DAT Math Formulas
TL;DR: The DAT Quantitative Reasoning section doesn’t give you a formula sheet, and the on-screen calculator is basic. This page lists every formula you should walk into Prometric with — slope, quadratic, area, volume, Pythagorean, percent change, trig, and statistics.
Key takeaways:
- DAT Quantitative Reasoning: 40 questions in 45 minutes.
- Basic on-screen calculator only — no scientific functions, no graphing.
- No formula reference sheet is provided.
- Content includes algebra, numerical calculations, conversions, probability/statistics, geometry, trig, and applied math.
- Average accepted dental school applicant scores 19-20 on QR; competitive scores are 22+.
Comparing Numbers Signs
Equal to \(=\)
Less than \( <\)
Greater than \(>\)
Greater than or equal \(≥\)
Less than or equal \(≤\)
Rounding
Putting a number up or down to the nearest whole number or the nearest hundred, etc.
Example: 64 rounded to the nearest ten is 60 because 64 is closer to 60 than to 70.
Whole Number
The numbers \( \{0,1,2,3,…\} \)
Estimates
Find a number close to the exact answer.
Decimals
Is a fraction written in a special form? For example, instead of writing \(\frac{1}{2}\) you can write \(0.5\).
Mixed Numbers
A number is composed of a whole number and a fraction. Example: \(2 \frac{2}{ 3}\) Converting between improper fractions and mixed numbers: \(a \frac{c}{b}=a+\frac{c}{b}= \frac{ab+ c}{b}\)
Factoring Numbers
Factor a number means breaking it up into numbers that can be multiplied together to get the original number. Example:\(12=2×2×3\)
Divisibility Rules
Divisibility means that you are able to divide a number evenly. Example: 24 is divisible by 6, because \(24÷6=4\)
Greatest Common Factor
Multiply common prime factors
Example:\( 200=2×2×2×5×5 60=2×2×3×5\)
GCF \((200,60)=2×2×5=20\)
Least Common Multiple
Check multiples of the largest number
Example: LCM (200, 60): 200 (no), 400 (no), 600 (yes!)
Integers
\( \{…,-3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3,…\} \)
Includes: zero, counting numbers, and the negative of the counting numbers
Real Numbers
All numbers that are on a number line. Integers plus fractions, decimals, and irrationals, etc.) (\(\sqrt{2},\sqrt{3},π\), etc.)
Order of Operations
PEMDAS
(parentheses/ exponents/ multiply/ divide/ add/ subtract)
Absolute Value
Refers to the distance of a number from, the distances are positive as the absolute value of a number cannot be negative. \(|-22|=22\)
or \(|x| =\begin{cases}x \ for \ x≥0 \\x \ for \ x < 0\end{cases} \)
\(|x|<n⇒-n<x<n\)
\(|x|>n⇒x<-n or x>n\)
Ratios
A ratio is a comparison of two numbers by division.
Example: \(3: 5\), or \(\frac{3}{5}\)
Percentages
Use the following formula to find part, whole, or percent
part \(=\frac{percent}{100}×whole\)
Proportional Ratios
A proportion means that two ratios are equal. It can be written in two ways:
\(\frac{a}{b}=\frac{c}{d}\), \(a: b = c: d \)
Percent of Change
\(\frac{New \ Value \ – \ Old \ Value}{Old Value}×100\%\)
Markup
Markup \(=\) selling price \(-\) cost
Markup rate \(=\) markup divided by the cost
Discount
Multiply the regular price by the rate of discount
Selling price \(=\) original price \(-\) discount
Expressions and Variables
A variable is a letter that represents unspecified numbers. One may use a variable in the same manner as all other numbers: Addition: \(2+a\): \(2\) plus a
Subtraction: \(y-3\) : \(y\) minus \(3\)
Division: \(\frac{4}{x}\) : 4 divided by x
Multiplication: \(5a\) : \(5\) times a
Tax
To find tax, multiply the tax rate by the taxable amount (income, property value, etc.)
Distributive Property
\(a(b+c)=ab+ac\)
Polynomial
\(P(x)=a_{0} x^n+ a_{1} x^{n-1}+\)⋯\(+a_{n-2} x^2+a_{n-1} x+an\)
Systems of Equations
Two or more equations working together.
example: \( \begin{cases}-2x+2y=4\\-2x+y=3\end{cases} \)
Equations
The values of the two mathematical expressions are equal.
\(ax+b=c\)
Functions
A function is a rule to go from one number (x) to another number (y), usually written \(y=f(x)\). For any given value of x, there can only be one corresponding value y. If \(y=kx\) for some number k (example: \(f(x)= 0.5 x\)), then y is said to be directly proportional to x. If y\(=\frac{k}{x }\) (example: f(x \(=\frac{5}{x}\)), then y is said to be inversely proportional to x. The graph of \(y=f(x )+k\) is the translation of the graph of \(y=f(x)\) by \((h,k)\) units in the plane. For example, \(y=f(x+3)\) shifts the graph of \(f(x)\) by 3 units to the left.
Inequalities
Says that two values are not equal
\(a≠b\) a not equal to b
\(a<b\) a less than b
\(a>b\) a greater than b
\(a≥b\) a greater than or equal b
\(a≤b\) a less than or equal b
Solving Systems of Equations by Elimination
Example: \(\cfrac{\begin{align} x+2y =6 \\ + \ \ -x+y=3 \end{align}}{}\)
\(\cfrac{ \begin{align} 3y=9 \\ y=3 \end{align} }{\begin{align} x+6=6 \\ ⇒ x=0 \end{align}} \)
Lines (Linear Functions)
Consider the line that goes through points \(A(x_{1},y_{1}) \) and \(B(x_{2},y_{2})\).
Distance from A to B:
\(\sqrt{(x_{1}-x_{2})^2+(y_{1}-y_{2})^2 }\)
Parallel and Perpendicular lines:
Have equal slopes. Perpendicular lines (i.e., those that make a \(90^° \) angle where they intersect) have negative reciprocal slopes: \(m_{1}\).\(m_{2}=-1\).
Parallel Lines (l \(\parallel\) m)
Mid-point of the segment AB:
M (\(\frac{x_{1}+x_{2}}{2}, \frac{y_{1}+y_{2}}{2}\))
Slope of the line:
\(\frac{y_{2}- y_{1}}{x_{2} – x_{1} }=\frac{rise}{run}\)
Point-slope form:
Given the slope m and a point \((x_{1},y_{1})\) on the line, the equation of the line is
\((y-y_{1})=m \ (x-x_{1})\).
Intersecting lines:
Opposite angles are equal. Also, each pair of angles along the same line add to \(180^°\). In the figure above, \(a+b=180^°\).
Slope-intercept form:
given the slope m and the y-intercept b, then the equation of the line is:
\(y=mx+b\).
Transversal: Parallel lines:
Eight angles are formed when a line crosses two parallel lines. The four big angles (a) are equal, and the four small angles (b) are equal.
Parabolas:
A parabola parallel to the y-axis is given by \(y=ax^2+bx+c\).
If \(a>0\), the parabola opens up.
If \(a<0\), the parabola opens down. The y-intercept is c, and the x-coordinate of the vertex is: \(x=-\frac{b}{2a}\).
Factoring:
“FOIL”
\((x+a)(x+b)\)
\(=x^2+(b+a)x +ab\) “Difference of Squares”
\(a^2-b^2= (a+b)(a-b)\)
\(a^2+2ab+b^2=(a+b)(a+b) \)
\(a^2-2ab+b^2=(a-b)(a-b)\) “Reverse FOIL”
\(x^2+(b+a)x+ab=\) \((x+a)(x+b)\)
You can use Reverse FOIL to factor a polynomial by thinking about two numbers a and b which add to the number in front of the x, and which multiply to give the constant. For example, to factor \(x^2+5x+6\), the numbers add to 5 and multiply to 6, i.e.: \(a=2\) and \(b=3\), so that \(x^2+5x+6=(x+2)(x+3)\). To solve a quadratic such as \(x^2+bx+c=0\), first factor the left side to get \((x+a)(x+b)=0\), then set each part in parentheses equal to zero. For example, \(x^2+4x+3= (x+3)(x+1)=0\) so that \(x=-3\) or \(x=-1\).
To solve two linear equations in x and y: use the first equation to substitute for a variable in the second. E.g., suppose \(x+y=3\) and \(4x-y=2\). The first equation gives y=3-x, so the second equation becomes \(4x-(3-x)=2 ⇒ 5x-3=2\) \(⇒ x=1,y=2\).
Exponents:
Refers to the number of times a number is multiplied by itself.
\(8 = 2 × 2 × 2 = 2^3\)
Scientific Notation:
It is a way of expressing numbers that are too big or too small to be conveniently written in decimal form.
In scientific notation all numbers are written in this form: \(m \times 10^n\)
Decimal notation:
5
\(-25,000\)
0.5
2,122.456
Scientific notation:
\(5×10^0\)
\(-2.5×10^4\)
\(5×10^{-1}\)
\(2,122456×10^3\)
Square:
The number we get after multiplying an integer (not a fraction) by itself. Example: \(2×2=4,2^2=4\)
Square Roots:
A square root of \(x\) is a number r whose square is \(x: r^2=x\)
\(r\) is a square root of \(x\)
Pythagorean Theorem:
For any right triangle with legs \(a\) and \(b\) and hypotenuse \(c\): \(a^2+b^2=c^2\)
Solving for the hypotenuse: \(c=\sqrt{a^2+b^2}\)
Solving for a leg: \(a=\sqrt{c^2-b^2}\)
Common Pythagorean triples: \(3,4,5\); \(5,12,13\); \(8,15,17\); \(7,24,25\)
Triangles
Area: \(A=\frac{1}{2}bh\) where \(b\) is the base and \(h\) is the height.
Perimeter: \(P=a+b+c\) (sum of all three sides).
Pythagorean Theorem (right triangles): \(a^2+b^2=c^2\) where \(c\) is the hypotenuse.
Sum of interior angles: \(180°\)
Right triangles:
A right triangle has one \(90°\) angle. The two sides forming the right angle are the legs; the longest side (opposite the right angle) is the hypotenuse.
Pythagorean Theorem: \(a^2+b^2=c^2\)
Area: \(A=\frac{1}{2}\,a\,b\) (where \(a\) and \(b\) are the two legs)
The two non-right angles are complementary (they add to \(90°\)).
All triangles:
Area \(=\frac{1}{2}\) b. h
Angles on the inside of any triangle add up to \(180^\circ\).
The length of one side of any triangle is always less than the sum and more than the difference between the lengths of the other two sides.
An exterior angle of any triangle is equal to the sum of the two remote interior angles. Other important triangles:
Equilateral:
These triangles have three equal sides, and all three angles are \(60^\circ\).
Isosceles:
An isosceles triangle has two equal sides. The “base” angles (the ones opposite the two sides) are equal (see the \(45^\circ\) triangle above).
Similar:
Two or more triangles are similar if they have the same shape. The corresponding angles are equal, and the corresponding sides are in proportion. For example, the \(3-4-5\) triangle and the \(6-8-10\) triangle from before are similar since their sides are in a ratio of to.
Circles
Area \(=πr^2\)
Circumference \(=2πr\)
Full circle \(=360^\circ\)
Length Of Arc \(=(n^\circ/360^\circ).2πr\)
Area Of Sector \(=(n^\circ/360^\circ).πr^2\)
Equation of the circle (above left figure): \((x-h)^2+(y-k)^2=r^2\).
Rectangles
(Square if l=w)
Area=lw
Parallelogram
(Rhombus if l=w)
Area=lh
Regular polygons are n-sided figures with all sides equal and all angles equal.
The sum of the inside angles of an n-sided regular polygon is
\((n-2).180^\circ\).
Area of a parallelogram:
\(A = bh\)
Area of a trapezoid:
\(A =\frac{1}{2} h (b_{1}+b_{2})\)
Surface Area and Volume of a Rectangular/right prism:
\(SA=ph+2B\)
\(V=Bh\)
Surface Area and Volume of a Cylinder:
\(SA =2πrh+2πr^2\)
\(V =πr^2 h \)
Surface Area and Volume of a Pyramid
\(SA=\frac{1}{2} \ ps+b\)
\(V=\frac{1}{3}\ bh\)
Surface Area and Volume of a Cone
\(SA =πrs+πr^2\)
\(V=\frac{1}{3} \ πr^2 \ h\)
Surface Area and Volume of a Sphere
\(SA =4πr^2\)
\(V =\frac{4}{3} \ πr^3\)
(p \(=\) perimeter of base B; \(π ~ 3.14 \))
Solids
Rectangular Solid
Volume =lwh
Area =2(lw+wh+lh)
Right Cylinder
Volume \(=πr^2 \ h\)
Area \(=2πr(r+h)\)
Quadratic formula:
\( x=\frac{-b±\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}\)
Simple interest:
\(I=prt\)
(I = interest, p = principal, r = rate, t = time)
mean:
mean: \(\frac{sum \ of \ the \ data}{of \ data \ entires}\)
mode:
value in the list that appears most often
range:
largest value \(-\) smallest value
Median
The middle value in the list (which must be sorted)
Example: median of
\( \{3,10,9,27,50\} = 10\)
Example: median of
\( \{3,9,10,27\}=\frac{(9+10)}{2}=9.5 \)
Sum
average \(×\) (number of terms)
Average
\( \frac{sum \ of \ terms}{number \ of \ terms}\)
Average speed
\(\frac{total \ distance}{total \ time}\)
Probability
\(\frac{number \ of \ desired \ outcomes}{number \ of \ total \ outcomes}\)
The probability of two different events A and B both happening are:
P(A and B)=p(A).p(B)
as long as the events are independent (not mutually exclusive).
Powers, Exponents, Roots
\(x^a.x^b=x^{a+b}\)
\(\frac{x^a}{x^b} = x^{a-b}\)
\(\frac{1}{x^b }= x^{-b}\)
\((x^a)^b=x^{a.b}\)
\((xy)^a= x^a.y^a\)
\(x^0=1\)
\(\sqrt{xy}=\sqrt{x}.\sqrt{y}\)
\((-1)^n=-1\), if n is odd.
\((-1)^n=+1\), if n is even.
If \(0<x<1\), then
\(0<x^3<x^2<x<\sqrt{x}<\sqrt{3x}<1\).
Interest
Simple Interest: \(I=Prt\)
where \(P\) = principal, \(r\) = annual interest rate (as a decimal), \(t\) = time in years.
Total amount: \(A=P+I=P(1+rt)\)
Compound Interest: \(A=P(1+\frac{r}{n})^{nt}\) where \(n\) is the number of times interest is compounded per year.
Simple Interest
The charge for borrowing money or the return for lending it.
Interest = principal \(×\) rate \(×\) time
OR
\(I=prt\)
Compound Interest
Interest computed on the accumulated unpaid interest as well as on the original principal.
A \(=P(1+r)^t\)
A= amount at end of time
P= principal (starting amount)
r= interest rate (change to a decimal i.e. \(50\%=0.50\))
t= number of years invested
Powers/ Exponents
\(x^a×x^b=x^{a+b}\)
\(\frac{x^a}{x^b}=x^{a-b}\)
\((x^a)^b=x^{ab}\)
\(x^0=1\)
\(x^{-a}=\frac{1}{x^a}\)
\(x^{\frac{1}{n}}=\sqrt[n]{x}\)
Positive Exponents
An exponent is simply shorthand for multiplying that number of identical factors. So \(4^3\) is the same as (4)(4)(4), three identical factors of 4. And \(x^3\) is just three factors of x, \((x)(x)(x)\).
Negative Exponents
A negative exponent means to divide by that number of factors instead of multiplying.
So \(4^{-3}\) is the same as \( \frac{1}{4^3}\) and
\(x^{-3}=\frac{1}{x^3}\)
Factorials
Factorial- the product of a number and all counting numbers below it.
8 factorial \(=8!=\)
\(8×7×6×5×4×3×2×1=40,320\)
5 factorial \(=5!=\)
\(5×4×3×2×1=120\)
2 factorial \(=2!=2× 1=2\)
Multiplying Two Powers of the SAME Base
When the bases are the same, you find the new power by just adding the exponents
\(x^a.x^b=x^{a+b }\)
Powers of Powers
For power of a power: you multiply the exponents.
\((x^a)^b=x^{(ab)}\)
Dividing Powers
\(\frac{x^a}{x^b} =x^a x^{-b}= x^{a-b}\)
The Zero Exponent
Anything to the 0 power is 1.
\(x^0= 1\)
Permutation:
When different orderings of the same items are counted separately, we have a permutation problem:
\(_{n}p_{r}=\frac{n!}{(n-1)!}\)
Combination:
The fundamental counting principle, as demonstrated above, is used any time the order of the outcomes is important. When selecting objects from a group where order is NOT important, we use the formula for COMBINATIONS:
The fundamental counting principle, as demonstrated above, is used any time the order of the outcomes is important. When selecting objects from a group where order is NOT important, we use the formula for COMBINATIONS:
\(_{n}C_{r}=\frac{n!}{r!(n-1)!}\)
The Six Trig Ratios
Values for the common angles
sin \((\theta)=\frac{opp.}{hip.}\) csc \((\theta)=\frac{hip.}{opp}\)
cos \((\theta)=\frac{adj}{hip.}\) sec\((\theta)=\frac{hip}{adj}\)
tan (\(\theta)=\frac{opp.}{adj.}\) cot(\(\theta)=\frac{adj}{opp.}\)
Trig Functions relationships:
Tan \((x)=\frac{sin(x)}{cos(x)}\)
Csc \((x)=\frac{1}{sin(x)}\)
Sec \((x)=\frac{1}{cos(x)}\)
Cot \((x)=\frac{cos(x)}{sin(x)}=\frac{1}{Tan(x)}\)
The Best Books to Ace the DAT Quantitative Reasoning Test
Recommended EffortlessMath Books
For a workbook that walks through every formula here, the DAT Quantitative Reasoning for Beginners pairs each topic with worked DAT-style examples. For complete dental admissions prep with multiple practice sections, see the DAT Math Test Prep Bundle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the DAT give a formula sheet for Quantitative Reasoning?
No. The DAT Quantitative Reasoning section does not provide a formula reference. You need every formula memorized — and since the on-screen calculator is basic (no exponents, no square roots, no trig), several formulas have to be applied by hand or via mental estimation.
What’s the slope formula?
\(m=(y_2-y_1)/(x_2-x_1)\). Slope-intercept form: \(y=mx+b\). Point-slope: \(y-y_1=m(x-x_1)\). Parallel lines have equal slopes; perpendicular lines have slopes whose product is \(-1\).
What’s the quadratic formula?
\(x=\frac{-b\pm\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}\) for \(ax^2+bx+c=0\). The discriminant \(b^2-4ac\) determines how many real roots exist (positive: two, zero: one, negative: none). Vertex form \(y=a(x-h)^2+k\) puts the vertex at \((h,k)\).
What area and volume formulas should I know?
Area: rectangle \(A=lw\), triangle \(A=\tfrac{1}{2}bh\), circle \(A=\pi r^2\), trapezoid \(A=\tfrac{1}{2}(b_1+b_2)h\). Volume: rectangular prism \(V=lwh\), cylinder \(V=\pi r^2 h\), cone \(V=\tfrac{1}{3}\pi r^2 h\), sphere \(V=\tfrac{4}{3}\pi r^3\), pyramid \(V=\tfrac{1}{3}(\text{base area})h\).
What trig do I need for the DAT?
Right-triangle ratios: \(\sin\theta=\text{opp}/\text{hyp}\), \(\cos\theta=\text{adj}/\text{hyp}\), \(\tan\theta=\text{opp}/\text{adj}\). Pythagorean identity: \(\sin^2\theta+\cos^2\theta=1\). Special triangles: 30-60-90 (sides 1:\(\sqrt{3}\):2) and 45-45-90 (sides 1:1:\(\sqrt{2}\)). Unit circle values for 0, 30, 45, 60, 90 degrees.
What probability and statistics show up?
Mean, median, mode, range, and standard deviation conceptually. Simple probability: favorable / total. Independent events: \(P(A\text{ and }B)=P(A)P(B)\). Mutually exclusive: \(P(A\text{ or }B)=P(A)+P(B)\). Permutations \(_nP_r=n!/(n-r)!\) and combinations \(_nC_r=n!/[r!(n-r)!]\).
What’s the formula for percent change?
\(\text{percent change}=\dfrac{\text{new}-\text{old}}{\text{old}}\times 100\). Compound growth: \(A=P(1+r)^t\). Decay: \(A=P(1-r)^t\). On the DAT, expect applied questions involving concentration changes, growth rates, and discount/markup chains.
What exponent and log rules do I need?
Exponents: \(x^a\cdot x^b=x^{a+b}\), \(x^a/x^b=x^{a-b}\), \((x^a)^b=x^{ab}\), \(x^{-a}=1/x^a\), \(x^{1/n}=\sqrt[n]{x}\). Logs: \(\log(ab)=\log a+\log b\), \(\log(a/b)=\log a-\log b\), \(\log(a^n)=n\log a\). Change of base: \(\log_b x=\log x/\log b\).
Is the DAT QR section computer-adaptive?
No. The DAT is fixed-form; every test-taker sees the same difficulty distribution. You can mark and revisit questions inside the 45-minute QR window. Pacing is tight — you average about 1 minute 7 seconds per question.
How should I use this list with my DAT prep?
Skim the page and flag formulas you can’t pull up cold. Pair each shaky formula with one DAT QR-style problem per day for a week or two. Then take a full timed QR practice section to confirm the formulas come back automatically when the clock is on.
Related EffortlessMath Lessons
If a topic on this page feels rusty, these short lessons go deeper:
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