ACT Math Formulas
Midpoint Formula
(x₁+x₂)/2, (y₁+y₂)/2
FOIL
First, Outside, Inside and Last. EX: (x-3) + (x+5) = x² + 5x -3x -15= x² + 2x-15
PEDMAS
Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Add, Subtract. EX: 9-2 x (5-3)² + 6÷3= 9-2 x (2)² + 6÷3= 9-2 x (4) +6÷3= 9-8 +2= 9-6= 3
Percent Formula
Part=Percent x Whole
Slope
Slope= Rise/Run=Change in Y/Change in X (y₂-y₁/x₁-x₂) (EX: Find slope of (5,6) and (1,3) 6-3/5-(-1)= 3/6= 1/2
Negative Exponent
X⁻ⁿ = 1/Xⁿ
Multiply Power Exponents
add exponents and keep the same base EX: X₃ · X₂ = X₅
Area of square
area = (side)²
Circumference of a circle
area = 2πr
Area of parallelogram
area= base x height
Area of rectangle
area= length x width
Area of a Triangle
area= ½ (base)(height)
Quadratic Equation
ax²+bx+c= 0 EX: x²+ 9x+ 18=0
Factoring Difference of squares
a²-b² = (a-b) (a+b)
Distance Formula
d=√(x₁-x₂)² + (y₁-y₂)² (EX: Find distance between (5,6) and (1,3) √(5-1)² + (6-3)²= √(4)² + (3)²= √16 + 9= √25= 5=Distance
Pythagorean Theorem
for all right triangles (leg₁)² + (leg₂)² = (hypotenuse)² (a²+b²=c²) Special Triangles 3-4-5 30-60-90 5-12-13 45-45-90
Raising Power to Powers
multiply the exponents EX: X² · X³ = X⁶
Dividing Power Exponents
subtract exponents and keep same base EX: X₄ ÷ X₂ = X₂
Slope Intercept
y=mx+b Ex: y=2/3x + 5
Absolute Value
|-3| = 3
Quadratic Formula
²x = −b ± √b²-4ac/2a EX: Solve using quadratic formula x²+ 9x+ 18=0: x= −9±√(9)² − 4(1)(18)/2(1) −9 ± √81 − 72/2 −9 ± √9/2 −9 ± √3/2 = -9 + 3/2 and -9 -3/2 -9+3/2= -3 and -9-3/2= -6
Area of a circle
πr²
Rational Exponent
ⁿ√x