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Essential math formulas for the ACT?

Hey fellow test-takers, I'll be sitting for the ACT soon and I wanted to know which math formulas are considered essential for the test. Could anyone provide some tips or advice on this? Thanks a lot!

2 years ago

Hey there! Good question. Succeeding on the math section of the ACT can be a lot more manageable when you know some essential formulas ahead of time. Here's a list to help you out:

1. Slope-intercept form of a line: y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.

2. Point-slope form of a line: y - y1 = m(x - x1), where (x1, y1) is a point on the line and m is the slope.

3. Distance formula: d = √[(x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2], where (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) are points in the coordinate plane.

4. Midpoint formula: M = [(x1 + x2)/2, (y1 + y2)/2], where (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) are points in the coordinate plane.

5. Pythagorean Theorem: a^2 + b^2 = c^2, where a, b are the legs of a right-angled triangle and c is the hypotenuse.

6. Quadratic formula: x = (-b ± √(b^2 - 4ac)) / 2a, where ax^2 + bx + c = 0.

7. Area of a triangle: A = (1/2)bh, where b is the base and h is the height.

8. Area of a circle: A = πr^2, where r is the radius.

9. Circumference of a circle: C = 2πr, where r is the radius.

10. Area of a rectangle: A = lw, where l is the length and w is the width.

11. Area of a trapezoid: A = (1/2)(b1 + b2)h, where b1 and b2 are the bases and h is the height.

12. Volume of a cube: V = s^3, where s is the side length.

13. Volume of a rectangular prism: V = lwh, where l is the length, w is the width, and h is the height.

14. Volume of a sphere: V = (4/3)πr^3, where r is the radius.

15. Volume of a cylinder: V = πr^2h, where r is the radius of the base and h is the height.

Remember that the ACT provides some formulas on the test itself, but it's still beneficial to know these off the top of your head, as that will allow you to solve problems more quickly. Good luck on your ACT!

2 years ago

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