TERMINOLOGY

MEDIAN- The middle # when the #s are listed in ORDER. If 2 #s are in the
middle then average them
1 3 5 6 (median is 4)

MODE- The most frequently occurring #

EXP 1 3 5 6 9 5 4 (mode is 5)

MEAN – The average of the terms

RECIPROCAL – Inverese
A number that u multiply by to get one
Exp. 3 = ⅓

RECIPROCAL FRACTION
Exp. Reciprocal of X = 1 / (X/Y) = Y/X
Y
NEGATIVE RECIPROCALS— Flip and negate it = inverse negative
EXP. 3= - ⅓
 NUMBERS TO KNOW

0 is not negative or positive but it is EVEN

Pythagorean Triplets (3,4,5) (5,12,13)

Also look for (6,8, 10) (9, 12, 15)

SQUARE YARDS
1 square yard = 9 feet

KNOW POWERS OF 2
2^0 = 1 2^6= 64
2^1=2 2^7=128
2^2= 4 2^8=256
2^3=8 2^9=512
2^4=16 2^10=1024
2^5=32 2^11=2048

PRIME NUMBERS : MEMORIZE UP TO 20

2 23 61
3 29 67
5 31 71
7 37 73
11 41 79
13 43 83
17 47 89
19 53 97
PRIME NUMBERS : MEMORIZE UP TO 20
2 23 61
3 29 67
5 31 71
7 37 73
11 41 79
13 43 83
17 47 89
19 53 97

PRIME FACTORIZATION:
Which prime #s when multiplied together give the original #
EXP 12 = 6 × 2
⁄
3 ×2 SO prime factorization is 3 × 2× 2

GCF – the biggest # that will divide into 2 terms

Step 1) Take Prime Factorization of both #s
Step 2) Circle all the Factors in common
Step 3) Multiply Factors together to get GCF

Exp. What is GCF of 12 and 18

18 = 9 × 2 (for 12 see above)
⁄ SO prime factorization is 3 × 2× 2
3 ×3 SO Prime Factorization is 3 × 3 × 2
Common Factors 3, 2
GCF = 3 × 2 = 6

LCM- Smallest # that both #s will divide into

Take Prime Factorzation
Circle all the factors that are the same
Multiply all the prime factors but only multiply circled ones once
Exp. LCM 12 and 18 = 3 × 3 × 2× 2 = 36
PLUG IN #s
If you have variables in the answer choices you can try plugging in #s

Step 1 - let each variable equal a simple # and write it down

Step 2- Solve the question using your #s and circle the answer
Step 3- Plug the same #s into the answer choices and look for circled answer

Note: If more then one answer choice works, try new #s and test any answer
choices that were not eliminated the first time

USE W/ Problems like :

SALARY Jack spends 2/3 of salary on rent and ¾ of remainder on
groceries, and saves rest---how much does he save? (plug in 300)
or 1/3 × ¼

AREA If rectangles width is increased by 10% and length is decreased

by 10% the original are is decreased by what %? (Plug in 100)

PRICE Difference like cars price is increased by 10% then decreased by

10% what precent does the car’s original price decrease.

FRACTIONS like MSR 4

BALL AND FRUIT QUESTIONS
AGE DIFFERENCE QUESTIONS
a-b=b-c=c-d=d-e=2 what does a-e= ?
6-4=4-2=2-0=0- -2= 2 6 - -2 = 8

COLUMN A/B
When comparing variable test different #s
Big= 100
Fraction = ½
One=1
Negative= -2
Zero=0

“HOW MANY DIFFERENT” DASH METHOD

step 1) draw a Dash for each spot
step 2) above each spot write the # of possibilities
step 3) multiply

*******IF ORDER DOESN’T MATTER “teams, committees”

1) fill in slots as usual
2) underneath fill in the slots starting with 1 and incrementing up
3) divide the bottom into top
 exp. Picking a team of 3 from 5 possible people (how many possible
teams)
5 4 3
1 2 3
reduces to 5 × 2 × 1 = 10
1 1 1

ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE
A1 = 1st term, A2 = second term, An = nth term, D= difference between
any 2 terms
Formula----- An= A1 + (n -1)D

SUM OF CONSECUTIVE INTERGERS

A) (First # + Last #) × (# of pairs)
a1 + a2 × ( (a2-a1 + 1)/2)
exp. To find sum of 10 through 100
110 × ( 100 + 10 +1 / 2) = 5005

B) cancel out if possible

Exp. Sum of consecutive intergers 1 through 58 , subtracted from sum of

consecutive intergers 1-60
Since 1-60 includes 1-58, all that is left is 59 and 60
So answer is 59 +60 = 119

C) Sum of Consecutive Integers: Starting with a negative # going

through a positive #
they cancel each other out in value
exp. –n to n = 0
Exp. -10 through +12 = 11+12 = 23

RANGE
Step 1) If it is BETWEEN means not including
last # - first # -1
RANGE= n2-n1 -1

If it is THROUGH or INCLUSIVE
Last # - First # +1
RANGE= n2 –n1 + 1

Step 2) Divide by given # to find # of multiples

*NOTE If # of multiples is ODD and begins and ends with an even, there
will be one less odd then even and vice versa

RANGE (sum of evens or sum of odds)

 Biggest # / 2 = sum of evens – sum of odds

RATIOS
1) ratios are division exp. a:b , a to b = a/b

2) RATIO + TOTAL
If given a ratio and a total and asked to split total into a given
ratio do the following
i) put an X after each # in the ratio
ii) ADD Xs and set equal to the total
iii) Solve for X
iv) Multiply by ratio

COMBINED AVERAGES

Step 1: find Total of each group by multiply average and # of things

Step 2: ADD the totals together
Step 3: divide by total # of things (not groups)

PERCENT CHANGE (increase/decrease)

Difference/Original × 100 = percent change

PRECENT – ORIGINAL AMOUNT

Original + % increase of original = new price
X + n% of X = new price

PROPORTIONS “AT THIS RATE’

Look for phrase “at this rate” or things being done in a certain amount
of time or scale questions
Use formula unit 1/ unit 2 = unit 1 / unit 2

WORK (MAN HOURS)

# of man hours = n1 × t
n1 × t1 = n2 × t2
exp. if it takes 6 men 16 hours to do work then how many hours
does it take to men?
6 ×16 = 10 × t2
t2 = 9.6

AVERAGE SPEED
Average speed = TOTAL DISTANCE ÷ TOTAL TIME

D=RT RACE
D= R faster × T faster = R slower × (T faster × Extra Time)

Plug R faster R slower and Extra Time into Equation for T faster
 To find D multiply R faster and T faster together

Note: convert Extra Time so that it matches the time in the value.
Usually you will convert to hours – Divide by 60

D=RT (same direction)

1) let D = the head start of the slower
2) let Rate= Faster − Slower
3) Plug in D= RT solve for T

Or Subtract rates and divide into distance of headstart

EXP. MSR #30

D=RT (opposite direction)

ADD rates and divide into distance

Q 5.5 in MSR #2
18 T = 10 (T + 2/60) = 10T + 20/60

18 T = 10 T + 1/3
8T = 1/3
T = 1/24

REVOLUTIONS
TOTAL DISTANCE = # of revolutions × 2 ¶ r
QUADRATIC EQUATIONS
ax^2 +bx +c =0

QUADRATIC FUNCTION
The solutions for the quadratic equation
ax^2 +bx +c =0
Are also the zeros for the quadratic function
f(x) = ax^2 +bx +c
Since they are the values of X for which
f(x) = 0
If a, b, and c are real #s and the domain of f is the set of real #s, then the
zeros of f are exactly the x-coordinates of the points where the graph
touches X-axis
EXP: For the quadratic function:
f (x) = x2 − x − 2 = (x + 1)(x − 2) of a real variable x, the x-coordinates of the
points where the graph intersects the x-axis, x = −1 and x = 2, are the roots of the
quadratic equation: x2 − x − 2 = 0.

DIFFERENCE OF SQUARES
X^2 – Y^2 = (X+ Y) (X-Y)

FOIL/FACTOR
(a + b)^2 = a^2 +2ab +b^2
(a-b)^2 = a^2 -2ab +b^2

ROOTS OF AN EQUATION : the values of x that make it equal to zero

Exp. X^2 –X- 6 = 0
(x-3) (x+2)
X-3=0 X+2=0
X=3 X= -2
Roots are 3 & -2

GCF ---
GCF of a^2 +ab = a(a+b)

INEQUALITIES
Solve like regular algebraic equation EXCEPT when you multiply or
divide by a NEGATIVE you muss flip the greater then less then sign
X^2 =2 then X=± √n ALSO X^2 ≥0
 FRACTIONS

MULTIPLYING FRACTIONS
Multiply across
a/b × c/d = ac/bd

DIVIDING FRACTIONS
rule: invert the second term and multiply
x/y ÷ a/b = x/y × a/b = bx/ay

FRACTIONS WITHIN A FRACTION = DIVISION

(s/t) = (s/t)
n (n/1)

s×1 = s
t n tn

EXP ½ = ½ =1 ÷4 =1 × 1 = 1
4 (4/1) 2 1 2 4 8

RECIPROCAL FRACTION
exp. Reciprocal of X = 1 / (X/Y) = Y/X
Y

FRACTIONS RAISED TO A POWER

fractions between 0 and 1 get smaller as they are taken to higher power

FRACTIONS ALGEBRA
Multiply everything by denominator of fraction to get rid of it
X – 1/Y = (Y/Y) × X – 1/Y
= XY/Y – 1/Y = XY-1
Y

OR : let X=1 Y=2

RATIONALIZING THE DENOMINATOR

If you have a √ in the denominator you can rationalize (the form you
will probably be given in the answer choices) by MULTIPYING the
NUMERATOR AND DENOMINATOR by the square root

X = X × √3 = X√3
√3 √3 √3 3
 POWER & EXPONENT RULES
KNOW POWERS OF 2
2^0 = 1 2^1=2 2^2= 4 2^3=8 2^4=16 2^5=32
2^6= 64 2^7=128 2^8=256 2^9=512 2^10=1024

0 raised to any power = 0

Exp 0^37= 0

FRACTIONS between 0 and 1 get smaller as they are taken to a higher power

1 raised to any power = 1

Exp 1^27=1

Any # raised by a power of 0 = 1

Exp 2^0= 1
2^1= 1 36^0 = 1

When adding or subtracting DO NOT add or subtract exponents

Exp 2^2 + 2^2 ≠ 2^4

When adding or subtracting with the same bases add or subtract the
coefficient and carry the exponent
Exp 2x^2 + 3x^2 = 5x^2

Multiplying or dividing w/ equal bases

-when multiplying, add the exponents
X^3 × X^4= X^(4+3) =X^7
Exp. 3^6 × 3^2 = 3(6+2) = 3^8

- when dividing subtract the exponents

X^4 / X^3 = X^(4-3) = X^1
3^6/ 3^2 = 3^(6-2) = 3^4

When multiplying or dividing unequal bases you must do it the old-fashioned

way

DISTRIBUTING EXPONENTS
(a × b)^n = a^n × b^n
exp. (20)^6 = (4 ×5) ^6 = 4^6 × 5^6

RAISING AN EXPONENT TO AN EXPONENT

-multiply the exponents
(X^4)^3 = X ^(4×3) +X^12
exp. (3^2)^4 = 3^(4×2) = 3^8
NEGATIVE EXPONENTS
A^-B = 1
A^B

FRACTIONAL EXPONENTS
A^ (x/y) = ^y√ (A^x) = (^y√a)^x

√A = A^½

^3√A = A ^⅓

Exp. (36/25) ^(3/2)

= (√( 36/25))^3 = (6/5)^3 = 216/ 125

Exp. ^4√X^3 = (X^3)^¼

=X^¾

NEGATIVE & FRACTIONAL EXPONENT

Exp. (64/27) ^(-2/3) = 1/ (64/27) ^2/3

= 1 / ^3√((64/27)^2)
=1/ (4/3)^2
= 1 / (16/9)
= 1/1 × 9/16
= 9/16

SQUARE ROOTS
√a = a^½

CUBE ROOTS
^3√a = a^⅓

INEQUALITIES
Solve like regular algebraic equation EXCEPT when you multiply or
divide by a NEGATIVE you muss flip the greater then less then sign
X^2 =2 then X=± √n ALSO X^2 ≥0
 ROOTS AND RADICALS

SIMPLIFYING RADICALS
If multiplying :
√(a × b) = √a ×√b

exp. √200 = √ (100×2)

=10√2

If dividing :
√(a/b) = √a / √b
NOT USED TO SIMPLIFY IF ADDING
√(a+b) ≠ √a + √b

SQUARE ROOTS
MULTIPLYING SQUARE ROOTS
A√B means A× √B

Get rid of square roots by squaring both sides

Exp. 3√2 so (3√2)^2 = 3^2× √2 ×√2 = 9 ×2 = 18

√2 × √2 = 2

√x = x^½
 GEOMETRY

TRIANGLE RULES

Isosceles= 2 equal sides, 2 equal angels

A= √( b^2/4) + h^2
B= 2√(a^2 –h^2)
H= √a^2 – (b^2/4)

Equilateral= equal sides, equal angels (60°)

Height = s√3 / 2
Area = s^2√3/4

Right Triangle Rules

Isosceles Right Triangle

Angels = 45 : 45 : 90
Sides = x : x : x√2 or 1 : 1 : √2

30°-60°-90° Right Triangles

sides = 1 : √3 : 2 or X : X√3 : 2X

All other Right Triangles use Pythagorean Theorem

Pythagorean Theorem
a^2 + b^2 = c^2

special pythagorean triplets

(3, 4, 5) also look out for (6,8,10) etc.
(5, 12, 13)
(8, 15,17

NON-RIGHT TRIANGLES
To verify possible sides:
-Take biggest side and make sure that it is LESS than the sum of the
other two sides BUT GREATER then difference of the other two sides

(a-b) < c < (a+b)

exp. If the smaller sides are 7 and 11, the biggest side (X) = 4<X <18

SQUARES
Area = S^2 P
Perimeter =4S
Diagonal= S√2
CUBES
Surface area = 6S^2 (where S=side)
Volume = S^3

LONGEST DIAGONAL OF A RECTANGULAR SOLID

√ (L^2 + W^2 + H^2)

POLYGONS

Sum of interior angles of polygon with n sides

(n-2) × 180°

Perimeter of a regular polygon

P= (n) ×(s)
-where n= # of sides s=side length

Area of a regular polygon = ½ a × P

- a = distance from center to side (see picture)

TRAPEZOID
Area= ((s1 + s2)/2) × h

PARALLELOGRAM
Base × Height = Area

MAXIMUM AREA RULE

-IF PERIMETERS are the same and shapes are regular, then the one with
the greatest # of sides will enclose the most area

MAXIMUM INTERSECTION RULE

-The Maximum # of intersecting points of a polygon and a circle
= 2 × # of sides

CIRCLE RULES
Circumference = 2r¶ or D ¶
Area = ¶r^2

ARC/ Sector
Arc/Circumference(2¶r) = Angle/360

Sector/Area (¶2^2) = Angle/360

CYLINDERS
V=¶r^2h
SA= 2¶r^2 + 2¶rh
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
DISTANCE FORMULA √ (x2- x1)^2 + (y2-y1)^2

SLOPE = Rise/ Run = y2 –y1 / x2- x1

Parallel lines have the same slope
Perpendicular lines are negative reciprocal
Horizontal lines have slope of 0
45° = 1/-1

SHADED REGION
IF you see a SHADED REGION or the words “SHADED REGIONS” use the
TACOS formula
Total Area – Cut Out = Shaded
Area of square – Area of Circle

REVOLUTIONS
TOTAL DISTANCE = # of revolutions × 2 ¶ r