GMAT Math Formulas: Conquer Quant Section with Essential Formulas

Learning GMAT math formulas is essential to crack the exam. 

Every year, more than 1,00,000 students apply for the GMAT, as it is the most widely accepted competitive test in business schools. But, most students cannot obtain their desired scores because they struggle with math practice. 

For them, there are several easy formulas to crack every tricky math problem and score better.  

GMAT Maths Syllabus 

The Quantitative Reasoning section tests your mathematical reasoning, graphical interpretation, and problem-solving skills. The sections of Quantitative Reasoning questions are divided into two parts, 'Problem Solving' and ‘Data Sufficiency,' and the format of the questions are set as multiple choice. 

The syllabus of the Quantitative Reasoning section includes the following mathematical areas:

Ratio and Proportion	Functions	Fractions	Exponents
Probability	Powers and Roots	Combination and Permutation	Statistics and Inequalities
Simple and Compound Interest; Profit and Loss	Coordinate Geometry	Quadratic Equations	Number Properties
Speed, Time, and Distance	Circles; Triangles, Rectangular Solids, and Cylinders; Quadrilaterals	Algebraic Expressions and Equations	Arithmetic and Geometric Progression

Arithmetic Formulas

Arithmetic formulas are mathematical expressions that include basic mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication. These formulas follow a systematic way of calculating and solving various numerical problems. Some of the most essential arithmetic formulas vital for GMAT preparation are:

• Finding the Area of a Rectangle: A = L*W
• Finding the Area of a Circle: A = π r²
• Finding the Area of a Parallelogram: A= b*h
• Finding the Area of a Trapezoid: A = ½ h(b1 + b2)
• Percentage Change: (New Value - Old Value)/Old Value* 100%

Algebra Formulas

Algebra is one of the mandatory requirements and a compulsory section in the GMAT quant section. Questions on algebra are mainly tricky, which is why students must have enough knowledge about its concepts and essential formulas. 

• Finding the difference in Two Squares: a2–b2=(a−b)(a+b)
• Squaring a Binomial: (a±b)2=a2±2ab+b2
• Finding the Discriminant: D=b2–4ac
• Quadratic Formula: For ax^2 + bx + c = 0, x = (-b ± √(b^2 - 4ac)) / (2a)

Geometry Formulas

Geometry is another vital part of the GMAT quant section. Questions from geometry appear in both the problem-solving and data-sufficiency sections, which is why it is crucial to practice geometry principles thoroughly and learn the formulas by heart. Questions on geometry can come from sections like triangles, lines and angles, polygons, solids, circles, and even coordinate geometry. Some of the most essential geometry formulas to prepare for the GMAT exam are:

• Triangle- Area: (1/2) base * height
• Pythagoras Theorem:  a2 + b2 = c2
• Parallelogram: Area= base * height
• Rectangle: Area= length * width
• Circles: Area= πr2
• Circumference of a circle: 2πr

Exponents and Radicals Formulas

The GMAT examination also assesses your understanding of exponents and radicals, and thus, mastering their rules and formulas is equally essential. The most important exponent and radical GMAT math formulas include:

Exponents

• Product of Powers: a^m * a^n = a^(m+n)
• Quotient of Powers: a^m / a^n = a^(m-n)
• Power of a Power: (a^m)^n = a^(m*n)
• Power of a Product: (ab)^m = a^m * b^m
• Power of a Quotient: (a/b)^m = a^m / b^m
• Negative Exponent: a^(-m) = 1 / a^m

Radicals

• Square Root: √a * √a = a
• Cube Root: ∛a * ∛a * ∛a = a
• nth Root: √n√a = a^(1/n)

Probability Formulas

Probability comprises several mathematical concepts; for GMAT, students must understand each concept thoroughly and master the formulas. The most important probability GMAT math formulas include:

• Probability of an Event: P (A)= No. of favorable outcomes/ Total no. of possible outcomes.
• Complementary Probability: P(A') = 1 - P(A)

Coordinate Geometry Formulas

A significant part of the quant section, coordinate geometry formulas are among the most important GMAT math formulas used for analyzing geometric shapes using algebraic equations. The most important coordinate geometry formulas to prepare for GMAT are: 

• Finding the Slope of a Line: m = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1)
• Distance Formula: d = √[(x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2]
• Midpoint Formula: m = [((x1 + x2)/2), ((y1 + y2)/2)]

Arithmetic and Geometric Progression Formulas

Geometric progressions and arithmetic progressions  GMAT math formulas are two vital sections of the quant section. Arithmetic progression formulas find the difference between two consecutive constant terms. Similarly, the geometric progression formula finds the ratio of any two successive constant terms. The formulas are:

• An = a + (n - 1)d
• Gn = a * r^(n - 1)

Set Theory Formulas

Memorizing set theory formulas is crucial because they are considered one of the most significant GMAT math formulas for the quant section. These formulas are divided into three parts: union of sets, intersection of sets, and complement of a set. The formulas of such include:

• Union of Sets: A∪B: Elements in either set A or set B.
• Intersection of Sets: A∩B: Elements common to both set A and set B.
• Compliment of a Set: A' = U - A

Profit and Loss Formulas

One of the easiest and most interesting sections of the GMAT quant section, profit and loss formulas are easy to memorize and serve as important GMAT math formulas to score higher. The formulas students must memorize from this section are:

• Profit: Selling Price - Cost Price
• Loss: Cost Price - Selling Price
• Selling Price: Cost Price + Profit or Cost Price - Loss
• Profit or Loss Percentage: (profit/ cost price)* 100 or (loss/cost price)*100
• Cost Price: Selling Price/ 1+ Profit% /100 or Selling Price/ 1 - Loss% /100

Wrapping Up!

To score higher in the GMAT, it is crucial to master the GMAT formula sheet. If you have a good understanding of mathematical concepts like algebra, arithmetic, geometry, exponents, and radicals and have a good grip on its vital formulas, nothing can stop you from scoring higher. 

As the GMAT exam assesses your quantitative skills through complex math problems, you can prove your proficiency with the solid mathematical skills you have acquired and boost your confidence. 

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