ACT/SAT Math Facts1

General Vocabulary

Integer = A number that is not a fraction or decimal. …-2, -1, 0, 1, 2…

Natural number = a positive integer. 1, 2, 3, … (some books include 0 in the natural numbers)
Prime = A positive integer with no factors other than itself and 1. 1 is not prime. 2, 3, 5, 7, 11,
13…


Rational number = A number that can be expressed as a ratio of integers. , − , 0, 7 …
 
Irrational number = A number that is not rational. e, π, √2…
Imaginary number = A multiple of i. = √−1
Complex number = A number with a real and an imaginary component. 3+2i, π-i…
Technically all numbers are complex. 0+i, -4+0i…
Real number = A number without an imaginary component.
Ratio = fraction.
x is directly proportional to y:  =  for some constant k.

x is inversely proportional to y:  = for some constant k.


General Facts

If   +  +  =   +  +  for all values of x, then  = ,  = , and  = .

If  = 0, then either  = 0 or  = 0.
 −   = ( + )( − ).
Exponential growth or decay:  = (1 ± ) .
! " = 180°.
The angles of a triangle add up to 180.
A straight line is 180.
In a right triangle,  +   =   .
%&' )*+ = ∑- )- &-

Area

.-/.01 = ! 
/1. 23401 = *5


 /-23401 = ℎ


Volume

7/1. 234802/ 9/-:; = *5ℎ

7.<0-3=1/ = !  ℎ
?
7:9>1/1 = ! 



7.@31 = !  ℎ



79</2;-= = *5ℎ


© 2016 – 2022 Central Test Prep, LLC

1
This fact sheet is not intended to include all the information on which a student might be tested. It is
intended to highlight those areas that are typical test material and that students are particularly likely to
have forgotten or not have learned by the time they take the test. Do not rely on this fact sheet alone in
preparing for your test.
 ACT/SAT Math Facts1

Circles

( − ℎ) + ( − ) =  
 = ! 
A = 2!

Lines

Standard form:  +  = 
Slope-intercept form:  = B + 
Point-slope form:  − 
= B( − 
)
< D<
Slope: B = C E
C DE
2 F
If line l is perpendicular to a line with slope , then the slope of l is − .
F 2

Parabolae

DF±√FC D?2.
Quadratic formula:  =
2
Standard form:  =   +  + 
Intercept form:  = ( − 
)( −  ) Found by factoring standard form.
Vertex form:  = ( − ℎ) +  Found by completing the square.

Exponents and Logarithms


=  G = 1
( < ) H =  <H  < ∙  H =  <JH
( ∙ ) H =  H  H < = H ↔  = L

M <
 D< =  M  N = √ < = N√
N

M
N
=  <DH

*OP  = L ↔  H = 
<
*OP ( ∙ L) = *OP  + *OP L *OP Q H R = *OP  − *OP L
*OP ( H ) = L ∙ *OP ()

Trigonometry
@99 ><9
S TU = ><9 SU = @99
2=V ><9
OSU = SU =
><9 2=V
@99 2=V
'TU = 2=V O'U = @99
:-3W
'TU = S TU = cos (90° − U)
.@:W
S T U + OS  U = 1

© 2016 – 2022 Central Test Prep, LLC

1
This fact sheet is not intended to include all the information on which a student might be tested. It is
intended to highlight those areas that are typical test material and that students are particularly likely to
have forgotten or not have learned by the time they take the test. Do not rely on this fact sheet alone in
preparing for your test.
 ACT/SAT Math Facts1

Special Triangles

Pythagorean triples:

3-4-5 5-12-13

Important triangles in trigonometry:

30-60-90 45-45-90

Probability and Combinatorics

T! = T˜(T − 1)˜(T − 2)˜ … ˜2˜1 (~%) = 1 − (%)

3!
TB = (3D;)! (&^) = ()(^, P )T )
3!
TAB = (3D;)!˜_! ( O ^) = () + (^) − (&^)

Statistics

Average (arithmetic mean) = The sum of the members of a set divided by the number of members

JcJcJd
of the set. )P(a1,7,7,9b) = =6
?
Median = Middle number of a set.
f(a8,6,7,5,3b) = 6
f(a0,9b) = 4.5
Mode = Most common number in a set.
fO(a1,7,7,9b) = 7
Range = The difference between the largest number and the smallest number in a set.
kTP(a1,7,7,9b) = 8
Standard deviation = (Roughly speaking) a measure of how spread out a set of data is.
l(a0,0,0,9,9,9b) > l(a1,2,3,6,7,8b) > l(a5,5,5,5,5,5b)

Useful Terms

Each: ˜
Is/are: =
Of: ˜
Per: 
Percent: 100
What: x
Greater than: +

i.e. “What percent of 50 is 3 greater than 7?”

x 100 ˜ 50 = 3 + 7

© 2016 – 2022 Central Test Prep, LLC

1
This fact sheet is not intended to include all the information on which a student might be tested. It is
intended to highlight those areas that are typical test material and that students are particularly likely to
have forgotten or not have learned by the time they take the test. Do not rely on this fact sheet alone in
preparing for your test.
 ACT/SAT Math Facts1

Techniques

Cross multiplying

If two fractions are equal to each other, cross multiply.

2 .
F
== →  = 

Dimensional analysis

Problems involving rates might ask you to find distance, given a walking speed, or water used,
given a rate of flow. Determine what unites the answer should be in and multiply the given by
the appropriate conversion factors to create a number in those units.

Kate runs 400 meters in 75 seconds. If she continues running at this rate, how many miles will
she run in 20 minutes?

400B 1 B * 60S 480,000B B * S

∙ ∙ ∙ 20 B T = = 4 B *S
75S 1,600 B 1 B T 120,000 S B B T

Solving simultaneous equations

By substitution: Solve for one variable in terms of the other in one equation and substitute the
result into the other equation. Once you have solved for one variable, plug that into either of the
original equations to solve for the remaining variable.

3x − 4y = 11
2x + 2y = 12 → + =6 →  =6−

3(6 − ) − 4 = 11
18 − 3 − 4 = 11
7 = 7
q=r
3 − 4 ∙ 1 = 11
3 = 15
s=t

By elimination: Alternatively, multiply one of the equations by a constant to get a common term.
Then add the two equations together or subtract one from the other to eliminate that term.

3 − 4 = 11 3 − 4 = 11
2 + 2 = 12  4 + 4 = 24
7 + 0 = 35  s=t

From here, carry on as before; once you have solved for one variable, plug that into either
equation to solve for the remaining variable.

© 2016 – 2022 Central Test Prep, LLC

1
This fact sheet is not intended to include all the information on which a student might be tested. It is
intended to highlight those areas that are typical test material and that students are particularly likely to
have forgotten or not have learned by the time they take the test. Do not rely on this fact sheet alone in
preparing for your test.
 ACT/SAT Math Facts1

Eliminating complex denominators

Multiply both the numerator and the denominator by the complex conjugate of the denominator.

3+2 3+2 2−3 6−9 +4 −6 

6−5 +6 12 − 5
→ ∙ → → →
2+3 2+3 2−3 4−6 +6 −9  4+9 13

Long division of polynomials

3 + 5 k4
 C JD

D

=  − 1 )3 + 2 − 1


3  − 3
5 − 1
5 − 5
4

 C JD
?
D

= 3 + 5 + D

Factoring by grouping

  + 3  − 4 − 12 = 0
  ( + 3) − 4( + 3) = 0
(  − 4)( + 3) = 0
( + 2)( − 2)( + 3) = 0

Completing the square

 =   − 6 + 10
 − 10 =   − 6
 − 10 + 9 =   − 6 + 9
 − 1 = ( − 3)
 = ( − 3) + 1

Matrix multiplication

P ℎ P + x + B ℎ +  + T  + * + O
  
u
 
vw
 x  * y = uP + x + B ℎ +  + T  + * + O
v
B T O

© 2016 – 2022 Central Test Prep, LLC

1
This fact sheet is not intended to include all the information on which a student might be tested. It is
intended to highlight those areas that are typical test material and that students are particularly likely to
have forgotten or not have learned by the time they take the test. Do not rely on this fact sheet alone in
preparing for your test.
 ACT/SAT Grammar Rules1

Word choice, including case of pronoun, idiom, adjective/adverb confusion and dual/plural confusion:

Incorrect:

Please print the report for Doug and I.

He runs quick.
The express lane is for ten items or less.
The three campers had one tent between them.
Who do you love?

Correct:

Please print the report for Doug and me.

He runs quickly.
The express lane is for ten items or fewer.
The three campers had one tent among them.
Whom do you love?

Placement of modifiers: A string of words can together serve as an adjective or adverb. An adjectival
phrase typically modifies the nearest noun.

Incorrect:

Last night I shot an elephant in my pajamas. (How the elephant got in my pajamas, I’ll
never know.)

Correct:

Last night, while in my pajamas, I shot an elephant.

Parallel structure: It is best that every item in a list of phrases be structured like the others.

Incorrect:

The most important things in business are to know your customers and dealing honestly
with them.

Correct:

The most important things in business are knowing your customers and dealing honestly
with them.

The most important things in business are to know your customers and to deal honestly
with them.

Wordiness: The longer sentence is not always better. What can be said in three words should not be said
in six.

© 2016-2022 Central Test Prep, LLC

1
This is not intended to be a complete list of every grammar rule tested on the ACT/SAT. For a complete list, see
pages 121 to 130 of The Official SAT Study Guide or 204 to 213 of The Official ACT Prep Guide.
 ACT/SAT Grammar Rules1

Independent clauses: For the purposes of the ACT and SAT, there is one correct use of the semicolon—
to separate two independent clauses; a comma cannot be used to separate independent clauses, and a
semicolon should have independent clauses on both sides.

Incorrect:

I must buy several things, my fridge is almost empty.

Today is Wednesday; the third day of the work week.

Correct:

I must buy several things; my fridge is almost empty.

Today is Wednesday, the third day of the work week.

Commas: A comma should always have a purpose, and that purpose cannot be to induce the reader to
pause for dramatic effect. Typically, a comma is used to isolate one part of a sentence from another, as in
a parenthetical remark, a subordinate clause, or a long prepositional phrase.

Incorrect:

Whatever happens, happens.

Bill, and Ted are friends.

Correct:

In the explanation above, you will find several correct uses of the comma.

Dashes: Dashes are used interchangeably with parentheses and commas to indicate a parenthetical
remark. The difference is largely a matter of emphasis. Note that usually dashes come in pairs.

Correct:

Kathy, my first girlfriend, is a lawyer now.

Kathy (my first girlfriend) is a lawyer now.
Kathy—my first girlfriend—is a lawyer now.

Colons: Typically, a colon completes a grammatical sentence and creates anticipation of further details.
A colon is often interchangeable with a dash. Importantly, a colon must end an independent clause. On
the SAT, a colon will sometimes separate two independent clauses.

Incorrect:

I must buy several things, including: milk, bread, and cheese.

Correct:

I must buy several things: milk, bread, and cheese.

I must buy several things—milk, bread, and cheese.
I must buy several things: my fridge is almost empty.

© 2016-2022 Central Test Prep, LLC

1
This is not intended to be a complete list of every grammar rule tested on the ACT/SAT. For a complete list, see
pages 121 to 130 of The Official SAT Study Guide or 204 to 213 of The Official ACT Prep Guide.
 ACT/SAT Grammar Rules1

Use of participles: A participle is a verb functioning as an adjective. (A participial phrase may therefore
raise the issue of the placement of a modifier.) Every sentence must have a verb, but a participle is
grammatically an adjective, so a participle cannot be the sentence’s main verb.

Incorrect:

Tuition will rise next year. The reason being that state funding will be cut.

Correct:

Tuition will rise next year, the reason being that state funding will be cut.

Relevance: Sometimes it’s not about grammar; it’s about keeping on topic.

Incorrect:

The booklet, which is twenty pages long, describes the appropriate depth and spacing for
planting over 150 different kinds of seeds.

Correct:

The booklet, aimed at the novice gardener, describes the appropriate depth and spacing
for planting over 150 different kinds of seeds.

Possessives: They sound like plurals and often look like contractions. But they indicate that one thing
belongs (in some sense) to another:

Plural: Most cities sponsor public art.

Singular possessive: That city’s mayor is corrupt.
Plural possessive: Many cities’ waterways are polluted.
Possessive: Its handle has fallen off.
Contraction: It’s a cookbook!

Redundancy: There is no need to use two words to indicate the same thing.

Incorrect:

270 electoral votes are sufficient enough to become president.

Correct:

270 electoral votes are sufficient to become president.

© 2016-2022 Central Test Prep, LLC

1
This is not intended to be a complete list of every grammar rule tested on the ACT/SAT. For a complete list, see
pages 121 to 130 of The Official SAT Study Guide or 204 to 213 of The Official ACT Prep Guide.
 ACT/SAT Grammar Rules1

Logical transitions: What is the relationship between one sentence and the next? The transition phrase
that introduces the second should make that clear.

Incorrect:

Sanders’ proposed single payer system would cost taxpayers 15 trillion dollars, but
taxpayers are projected to spend 45 trillion dollars on healthcare during that same period.
For example, Sanders’ plan would actually save taxpayers 30 trillion dollars.

Correct:

Sanders’ proposed single payer system would cost taxpayers 15 trillion dollars, but
taxpayers are projected to spend 45 trillion dollars on healthcare during that same period.
Consequently, Sanders’ plan would actually save taxpayers 30 trillion dollars.

Subject/verb agreement and noun/number agreement: Easy enough in a short sentence, but if it’s a
complex sentence with long modifying phrases, identifying which parts must agree can be difficult.

Incorrect:

One of our attorneys are out today.

Correct:

One of our attorneys is out today.

© 2016-2022 Central Test Prep, LLC

1
This is not intended to be a complete list of every grammar rule tested on the ACT/SAT. For a complete list, see
pages 121 to 130 of The Official SAT Study Guide or 204 to 213 of The Official ACT Prep Guide.