YOUR ALEKS STUDY COMPANION
The Ultimate ALEKS Math Formula Cheat Sheet
TL;DR: Every formula you should know for the ALEKS Math Placement test. ALEKS is adaptive and doesn't provide a reference sheet. You need these locked in cold before you sit for the test if you want to place into a college math course.

TL;DR: Every formula you should know for the ALEKS Math Placement test. ALEKS is adaptive and doesn’t provide a reference sheet. You need these locked in cold before you sit for the test if you want to place into a college math course.
Quick answer: This ALEKS cheat sheet puts the formulas that matter most for the ALEKS PPL math placement assessment on one page: lines and slope, exponents, factoring, the quadratic formula, percents, and area and volume. Use it to study before you test, not during. ALEKS does not give you a formula sheet, so the aim is to know these by heart.
Need each formula explained with a worked example? See the full ALEKS math formulas reference.
Key takeaways:
- ALEKS is adaptive; sessions usually run 60-90 minutes (up to 3 hours allowed).
- ALEKS does NOT provide a formula reference sheet.
- ALEKS provides an on-screen calculator on questions where the system decides one is needed.
- Scores: 0-100; placement cutoffs vary by college and target course.
- Memorize algebra, geometry, and trig formulas before your first attempt.
Factoring Numbers
Factor a number means breaking it up into numbers that can be multiplied together to get the original number. Example:\(12=2ร2ร3\)
Integers
\( \{โฆ,-3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3,โฆ\} \)
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.) (\(\sqrt{2},\sqrt{3},ฯ\), 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 \(|x| =\begin{cases}x \ for \ xโฅ0 \\x \ for \ x < 0\end{cases} \)
\(|x|<nโ-n<x<n\)
\(|x|>nโx<-n or x>n\)
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 \(=\frac{percent}{100}รwhole\)
Proportional Ratios
A proportion means that two ratios are equal. It can be written in two ways:
\(\frac{a}{b}=\frac{c}{d}\), \(a: b = c: d ย \)
Percent of Change
\(\frac{New \ Value \ – \ Old \ Value}{Old Value}ร100\%\)
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
Distributive Property
\(a(b+c)=ab+ac\)
Equations
The values of the two mathematical expressions are equal.
\(ax+b=c\)
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 \(90^ยฐ \) 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
\((y-y_{1})=m \ (x-x_{1})\).
Slope-intercept form:
given the slope m and the y-intercept b, then the equation of the line is:
\(y=mx+b\).
Factoring:
โFOILโ
\((x+a)(x+b)\)
\(=x^2+(b+a)x +ab\) โDifference of Squaresโ
\(a^2-b^2= (a+b)(a-b)\)
\(a^2+2ab+b^2=(a+b)(a+b) \)
\(a^2-2ab+b^2=(a-b)(a-b)\) โReverse FOILโ
\(x^2+(b+a)x+ab=\) \((x+a)(x+b)\)
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 \(4x-(3-x)=2 โ 5x-3=2\) \(โ x=1,y=2\).
Exponents:
Refers to the number of times a number is multiplied by itself.
\(8 = 2 ร 2 ร 2 = 2^3\)
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:
\(5ร10^0\)
\(-2.5ร10^4\)
\(5ร10^{-1}\)
(2.122456ร10^3)
Square:
The number we get after multiplying an integer (not a fraction) by itself. Example: \(2ร2=4,2^2=4\)
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: \(180ยฐ\)
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 โbaseโ angles (the ones opposite the two sides) are equal (see the \(45^\circ\) triangle above).
Circles

Area \(=ฯr^2\)
Circumference \(=2ฯr\)
Full circle \(=360^\circ\)
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
\((n-2).180^\circ\).
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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:
\(SA =2ฯrh+2ฯr^2\)
\(V =ฯr^2 h ย \)
Surface Area and Volume of a Cone
\(SA =ฯrs+ฯr^2\)
\(V=\frac{1}{3} \ ฯr^2 \ h\)
Surface Area and Volume of a Sphere
\(SA =4ฯr^2\)
\(V =\frac{4}{3} \ ฯr^3\)
(p \(=\) perimeter of base B; \(ฯ ~ 3.14 \))
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
\( \{3,9,10,27\}=\frac{(9+10)}{2}=9.5ย \)
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, meaning one does not change the chance of the other. (For mutually exclusive events, P(A and B) = 0.)
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 < xยณ < xยฒ < x < โx < โx < 1.
Simple Interest
The charge for borrowing money or the return for lending it.
Interest = principal \(ร\) rate \(ร\) time
OR
\(I=prt\)
Powers/ Exponents
\(x^aรx^b=x^{a+b}\)
\(\frac{x^a}{x^b}=x^{a-b}\)
\((x^a)^b=x^{ab}\)
\(x^0=1\)
\(x^{-a}=\frac{1}{x^a}\)
\(x^{\frac{1}{n}}=\sqrt[n]{x}\)
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 \(=8!=\)
\(8ร7ร6ร5ร4ร3ร2ร1=40,320\)
5 factorial \(=5!=\)
\(5ร4ร3ร2ร1=120\)
2 factorial \(=2!=2ร 1=2\)
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.
\(x^0= 1\)
The Best Study Guide for the ALEKS Math Test
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The Best Books to Ace the ALEKS Math Test
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Recommended EffortlessMath Books
For a full workbook that builds on every formula here, the ALEKS Math for Beginners (resource currently unavailable) walks through each topic with worked examples and adaptive-style practice. For complete placement prep with multiple practice tests, see the ALEKS Math Test Prep Bundle (resource currently unavailable).
One-page ALEKS formula sheet
| Topic | Formula |
|---|---|
| Slope | m = (yโ โ yโ) รท (xโ โ xโ) |
| Line equations | y = mx + b and y โ yโ = m(x โ xโ) |
| Distance | d = โ((xโ โ xโ)ยฒ + (yโ โ yโ)ยฒ) |
| Quadratic formula | x = (โb ยฑ โ(bยฒ โ 4ac)) รท 2a |
| Difference of squares | aยฒ โ bยฒ = (a + b)(a โ b) |
| Exponent rules | xแต ยท xแต = xแตโบแต, (xแต)แต = xแตแต, xโฐ = 1, xโปโฟ = 1 รท xโฟ |
| Logs | log(ab) = log a + log b, log(aโฟ) = n log a |
| Percent change | (new โ old) รท old ร 100% |
| Simple interest | I = Prt |
| Circle | A = ฯrยฒ, C = 2ฯr |
| Pythagorean theorem | aยฒ + bยฒ = cยฒ |
| Cylinder volume | V = ฯrยฒh |
A straight answer about ALEKS “cheats” and “hacks”
ALEKS PPL is a placement assessment of up to about 30 questions, scored from 0 to 100. Many schools require a proctored attempt, either in a testing center or online with a lockdown browser and webcam. An on-screen calculator appears only on questions that call for one. Rules differ by school, so check yours.
Getting outside help would break those rules, and it would also place you in a class you are not ready for. The approach that actually works: take your first attempt honestly, spend time in the Prep and Learning Modules on the topics you missed, review this sheet, and then retest if your school allows it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an ALEKS formula sheet PDF?
ALEKS PPL does not provide an official formula sheet, so you need to know the formulas by heart. You can print or save the one-page ALEKS formula sheet here as a study PDF, covering slope, exponents, factoring, the quadratic formula, percents, and area and volume. Use it to study before the test, then quiz yourself without it.
Does ALEKS have a calculator?
ALEKS shows an on-screen calculator only on questions where the system decides one is appropriate, and personal calculators are generally not allowed during proctored attempts. Many questions must be done by hand, so practice skills like simplifying fractions and exponents without a calculator. For example, 2/3 รท 4/9 = 2/3 ร 9/4 = 18/12 = 3/2.
What is on the ALEKS math placement test?
The ALEKS PPL math placement test asks up to about 30 adaptive questions, from arithmetic and percents through linear equations, functions, factoring, quadratics, exponents and logarithms, and some geometry and trigonometry. Many students finish in 60 to 90 minutes. Your score from 0 to 100 shows right away and helps your college place you in a math course.
How does the ALEKS math score chart work?
ALEKS PPL scores run from 0 to 100, and each college sets its own score ranges for each course, so a chart from one school will not match another. Higher scores place you into higher courses, such as college algebra, precalculus or calculus. Check your college’s placement page for its exact cutoffs before deciding whether to retest.
Is there an ALEKS test study guide?
Yes. A good ALEKS study plan starts with the formula sheet here, then a practice attempt. After your first attempt, ALEKS opens Prep and Learning Modules for the topics you missed. Work through those topics, review the matching formulas, such as the quadratic formula and exponent rules, and then retake the assessment if your school allows it.
Related EffortlessMath Lessons
If a topic on this page feels rusty, these short lessons go deeper:
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