What math formulas do students need to know for the ACT?
Don’t panic! I know which formulas they need to know for the math sections. But, I have to be honest, if they don’t know them, they are pretty much guaranteeing they can’t do a handful of otherwise simple problems. Every correct answer on the math section can mean a bump into the next score range.
The ACT test covers Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II with a little bit of probability and statistics thrown in from time to time. So, which formulas do they need to know for the ACT. Sorry, but it’s ALL if the formulas they ever learned in those three classes. Insert shock face.
We can set priorities for what to memorize so kids aren’t overwhelmed.
Here’s my go to list that is no extensive but a start:
- Slope and slope intercept form of a line
- All area, perimeter, surface area, volume formulas
- Pythagorean theorem, special right triangles, basic trigonometry formulas
- Probability, means vs. medians, factorials
- Midpoint and distance formulas
- Quadratic equation
- Equations of lines, parabolas, circles, absolute value and translations
- Area of a sector, length of a segment – for circles
I really like this formula chart.
That’s it, right? Print it, hand it to your student, done. Not exactly. They will look at this and know about half of it and the other half, they may say they “kinda sorta” remember learning it.
They need help unless they are super disciplined to review it all on their own.
Contact me for individual tutoring at least two months prior to their test date for a comprehensive ACT tutoring plan. Closer to the date of the test, we will be able to tackle some high level issues but won’t be able to get into it all.
Or, check out the ACT workshops I have coming up this summer. They are group options that make it more affordable and I do not plan to have a class over over 10 so the students will still get a great deal of attention.