Hey, I'm going to take the PSAT next year and I was wondering if there are any essential math formulas I should memorize. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Hey there! Good luck on your upcoming PSAT. For the math section, there are definitely some key formulas you'll want to memorize to maximize your success. Here's a list of some essential formulas to review:
1. Linear equations: y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.
2. Quadratic equation: ax^2 + bx + c = 0
3. Quadratic formula: x = (-b ± √(b^2 - 4ac)) / 2a
4. Pythagorean theorem: a^2 + b^2 = c^2 for right triangles.
5. Area of a triangle: A = (1/2)bh, where b is the base and h is the height.
6. Area of a rectangle: A = lw, where l is the length and w is the width.
7. Area of a trapezoid: A = (1/2)(b1 + b2)h, where b1 and b2 are the bases and h is the height.
8. Circumference of a circle: C = 2πr, where r is the radius.
9. Area of a circle: A = πr^2.
10. Volume of a rectangular prism: V = lwh.
11. Volume of a cylinder: V = πr^2h.
12. Volume of a cone: V = (1/3)πr^2h.
13. Volume of a sphere: V = (4/3)πr^3.
14. Slope formula: m = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1).
15. Distance formula: d = √((x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2).
16. Percent increase/decrease: (New - Old) / Old
Remember that there might also be some geometry problems involving congruence, similarity, and relationships between angles, sides, and diagonals of different polygons (particularly triangles and rectangles). So make sure to review basic geometry concepts as well, and to practice applying these formulas in context.
Practice these and you should be well-equipped for the math section of the PSAT. If you'd like some additional study tips to help you prepare, as well as information about the relevance of the PSAT to your college process, I'd check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-study-for-the-psat/
Good luck, and don't forget to practice with some sample questions to get a better idea of how these formulas will appear on the test!
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