Math Cheat Notes: A Quick Reference
I. Arithmetic:
- Order of Operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS): Parentheses/Brackets, Exponents/Orders,
Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right).
- Fractions: Adding/subtracting (common denominator), multiplying (numerator x numerator,
denominator x denominator), dividing (invert and multiply).
- Decimals: Adding/subtracting (align decimal points), multiplying (ignore decimal points
initially, then count places), dividing (move decimal point in divisor to make it a whole number).
- Percentages: Percent = (Part/Whole) x 100; Finding a percentage of a number (multiply by the
percentage as a decimal).
- Ratio and Proportion: Expressing relationships between quantities. Solving proportions using
cross-multiplication.
II. Algebra:
- Variables and Expressions: Letters representing unknown values. Combining like terms.
- Equations: Solving for the unknown variable (isolate the variable using inverse operations).
- Inequalities: Solving inequalities (similar to equations, but flip the inequality sign when
multiplying or dividing by a negative number).
- Linear Equations: Equations of the form y = mx + b (m = slope, b = y-intercept). Graphing
linear equations.
- Systems of Equations: Solving for multiple variables using methods like substitution or
elimination.
- Factoring: Breaking down expressions into simpler factors.
III. Geometry:
- Basic Shapes: Properties of triangles, quadrilaterals, circles, etc. (angles, sides, area, perimeter).
- Pythagorean Theorem: a² + b² = c² (for right-angled triangles).
- Trigonometry: Relationships between angles and sides of triangles (sine, cosine, tangent).
- Volume and Surface Area: Calculating the volume and surface area of 3D shapes.
IV. Statistics and Probability:
- Mean, Median, Mode: Measures of central tendency.
- Range: Measure of spread (difference between highest and lowest values).
- Probability: The likelihood of an event occurring (probability = favorable outcomes/total
outcomes).
V. Calculus (if applicable):
- Derivatives: Rate of change of a function.
- Integrals: Finding the area under a curve.