ISEE Middle Level Math Formulas

ISEE Middle Level Math Formulas

Every formula you need for the ISEE Middle Level math sections, Quantitative Reasoning and Math Achievement, collected in one cheat sheet. The ISEE gives no reference page on test day, so memorize these before you sit down.

Key takeaways:

  • The ISEE Middle Level has two math sections: Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematics Achievement.
  • No calculator is allowed on any ISEE section.
  • Designed for students applying to grades 7 or 8 at private schools.
  • Mathematics Achievement aligns with grade-level curriculum; Quantitative Reasoning tests problem solving.
  • There’s no reference sheet, every formula has to be memorized.

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

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.

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: \(180°\)

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: \(180°\)

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

Circ 1

Area \(=πr^2\)
Circumference \(=2πr\)
Full circle \(=360^\circ\)

Rectangles

H 2

(Square if l=w)
Area=lw

Jk

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
\((n-2).180^\circ\).

Original price was: $109.99.Current price is: $54.99.

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

Cube

Rectangular Solid
Volume =lwh
Area =2(lw+wh+lh)

Cylinder

Right Cylinder
Volume \(=πr^2 \ h\)
Area \(=2πr(r+h)\)

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 is:
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
\(I=prt\)

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 the power of 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 the 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 an order is NOT important, we use the formula for COMBINATIONS:
\(_{n}C_{r}=\frac{n!}{r!(n-1)!}\)

The Best Books to Ace the ISEE Middle Level Math Test

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Recommended EffortlessMath Books

For a workbook that covers every Middle Level ISEE topic, the ISEE Middle Level Math for Beginners walks through each formula with worked examples. For complete prep with multiple practice tests, see the ISEE Middle Level Math Test Prep Bundle.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ISEE Middle Level test?

The ISEE Middle Level is an admissions test for students currently in grades 6 and 7 who are applying to grades 7 and 8 at independent and private schools. It has Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension and Mathematics Achievement sections, plus an essay that is sent to schools unscored. Two of the sections are math, and no calculator is allowed anywhere on the test.

What is the ISEE Middle Level math section like?

ISEE Middle Level math comes in two sections. Quantitative Reasoning has 37 questions in 35 minutes and focuses on reasoning, with word problems and quantitative comparisons. Mathematics Achievement has 47 questions in 40 minutes and looks more like a regular school math test. Since no formula sheet is given, know area, perimeter, volume, percent and ratio rules by heart, such as trapezoid area = ½(b₁ + b₂)h.

What math topics are on the ISEE Middle Level?

Expect whole numbers, fractions, decimals and percents; ratios, rates and proportions; expressions and simple equations; geometry such as angles, area, perimeter and volume; measurement; and data, graphs and basic probability. A typical item: if 3 notebooks cost $4.50, how much do 7 cost? The unit price is $4.50 ÷ 3 = $1.50, so 7 notebooks cost $10.50.

Is there an ISEE Middle Level practice test PDF with answers?

Yes. ERB, the organization that runs the ISEE, offers an official practice guide, and Effortless Math has ISEE Middle Level math practice tests with answers. For the most realistic practice, time yourself at 35 minutes for Quantitative Reasoning and 40 minutes for Mathematics Achievement, work without a calculator, and review every missed question to find the formula or skill behind it.

Related EffortlessMath Lessons

If a topic on this page feels rusty, these short lessons go deeper:

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