Every SAT Math Formula You Need to Memorize
The complete list of Digital SAT math formulas to memorize — including what the reference sheet already covers and what it doesn't.
What's on the Reference Sheet
The Digital SAT gives you a reference sheet inside Bluebook with basic area, volume, and circle formulas. You don't need to memorize those — but you should know them well enough that you don't need to look them up under time pressure.
- Area of a rectangle, triangle, circle
- Volume of a cube, rectangular prism, cylinder, sphere, cone, pyramid
- Pythagorean theorem
- 30-60-90 and 45-45-90 triangle side ratios
- Circumference and arc/sector formulas in radians
What to Memorize (Not on the Sheet)
A set of formulas you must memorize because they aren't on the reference sheet but appear repeatedly.
- Slope = (y₂ − y₁) / (x₂ − x₁)
- Distance = √((x₂ − x₁)² + (y₂ − y₁)²)
- Midpoint = ((x₁ + x₂)/2, (y₁ + y₂)/2)
- Quadratic formula
- Vertex form of a parabola: y = a(x − h)² + k
- Exponential growth/decay: y = a(1 + r)^t
- Simple interest and compound interest
- SOH-CAH-TOA for right-triangle trig
What to do after reading this
- Turn the article into one action: a bank drill, a timed module, or a score calculation.
- Write down the exact skill or habit you are testing.
- Review the result before reading another guide.
Related SAT guides
- How to Get a 1600 on the Digital SAT
A realistic plan for scoring a perfect 1600 on the Digital SAT, based on what 1600-scorers actually do differently from 1500 scorers.
- How to Use Desmos on the Digital SAT
A tactical guide to using the built-in Desmos graphing calculator on the Digital SAT Math section — the shortcuts that save the most time.
Mistakes to avoid
- Reading multiple guides without doing practice between them.
- Using broad practice when the article points to a narrow skill.
- Treating format knowledge as score improvement before testing it under time.
Use this in practice
Practice on 1600.now
Apply what you just read. Run the numbers in the SAT score calculator, take a full Digital SAT module, or drill targeted skills in the question bank.
Post 45 of 52 in the 1600.now Digital SAT blog.