, product of their
slopes = -1 i.e, 𝑚
1
∗𝑚2 = −1
● If two intersecting lines have slopes m1 and m2 then the
angle between two lines will be
𝑚1−𝑚2
tan θ =
𝑚1𝑚2
𝐴𝑋1+ 𝐵𝑌2+ 𝐶
the line AX+BY+C = 0 is 𝑃= 2 2
𝐴 +𝐵
● Equations of a lines :
General equation of a 𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵𝑦 = 𝐶
line
Slope intercept form 𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑐
(𝑐 𝑖𝑠 𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡)
Point-slope form 𝑦 − 𝑦1 = 𝑚(𝑥 − 𝑥1)
Intercept form 𝑥 𝑦
𝑎
+ 𝑏
= 1
Two point form 𝑦−𝑦1 𝑥−𝑥1
𝑦2−𝑦1
= 𝑥2−𝑥1
● Pythagoras theorem:
In a right angled triangle ABC where
2 2 2
∠B= 90°, 𝐴𝐶 = 𝐴𝐵 + 𝐵𝐶
● Mid Point Theorem :
The line joining the midpoint of
any two sides in a triangle is
parallel to the third side and is
half the length of the third side.
If X is the midpoint of CA and Y
is the midpoint of CB.
Then XY will be parallel to AB
and XY = ½ * AB
● Cyclic Quadrilateral :
If a quadrilateral has all its vertices
on the circle and its opposite angles
are supplementary (here x+y =
180o) then that quadrilateral is
called cyclic quadrilateral. In a
cyclic quadrilateral the opposite
angles are supplementary.
Exterior angle is equal to its remote interior
opposite angle. (here ∠CBX = ∠ADC)
Area of a triangle:
(𝑎+𝑏+𝑐)
● A = 𝑠(𝑠 − 𝑎)(𝑠 − 𝑏)(𝑠 − 𝑐) where s =
2
1
● A=
2
* 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 * 𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒
1
● A=
2
* 𝑎𝑏 * 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐶 (C is the angle formed
𝑎𝑏𝑐
● A= where R is the circumradius
4𝑅
Special triangles :
0 0 0
● 30 , 60 , 90
0 0 0
● 45 , 45 , 90
2∠ACB = ∠AOB
The angle inscribed by the two points lying on the circle,
at the center of the circle, is twice the angle inscribed at
any point on the circle by the same points.
diagonals
● In a regular polygon of n sides, each exterior
360
angle is degrees.
𝑛
Triangles 1
* 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 * ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡
2
Trapezoid 1
* 𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑠 * ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡
2
Circle π * 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠
2
Rhombus 1
* 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑠
2
Square 2
𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑜𝑟
1
𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑠
2
2
Kite 1
* 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑠
2
Pyramid 1
3
* 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 * ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡
Cone 1 2
3
* π𝑟 * ℎ
Cone Frustum (If R is the 2 2
1
base radius, r is the upper
3
* π(𝑅 + 𝑅𝑟 + 𝑟 )
surface radius and h is the
height of the frustum)
Sphere 4
*π * 𝑟
3
3
Hemi-sphere 2
π𝑟
3
3
Pyramid 1
* 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 *
2
𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 + 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒
Cone (l is the slant π𝑟(𝑙 + 𝑟)
height)
Cone Frustum (where R & r are 2 2
the radii of the base faces and l π𝑟(𝑅 + 𝑟 + 𝑅𝑙 + 𝑟𝑙)
is the slant height)
Sphere 4π𝑟
2
Hemi-sphere 3π𝑟
2
Cube 4 * 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ
2
Cylinder 2π𝑟ℎ
Pyramid 1
* 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 *
2
𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡