# Formulas for the Math Section of the CBEST® Test

There’s ONE single skill you have to master if you want to ace the CBEST® Math test: Reading.

Are you thinking that we are mistaken? Think again. Reading is crucial for solving all the problems you’ll face during the Math Section of the CBEST® Test, because all the questions will be given to you in words, not numbers. Reading skills are also important when studying for the test, since you need to understand the fundamental concepts of math if you want to succeed.

That’s why we have plenty of reading material for you and it’s all FREE. You can read 6 pages of preparatory material here:

Union Test Prep’s Study Guide for the CBEST® Math Section

Or you can browse through these to see how ready you are:

Practice Questions

Flashcards

Or, if you are in the mood for light reading, you can check the following formula chart, which has the essential content you need to know before the test. Also use these when accessing our practice questions and flashcards for this test.

## Math Formulas for the CBEST

Category Formula Symbols Comment
Geometric
Quantities
$$P = 4s$$ P = Perimeter of a square
s = side length

Geometric
Quantities
$$P = 2l + 2w$$ P = Perimeter of a rectangle
l = length
w= width

Geometric
Quantities
$$P = s_1 + s_2 + s_3$$ P = Perimeter of a triangle
$$s_n$$ = side length

Geometric
Quantities
$$C = 2 \pi r = \pi d$$ C = Perimeter of a circle
d = diameter
$$\pi \approx 3.14$$

Geometric
Quantities
$$A = s^2$$ A = Area of a square
s = side length

Geometric
Quantities
$$A = lw$$ A = Area of a rectangle
l = length
w = width

Geometric
Quantities
$$A = bh$$ A = Area of a parallelogram
b = base
h = height

Geometric
Quantities
$$A = \frac{1}{2} bh$$ A = Area of a triangle
b = base
h = height

Geometric
Quantities
$$A = h \cdot \dfrac{b_1 + b_2}{2}$$ A = Area of a trapezoid
$$b_n$$ = base n
h = height

Geometric
Quantities
$$A = \pi r^2$$ A = Area of a circle
$$\pi \approx 3.14$$

Volume $$V=lwh$$ V = Volume of a rectangular prism
l = length
w = width
h = height

Volume $$V= Bh$$ V = Volume of a right prism
B = area of the base
h = height

Volume $$V = \pi r^2 h$$ V = Volume of a cylinder
h = height
$$\pi \approx 3.14$$

Volume $$V = \frac{1}{3} B h$$ V = Volume of a pyramid
B = area of the base
h = height

Volume $$V = \frac{1}{3} \pi r^2 h$$ V = Volume of a cone
h = height
$$\pi \approx 3.14$$

Volume $$V = \frac{4}{3} \pi r^3$$ V = Volume of a sphere
$$\pi \approx 3.14$$

Statistics $$p = \frac{d}{t}$$ p = probability of an event
d = desired event
t = total number of possible events

Statistics $$\overline{x} = \dfrac{\Sigma x_i}{n}$$ $$\overline{x}$$ = mean
$$x_i$$ = value of each measurement
n = number of measurement

Statistics $$s = \sqrt{ \dfrac{ \Sigma (x_i - \overline{x})^2}{n-1}}$$ s = standard deviation
$$\overline{x}$$ = mean
$$x_i$$ = value of each measurement
n = number of measurements

Statistics $$V=s^2$$ V = Variance
s = standard deviation

Statistics $$CV = RSD = 100 \cdot \frac{s}{\overline{x}}$$ CV = Coefficient of variation
RSD = Relative standard deviation
s = standard deviation
$$\overline{x}$$ = mean

Fractions $$\frac{a}{b} + \frac{c}{d} = \frac{ad + cb}{bd}$$ a,b,c,d = any real number Remember to
Simplify the fraction
(if possible)
Fractions $$\frac{a}{b} \cdot \frac{c}{d} = \frac{ac}{bd}$$ a,b,c,d = any real number Remember to
Simplify the fraction
(if possible)
Fractions $$\frac{a}{b} \div \frac{c}{d} = \frac{ad}{bc}$$ a,b,c,d = any real number Remember to
Simplify the fraction
(if possible)
Fractions $$a \frac{b}{c} = \frac{ac + b}{c}$$ a,b,c = any real number Remember to
Simplify the fraction
(if possible)
Percents $$a \cdot b \% = a \cdot \frac{b}{100}$$ a = any real number
b% = any percent
Remember to
simplify
(if possible)
Percents $$\% = \dfrac{\lvert b-a \rvert }{b} \cdot 100 = \frac{c}{b} \cdot 100$$ % = % increase or decrease
a = new value
b = original value
c = amount of change