FORMULAE FOR GCSE MATHS

FORMULAE FOR GCSE MATHS

If you are entered for Foundation paper then you must know all the formulae marked 'F'.
Higher Paper students must learn the whole list! 

TIP: You get grades for knowing the formula and writing it down on the exam answer even if your result is wrong. So, use it and substitute the info you are given in the exam question. 

Table of GCSE formulae 

Re-written by Mary Zagoritou

Reference: studymaths.co.uk/formulae.html 

For expanded examples and glossary of maths words follow the links in the table:

What to find:	What Paper	What to do:	Algebraic Formula:
Area of a Rectangle	F	Multiply the length by the width.	A = L x W
Area of a Triangle	F	Multiply the base by the perpendicular height and divide by two.	A = ½bh
Area of a Parallelogram	F	Multiply the base by the height.	A = b x h
Area of a Trapezium	F	Add together the parallel sides and multiply by the height. Divide your answer by two.	A = ½(a + b)h
Area of a Circle	F	Square the radius and multiply by pi.	A = πr2
Circumference of a Circle	F	Double the radius and multiply by  pi          or  Multiply the diameter by pi.	C = 2πr  or C = πD
Volume of a Cuboid	F	Multiply the length by the width by the height.	V = lwh
Volume of a Prism	F	Multiply the cross sectional area of the prism by its length.	Area of the 2D shape created when you slice the prism along it's length x by the length
Volume of a Sphere	H	Cube the radius and multiply by pi. Multiply your answer by four then divide by three.	V = 4πr3 3
Surface Area of a Sphere	H	Square the radius and multiply by pi. Multiply your answer by four.	A = 4πr2
Volume of a Cone	H	Square the base radius of the cone and multiply by pi. Multiply your answer by the perpendicular height. Divide your answer by three.	V = 1 πr2h 3
Curved Surface Area of a Cone	H	Multiply the base radius of the cone by pi. Multiply your answer by the length of the side of the cone.	A = πrl
Volume of a Pyramid	H	Multiply the area of the base by the perpendicular height. Divide your answer by three.	n/a
Sine Rule	H	Substitute the values  of the lengths and angles  you are given in the exam question	a   =   b   =   c   Sin A Sin B Sin C
Cosine Rule	H	Substitute the values  of the lengths and angles  you are given in the exam question	a2 = b2 + c2 - 2bc cos A
Area of any Triangle	H	Substitute the values  of the lengths and angles  you are given in the exam question	½ ab sin C
Quadratic Equation	H	Substitute on the formula the values of the quadratic equation co-efficients a, b and c   you are given in the exam question and you will find  the two values of x.