DSE Mathematics (Compulsory Part) Important Formulas and Theorems

1. Percentages 2. Estimation and Errors

New value – Original value (a) Absolute error

(a) Percentage change = × 100%
Original value (i) For measured value > actual value:

New value = Original value × (1 + Percentage change) Absolute error = Measured value − Actual value

(ii) For actual value > measured value:

Selling price – Cost
(b) Profit percentage = × 100% Absolute error = Actual value – Measured value
Cost

Selling price = Cost × (1 + Profit percentage) (b) Maximum absolute error

1
= × Smallest scale interval of the measuring tool
2
Cost – Selling price
(c) Loss percentage = × 100%
Cost

Selling price = Cost × (1 − Loss percentage) Absolute error Maximum absolute error
(c) Relative error = or
Actual value Measured value

Marked price – Selling price

(d) Discount percentage = × 100% (d) Percentage error = Relative error × 100%
Selling price

Selling price = Marked price × (1 − Discount percentage)

(e) Let 𝑃 be the principal, r% be the interest rate per period 3. Polynomials

and 𝑛 be the number of periods. (a) Identities:

(i) For simple interest: (i) a 2 − b2 ≡ (𝑎 − 𝑏)(𝑎 + 𝑏)

Interest = P × r% × n (ii) a 2 + 2ab + b2 ≡ (𝑎 + 𝑏)2
Amount = P × r% × n + P (iii) a 2 − 2ab + b2 ≡ (𝑎 − 𝑏)2

(iv) a 3 + b 3 ≡ (𝑎 + 𝑏)(a 2 − 𝑎𝑏 + b2 )
(ii) For compound interest: (v) a 3 − b 3 ≡ (𝑎 − 𝑏)(a 2 + 𝑎𝑏 + b2 )
Amount = P(1 + r%)n

Interest = P(1 + r%)n – P (b) Remainder Theorem:

If a polynomial 𝑓(𝑥) is divided by 𝑎𝑥 − 𝑏,

𝑏
(f) Let 𝑃 be the original value, r% be the rate of growth per period the remainder is 𝑓 ( ) .
a
and 𝑛 be the number of periods.

New value = P(1 + r%)n (c) Factor Theorem：

𝑏
If 𝑓(𝑥) is a polynomial and 𝑓 ( ) = 0,
a
Let 𝑃 be the original value, r% be the rate of depreciation per then 𝑎𝑥 − 𝑏 is a factor of 𝑓(𝑥) .

period and 𝑛 be the number of periods.

New value = P(1 – r%)n

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DSE Mathematics (Compulsory Part) Important Formulas and Theorems

4. Quadratic Equations
Consider a𝑥 2 + b𝑥 + c = 0 where 𝑎 ≠ 0。 (d) For 𝑎, 𝑏 > 0 and 𝑎 ≠ 1, 𝑏 ≠ 1, 𝑀 > 0 and 𝑁 > 0
(i) log𝑎 1 = 0
−b ±√b2 − 4ac
(a) 𝑥=
2a
(ii) log𝑎 a = 1
2
(b) Discriminant ∆ = b − 4ac (iii) log𝑎 MN = log𝑎 M + log𝑎 N

M
(c) If 𝛼, 𝛽 are the roots of the given quadratic equation, (iv) log𝑎 N = log𝑎 M − log𝑎 N
b c
𝛼+𝛽 =− 𝛼𝛽 =
a a (v) log𝑎 𝑀𝑘 = 𝑘 log𝑎 M
log𝑏 M
(vi) log𝑎 M =
log𝑏 a
5. Functions

For a quadratic function y = a𝑥 2 + b𝑥 + c where 𝑎 ≠ 0,

(a) It can be written as y = 𝑎(𝑥 − ℎ)2 + 𝑘 where

7. Geometry
2
b 4𝑎𝑐 − 𝑏 (a) Pythagoras’ theorem
ℎ = − 2a and 𝑘 = 4a
If∠C = 90°, then a 2 + b 2 = c 2

(b) (ℎ, 𝑘) is the vertex of the graph 𝑐

𝑏
(i) For 𝑎 > 0, (ℎ, 𝑘) is the lowest point.

(ii) For 𝑎 < 0, (ℎ, 𝑘) is the highest point. 𝑎

(b) For an n-sided convex polygon,

(i) Sum of interior angles = (n − 2) × 180°

(∠ sum of polygon)
6. Exponential and Logarithmic Functions

(a) Laws of indices:

(ii) Sum of exterior angles = 360°
For any integers 𝑝, 𝑞 and 𝑎, 𝑏 ≠ 0，
(sum of ext. ∠s of polygon)
(i) a p × a q = a p +q

(ii) a p ÷ a q = a p –q

(iii) (a p )𝑞 = a pq

(iv) (ab) p = a p b p 8. Coordinates Geometry

Consider two points 𝐴 (𝑥𝑎 , 𝑦𝑎 ) and B (𝑥𝑏 , 𝑦𝑏 )。
𝑏 p
𝑝
𝑏
(v) ( a ) = 𝑎𝑝
(a) Distance of 𝐴B = √(𝑥𝑎 − 𝑥𝑏 )2 + (𝑦𝑎 − 𝑦𝑏 )2
m
𝑛
(b) For 𝑎 > 0, a n = √𝑎𝑚, where m, n are integers. y𝑎 − y𝑏
(b) Slope of 𝐴B =
x𝑎 − x𝑏
(c) Surds x𝑎 + x𝑏 y𝑎 + y𝑏
(c) Mid-point of 𝐴B = ( , )
2 2
For any 𝑎, 𝑏 > 0,

(i) √a ×√b = √ab

(d) P(x, y) is a point dividing the line segment AB internally in the
𝑎 √a ratio r : s such that AP : PB = r : s, then
(ii) √ b =
√b
sx𝑎 + rx𝑏 sy + ry
x= , y= 𝑎 𝑏
r+s r+s

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DSE Mathematics (Compulsory Part) Important Formulas and Theorems

9. Equations of Straight Lines and Circles 10. Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences

(a) The equation of a straight line with slope 𝑚 and passing (a) For an arithmetic sequence with first term 𝑎 and common

through (𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ) is: difference 𝑑,

y − y1 = m (x − x1 ) (i) General term: 𝑇(n) = 𝑎 + (n − 1)d

(ii) Sum of the first n terms:

n n
𝑆(n) = (a + l) or 𝑆(n) = [2a + (n − 1)]
(b) The equation of a straight line passing through (𝑥1 , 𝑦1 ) and 2 2
where l is the n-th term.
(𝑥2 , 𝑦2 ) is:

y − y1 y2 − y1
= (b) For a geometric sequence with first term 𝑎 and common
x − x1 x2 − x1
ratio 𝑟,

(i) General term: 𝑇(n) = 𝑎𝑟 𝑛−1

(c) The equation of a straight line with slope 𝑚 and
(ii) Sum of the first n terms (r ≠ 1)：
𝑦-intercept 𝑐 is:
a (𝑟𝑛 −1) a (1− 𝑟𝑛 )
𝑆(n) = or 𝑆(n) =
r−1 1−r
y = mx + c
(iii) For −1< 𝑟 < 1, the sum to infinity of a geometric
sequence is
(d) The equation of a straight line with x-intercept 𝑎 and a
𝑆(∞) =
1− r
𝑦-intercept 𝑏 is:
x y
+ =1 11. Mensuration
a b
(a) Square
(e) For a straight line 𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐶 = 0, (i) Perimeter = 4𝑎
A
Slope = − (𝐵 ≠ 0)， (ii) Area = 𝑎2
B
C
x-intercept = − (A ≠ 0)，
A
C
𝑦-intercept = − (𝐵 ≠ 0)。 (b) Rectangle
B
(i) Perimeter = 2(𝑎 + 𝑏)
(f) The equation of a circle with centre (ℎ, 𝑘) and radius 𝑟 is (ii) Area = 𝑎𝑏
(𝑥 − ℎ)2 + (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 = 𝑟2

(c) Triangle
(g) The general form of an equation of a circle is (i) Perimeter = 𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐
1
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝐷𝑥 + 𝐸𝑦 + 𝐹 = 0 (ii) Area =
2
𝑏ℎ

D E
(i) Centre = ( − , − )，
2 2
(d) Parallelogram
𝐷 2 E 2
(ii) Radius = √( ) + ( ) − 𝐹 (i) Perimeter = 2(𝑎 + 𝑏)
2 2
(ii) Area = 𝑏ℎ

(e) Trapezium

(i) Perimeter = 𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐 + 𝑑
1
(ii) Area = (𝑎 + 𝑏)ℎ
2

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DSE Mathematics (Compulsory Part) Important Formulas and Theorems

(f) Rhombus (n) Right circular cone

(i) Perimeter = 4𝑎 (i) Curved surface area = 𝜋𝑟𝑙

𝑝𝑞
(ii) Area =
2 (ii) Total surface area = 𝜋𝑟𝑙 + 𝜋𝑟 2
1
(iii) Volume = 𝜋𝑟 2 ℎ
(g) Circle 3

(i) Circumference = 2𝜋𝑟

(o) Sphere
(ii) Area = 𝜋𝑟 2
(i) Total surface area = 4𝜋𝑟 2
4
(ii) Volume = 𝜋𝑟 3
(h) Sector 3

θ
(i) Arc length = 2𝜋𝑟 ×
360° (p) Hemisphere
θ
(ii) Perimeter = 2𝜋𝑟 × + 2𝑟
360°
θ (i) Curved surface area = 2𝜋𝑟 2
(iii) Area = 𝜋𝑟 2 ×
360°
(ii) Total surface area = 3𝜋𝑟 2
2
(iii) Volume = 𝜋𝑟 3
(i) Cube 3

(i) Total surface area = 6𝑎2

(q) For two similar figures, if 𝑙1 and 𝑙2 are the lengths of the
(ii) Volume = 𝑎3
corresponding linear measurements, 𝐴1 and 𝐴2 are the

corresponding areas and 𝑉1 and 𝑉2 are the corresponding

(j) Cuboid
volumes, then:
(i) Total surface area = 2(𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏𝑐 + 𝑐𝑎)
2 3
𝐴1 𝑙 𝑉1 𝑙
(ii) Volume = 𝑎𝑏𝑐 = ( 𝑙1 ) and = ( 𝑙1 )
𝐴2 2 𝑉2 2

12. Trigonometry
(k) Prism
(a) Trigonometric identities:
(i) Total surface area
𝑠𝑖𝑛 θ
= Total area of all lateral faces + 2B (i) tan θ =
𝑐𝑜𝑠 θ
(ii) Volume = Bh
(ii) 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 θ + 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 θ = 1

(iii) 𝑠𝑖𝑛 (90° − θ) = cos θ

(l) Cylinder
(iv) 𝑐𝑜𝑠 (90° − θ) = sin θ
(i) Curved surface area = 2𝜋𝑟ℎ 1
(v) 𝑡𝑎𝑛 (90° − θ) =
𝑡𝑎𝑛 θ
(ii) Total surface area = 2𝜋𝑟ℎ + 𝜋𝑟 2
(b) For triangle:
(iii) Volume = 𝜋𝑟 2 ℎ
𝐴
𝑏
𝑐 𝐶
(m) Pyramid
𝑎
(i) Total surface area 𝐵

= Total area of all lateral faces + B the area can be obtained by the following methods:
1 1 1
1 (i) ab sin C = bc sin A = ac sin B
(ii) Volume = 𝐵ℎ 2 2 2
3
𝑎+𝑏+𝑐
(ii) √s(s − a)(s − b)(s − c) where s = 2

(c) Sine formula：

a b c sin A sin B sin C

= sin B = sin C or = b =
sin A a c

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DSE Mathematics (Compulsory Part) Important Formulas and Theorems

(d) Cosine formula:

2 (e) For any two events A and B，

b + c2 − a2
𝑎2 = 𝑏2 + 𝑐 2 − 2𝑏𝑐 cos 𝐴 or cos 𝐴 =
2bc (i) If A and B are independent, then:

2 𝑃(𝐴 ∩ 𝐵) = 𝑃(𝐴) × 𝑃(𝐵)

a2 + c2− b
𝑏2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑐 2 − 2𝑎𝑐 cos 𝐵 or cos 𝐵 =
2ac (ii) If A and B are dependent, then:

2 𝑃(𝐴 ∩ 𝐵) = 𝑃(𝐴) × 𝑃(𝐵|A)

a2 + b − c2
𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 − 2a𝑏 cos 𝐶 or cos 𝐶 =
2ab where 𝑃(𝐵|A) is the probability of B after A has \
occurred.

13. Permutation and Combination

(a) n ! = n × (n − 1) × (n − 2) × … × 1 , where n is a positive 15. Statistics

integer. (a) For ungrouped data 𝑥1 , 𝑥2 , … , 𝑥n,

𝑥1 +𝑥2 +⋯+𝑥n
(b) The number of permutations of selecting m objects from n mean =
𝑛
distinct objects without repetition is: (b) For grouped data with class marks as 𝑥1 , 𝑥2 , … , 𝑥n and

𝑛! corresponding frequencies as 𝑓1 , 𝑓2 , … , 𝑓n respectively,

P𝑚𝑛 = (n − m)!
𝑓1 𝑥1 +𝑓2 𝑥2 +⋯+𝑓n 𝑥n
mean =
𝑓1 +𝑓2 +⋯+𝑓n
(c) The number of combination of selecting m objects from n
distinct objects without repetition is: (c) Range

𝑛! (i) For ungrouped data:

C𝑚𝑛 = (n − m)! m!
Range = largest datum – smallest datum

14. Probability (ii) For grouped data:

(a) The probability of the event 𝐴 is: Range = highest class boundary – lowest class boundary

Number of possible outcomes to the event 𝐴

𝑃(𝐴) =
Total number of outcomes (d) Inter-quartile range = upper quartile – lower quartile

(b) (i) 𝑃(certain event) = 1 (f) (i) For ungrouped data 𝑥1 , 𝑥2 , … , 𝑥n with mean 𝜇,

(ii) 𝑃(impossible event) = 0

x μ + (x2 −μ)2 + … + (xn−μ)2
( 1 − )2
Standard deviation = √
n

(c) Suppose there are 𝑛 outcomes for an event.

If the probability of 𝑘-th outcome is 𝑃𝑘 and the corresponding (ii) For grouped data with mean 𝜇 and class marks as

value to the outcome is 𝑥𝑘 , then: 𝑥1 , 𝑥2 , … , 𝑥n and corresponding frequencies

Expected value = 𝑥1 𝑃1 + 𝑥2 𝑃2 + ⋯ + 𝑥k𝑃k as 𝑓1 , 𝑓2 , … , 𝑓n respectively,

f1 (x1 −μ)2 + f2 (x2 −μ)2 + … + fn (xn −μ)2

Standard deviation = √
f1 + f2 + … + fn
(d) For any two event A and B,

(i) If A and B are mutually exclusive, then:

𝑃(𝐴 ∪ 𝐵) = 𝑃(𝐴) + 𝑃(𝐵) (g) For any datum 𝑥 in a data set, the standard score 𝑧 is
x−𝜇
(ii) If A and B are NOT mutually exclusive, then: z=
σ
𝑃(𝐴 ∪ 𝐵) = 𝑃(𝐴) + 𝑃(𝐵) − 𝑃(A ∩ 𝐵) where 𝜇 is the mean and σ is the standard deviation of the data

(iii) If 𝐴′ is the complementary event of A, then: set.

𝑃(𝐴′ ) =1 − 𝑃(𝐴)

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