YOUR SAT STUDY COMPANION
The Ultimate SAT Math Formula Cheat Sheet
TL;DR: The digital SAT shows 12 reference formulas inside the test app, but you still need to memorize quadratic, slope, exponent rules, and trig identities. This cheat sheet covers both.

TL;DR: The digital SAT shows 12 reference formulas inside the test app, but you still need to memorize quadratic, slope, exponent rules, and trig identities. This cheat sheet covers both.
Key takeaways:
- The digital SAT Math section is 70 minutes total across two modules of 22 questions each.
- An on-screen Desmos calculator is allowed on the entire math section.
- The built-in reference sheet shows 12 geometry formulas including area, volume, and the special right triangles.
- The reference sheet does NOT include the quadratic formula, slope, midpoint, or trig identities.
- Test scoring goes from 200 to 800 on the math section.
The SAT Math section is one of those tests where knowing the formulas isn’t enough. You have to know them so well that you can pull them up while a clock is ticking and a hard word problem is staring back at you. That kind of speed only comes from spending real time with the formulas before test day.
This page is the working formula reference I give my SAT students at the start of every prep season. Every formula below shows up on the real test, written in the same notation the College Board uses. Nothing fluffy, nothing you’ll never see again.
Here’s how I’d suggest using it: skim it once, top to bottom, the way you’d skim a menu. Then go back to the formulas that made you hesitate even a little. Those are the ones you don’t really know yet. Spend ten focused minutes on those, walk away, come back tomorrow, and do it again. After about a week, the hesitations disappear.
The SAT Math Formula Cheat Sheet
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)
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 (0) on the number line. 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 < 0end{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%)
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^° ) 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}))
The slope of the line:
The slope between two points ((x_1,y_1)) and ((x_2,y_2)): (m=frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1})
Slope-intercept form: (y=mx+b)
Point-slope form: (y-y_1=m(x-x_1))
Parallel lines have equal slopes. Perpendicular lines have slopes whose product is (-1).
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:
“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°)
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).
Circles
Area (=πr^2)
Circumference (=2πr)
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).
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 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 ))
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 )
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).
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)
College Entrance Tests

The Best Books to Ace the SAT Math Test
A Few Tutoring Notes Before You Practice
The SAT does give you a reference sheet at the start of the Math section. It includes the basic area and volume formulas, the special right triangles, and a few others, but that’s it. Everything related to algebra, exponents, functions, statistics, and trigonometry has to be in your head.
A trick that works well for SAT prep: pair each formula with a problem type. Quadratic formula? Pair it with “when factoring doesn’t work cleanly.” Slope-intercept form? Pair it with “any time they give you two points.” That mental link is what turns a formula from something you’ve memorized into something you can use under pressure.
And don’t underestimate the simple stuff. Percent-of-change comes up constantly. So do ratios and proportions. The exotic formulas (vertex form, completing the square) appear maybe once per test. The basic ones appear in nearly every section.
Books That Go With This Cheat Sheet
If you want the long-form, step-by-step version of everything on this sheet, SAT Math for Beginners is what I’d hand you. It explains each formula with worked examples and gives you short practice sets so the formulas actually stick, not just sit on a page.
If you’re closer to test day and want a complete prep package, the textbook, the workbook, and full-length practice tests in one bundle, take a look at the SAT Math Test Prep in 30 Days (resource currently unavailable). It maps the SAT formulas to a daily plan so you’re never guessing what to study next.
Frequently Asked Questions About SAT Math Formulas
Does the SAT provide math formulas?
Yes. The digital SAT includes a reference sheet in the Bluebook testing app with 12 geometry formulas, such as the area of a circle, the Pythagorean theorem, the special right triangles and volumes of common solids. It also notes that a circle has 360 degrees (2π radians) and a triangle’s angles add to 180°. Knowing these by heart still saves time, because opening the sheet mid-module costs seconds.
What SAT math formulas are not on the reference sheet?
The reference sheet leaves out the quadratic formula, slope and slope-intercept form, the distance and midpoint formulas, the equation of a circle, exponent rules, and the SOHCAHTOA trig ratios. Percent change and averages aren’t there either. For example, the slope between (1, 2) and (4, 11) is (11 − 2) ÷ (4 − 1) = 3, and nothing on screen will give you that formula.
Is there a digital SAT math formula cheat sheet?
The official on-screen reference sheet is the only formula sheet allowed during the digital SAT; you can’t bring your own. A study cheat sheet for the digital SAT should add what’s missing, such as the circle equation (x − h)² + (y − k)² = r² and vertex form of a parabola, plus notes on using Desmos, like graphing two lines to see where a system of equations intersects.
Is there an SAT math formula cheat sheet PDF?
Yes, you can print an SAT math formula cheat sheet as a PDF to study from. A printed copy works well for spaced review: read through it, then cover each formula and write it from memory. Mark the ones you hesitate on, like the discriminant b² − 4ac, which tells you how many real solutions a quadratic has, and come back to those the next day.
What SAT math formulas should I know?
Know linear equations (y = mx + b and slope), systems of equations, the quadratic formula x = (−b ± √(b² − 4ac)) ÷ 2a, exponent rules, percent change, mean and median, and basic trig such as sin = opposite/hypotenuse. Also remember that similar triangles have proportional sides. Algebra and advanced math make up most of the section, so lines and quadratics deserve the most practice.
How do I make a math cheat sheet for the SAT?
Organize it by the four SAT math areas: algebra, advanced math, problem-solving and data analysis, and geometry and trigonometry. Under each, write the formula, when to use it and one tiny example, such as: 30 is what percent of 120? 30 ÷ 120 = 0.25 = 25%. Leave off the 12 formulas already on the official reference sheet so your sheet focuses on what you must memorize.
Related EffortlessMath Lessons
If a formula on this cheat sheet feels shaky, work through one of these short lessons before you tackle a full-length practice test:
- How to use the quadratic formula
- How to find the slope of a line
- How to use the Pythagorean theorem
- Distance and midpoint formulas
- Rules of exponents
- Digital SAT Math practice test (PDF with answers)
One More Thing, A Note for the Anxious Test-Taker
If you’re reading this with your test date already on the calendar and your stomach in knots, I want you to know that almost every student I work with feels exactly the way you do right now. Test anxiety isn’t a sign you’re not ready; it’s a sign you care. The formulas above are your toolkit, and the more you practice with them, even five minutes at a time, the more they become friends instead of strangers. You’ve got this.
Official source: what the SAT covers, how it is structured and how it is scored are published by the College Board, which writes and administers the test, at satsuite.collegeboard.org.
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