Section 1: Algebra, Sequences and Series¶
A. Algebra¶
Remainder Theorem: When f ( x ) f(x) f ( x ) is divided by ( x − a ) (x - a) ( x − a ) , the remainder is f ( a ) f(a) f ( a ) .
Factor Theorem: ( x − a ) (x - a) ( x − a ) is a factor of f ( x ) f(x) f ( x ) if and only if f ( a ) = 0 f(a) = 0 f ( a ) = 0 .
B. Quadratics¶
For a x 2 + b x + c = 0 ax^2 + bx + c = 0 a x 2 + b x + c = 0 :
x = − b ± b 2 − 4 a c 2 a x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a} x = 2 a − b ± b 2 − 4 a c
Vertex form a ( x + h ) 2 + k a(x + h)^2 + k a ( x + h ) 2 + k , vertex at ( − h , k ) (-h,\, k) ( − h , k ) :
h = b 2 a k = c − a h 2 h = \frac{b}{2a} \qquad k = c - ah^2 h = 2 a b k = c − a h 2
Discriminant Δ = b 2 − 4 a c \Delta = b^2 - 4ac Δ = b 2 − 4 a c :
Vieta's formulas for roots α \alpha α and β \beta β of a x 2 + b x + c = 0 ax^2 + bx + c = 0 a x 2 + b x + c = 0 :
α + β = − b a α β = c a \alpha + \beta = -\frac{b}{a} \qquad \alpha\beta = \frac{c}{a} α + β = − a b α β = a c
Forming a new quadratic from known sum S S S and product P P P :
x 2 − S x + P = 0 x^2 - Sx + P = 0 x 2 − S x + P = 0
Multiply through by a constant if needed so that a , b , c ∈ Z a, b, c \in \mathbb{Z} a , b , c ∈ Z .
C. Inequalities¶
Quadratic inequalities: find the critical values (roots), sketch the parabola, read the solution set from the graph.
Rational inequalities f ( x ) g ( x ) ≶ k \dfrac{f(x)}{g(x)} \lessgtr k g ( x ) f ( x ) ≶ k : rearrange to get zero on one side, find critical values (roots and excluded values), apply a sign diagram.
D. Surds, Indices, and Logarithms¶
Surd rules:
a × b = a b a b = a b a × a = a \sqrt{a} \times \sqrt{b} = \sqrt{ab} \qquad \frac{\sqrt{a}}{\sqrt{b}} = \sqrt{\frac{a}{b}} \qquad \sqrt{a} \times \sqrt{a} = a a × b = ab b a = b a a × a = a
Rationalise using the conjugate: ( a + b ) ( a − b ) = a − b (\sqrt{a} + \sqrt{b})(\sqrt{a} - \sqrt{b}) = a - b ( a + b ) ( a − b ) = a − b .
Laws of indices:
If a m = a n a^m = a^n a m = a n and a ≠ 0 , 1 a \neq 0,\, 1 a = 0 , 1 , then m = n m = n m = n .
Logarithm definition: a x = b ⟺ log a b = x ( a > 0 , a ≠ 1 , b > 0 ) a^x = b \iff \log_a b = x \quad (a > 0,\; a \neq 1,\; b > 0) a x = b ⟺ log a b = x ( a > 0 , a = 1 , b > 0 )
Key values: log a 1 = 0 \log_a 1 = 0 log a 1 = 0 , log a a = 1 \log_a a = 1 log a a = 1 .
Laws of logarithms:
To solve a x = b a^x = b a x = b : apply log \log log to both sides and use the power law: x = log b log a x = \dfrac{\log b}{\log a} x = log a log b .
Linearisation:
E. Sequences and Series¶
Sigma notation: ∑ r = 1 n U r \displaystyle\sum_{r=1}^{n} U_r r = 1 ∑ n U r means the sum of U r U_r U r from r = 1 r = 1 r = 1 to r = n r = n r = n .
Arithmetic sequences (a a a = first term, d d d = common difference, l l l = last term, n n n terms):
T n = a + ( n − 1 ) d S n = n 2 [ 2 a + ( n − 1 ) d ] = n 2 ( a + l ) T_n = a + (n-1)d \qquad S_n = \frac{n}{2}[2a + (n-1)d] = \frac{n}{2}(a + l) T n = a + ( n − 1 ) d S n = 2 n [ 2 a + ( n − 1 ) d ] = 2 n ( a + l )
Geometric sequences (a a a = first term, r r r = common ratio):
T n = a r n − 1 r = T n + 1 T n S n = a ( 1 − r n ) 1 − r T_n = ar^{n-1} \qquad r = \frac{T_{n+1}}{T_n} \qquad S_n = \frac{a(1 - r^n)}{1 - r} T n = a r n − 1 r = T n T n + 1 S n = 1 − r a ( 1 − r n )
Sum to infinity (converges when ∣ r ∣ < 1 \lvert r \rvert < 1 ∣ r ∣ < 1 only):
S ∞ = a 1 − r S_\infty = \frac{a}{1 - r} S ∞ = 1 − r a
Section 2: Coordinate Geometry, Vectors, and Trigonometry¶
A. Coordinate Geometry¶
For two points ( x 1 , y 1 ) (x_1, y_1) ( x 1 , y 1 ) and ( x 2 , y 2 ) (x_2, y_2) ( x 2 , y 2 ) :
m = y 2 − y 1 x 2 − x 1 d = ( x 2 − x 1 ) 2 + ( y 2 − y 1 ) 2 M = ( x 1 + x 2 2 , y 1 + y 2 2 ) m = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1} \qquad d = \sqrt{(x_2 - x_1)^2 + (y_2 - y_1)^2} \qquad M = \left(\frac{x_1 + x_2}{2},\; \frac{y_1 + y_2}{2}\right) m = x 2 − x 1 y 2 − y 1 d = ( x 2 − x 1 ) 2 + ( y 2 − y 1 ) 2 M = ( 2 x 1 + x 2 , 2 y 1 + y 2 )
Parallel lines: equal gradients. Perpendicular lines: m 1 m 2 = − 1 m_1 m_2 = -1 m 1 m 2 = − 1 .
Equation of a line: y − y 1 = m ( x − x 1 ) y - y_1 = m(x - x_1) y − y 1 = m ( x − x 1 )
Circle equations:
The tangent at a point on a circle is perpendicular to the radius at that point.
B. Vectors¶
For v = ( x y ) \mathbf{v} = \begin{pmatrix} x \\ y \end{pmatrix} v = ( x y ) :
∣ v ∣ = x 2 + y 2 v ^ = v ∣ v ∣ \lvert\mathbf{v}\rvert = \sqrt{x^2 + y^2} \qquad \hat{\mathbf{v}} = \frac{\mathbf{v}}{\lvert\mathbf{v}\rvert} ∣ v ∣ = x 2 + y 2 v ^ = ∣ v ∣ v
Dot product:
( a b ) ⋅ ( c d ) = a c + b d \begin{pmatrix} a \\ b \end{pmatrix} \cdot \begin{pmatrix} c \\ d \end{pmatrix} = ac + bd ( a b ) ⋅ ( c d ) = a c + b d
Angle between vectors:
cos θ = a ⋅ b ∣ a ∣ ∣ b ∣ \cos\theta = \frac{\mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b}}{\lvert\mathbf{a}\rvert\lvert\mathbf{b}\rvert} cos θ = ∣ a ∣ ∣ b ∣ a ⋅ b
a ⋅ b = 0 \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b} = 0 a ⋅ b = 0 : vectors are perpendicular.
b = k a \mathbf{b} = k\mathbf{a} b = k a for some scalar k k k : vectors are parallel.
Three points A A A , B B B , C C C are collinear if A B → = k A C → \overrightarrow{AB} = k\overrightarrow{AC} A B = k A C .
Direction of a vector: θ = arctan ( y x ) \theta = \arctan\!\left(\dfrac{y}{x}\right) θ = arctan ( x y ) , then adjust for the correct quadrant (add 180 ∘ 180^\circ 18 0 ∘ in Q2 or Q3).
C. Trigonometry¶
Conversion:
θ ∘ × π 180 → rad θ rad × 180 π → ∘ \theta^\circ \times \frac{\pi}{180} \to \text{rad} \qquad \theta\;\text{rad} \times \frac{180}{\pi} \to {}^\circ θ ∘ × 180 π → rad θ rad × π 180 → ∘
Arc and sector (θ \theta θ in radians):
l = r θ A sector = 1 2 r 2 θ A segment = 1 2 r 2 ( θ − sin θ ) l = r\theta \qquad A_{\text{sector}} = \frac{1}{2}r^2\theta \qquad A_{\text{segment}} = \frac{1}{2}r^2(\theta - \sin\theta) l = r θ A sector = 2 1 r 2 θ A segment = 2 1 r 2 ( θ − sin θ )
Exact values:
CAST rule: All (Q1), Sine (Q2), Tangent (Q3), Cosine (Q4) are positive.
Graph properties:
Pythagorean identities:
sin 2 θ + cos 2 θ = 1 tan 2 θ + 1 = sec 2 θ \sin^2\theta + \cos^2\theta = 1 \qquad \tan^2\theta + 1 = \sec^2\theta sin 2 θ + cos 2 θ = 1 tan 2 θ + 1 = sec 2 θ
Compound angle formulas:
sin ( A ± B ) = sin A cos B ± cos A sin B \sin(A \pm B) = \sin A\cos B \pm \cos A\sin B sin ( A ± B ) = sin A cos B ± cos A sin B
cos ( A ± B ) = cos A cos B ∓ sin A sin B \cos(A \pm B) = \cos A\cos B \mp \sin A\sin B cos ( A ± B ) = cos A cos B ∓ sin A sin B
tan ( A ± B ) = tan A ± tan B 1 ∓ tan A tan B \tan(A \pm B) = \frac{\tan A \pm \tan B}{1 \mp \tan A\tan B} tan ( A ± B ) = 1 ∓ t a n A t a n B t a n A ± t a n B
Double angle formulas:
sin 2 A = 2 sin A cos A \sin 2A = 2\sin A\cos A sin 2 A = 2 sin A cos A
cos 2 A = cos 2 A − sin 2 A = 1 − 2 sin 2 A = 2 cos 2 A − 1 \cos 2A = \cos^2 A - \sin^2 A = 1 - 2\sin^2 A = 2\cos^2 A - 1 cos 2 A = cos 2 A − sin 2 A = 1 − 2 sin 2 A = 2 cos 2 A − 1
tan 2 A = 2 tan A 1 − tan 2 A \tan 2A = \frac{2\tan A}{1 - \tan^2 A} tan 2 A = 1 − t a n 2 A 2 t a n A
Section 3: Introductory Calculus¶
A. Differentiation¶
Chain rule (let u = g ( x ) u = g(x) u = g ( x ) , y = f ( u ) y = f(u) y = f ( u ) ):
d y d x = d y d u ⋅ d u d x \frac{dy}{dx} = \frac{dy}{du} \cdot \frac{du}{dx} d x d y = d u d y ⋅ d x d u
Product rule (y = u v y = uv y = uv ):
d y d x = u d v d x + v d u d x \frac{dy}{dx} = u\frac{dv}{dx} + v\frac{du}{dx} d x d y = u d x d v + v d x d u
Quotient rule (y = u v y = \dfrac{u}{v} y = v u ):
d y d x = v d u d x − u d v d x v 2 \frac{dy}{dx} = \frac{v\dfrac{du}{dx} - u\dfrac{dv}{dx}}{v^2} d x d y = v 2 v d x d u − u d x d v
Stationary points: set f ′ ( x ) = 0 f'(x) = 0 f ′ ( x ) = 0 , solve for x x x , find y y y .
Tangent and normal at ( x 0 , y 0 ) (x_0, y_0) ( x 0 , y 0 ) : tangent gradient m T = f ′ ( x 0 ) m_T = f'(x_0) m T = f ′ ( x 0 ) ; normal gradient m N = − 1 m T m_N = -\dfrac{1}{m_T} m N = − m T 1 .
Connected rates: d y d t = d y d x ⋅ d x d t \dfrac{dy}{dt} = \dfrac{dy}{dx} \cdot \dfrac{dx}{dt} d t d y = d x d y ⋅ d t d x
B. Integration¶
∫ x n d x = x n + 1 n + 1 + c ( n ≠ − 1 ) \int x^n\,dx = \frac{x^{n+1}}{n+1} + c \qquad (n \neq -1) ∫ x n d x = n + 1 x n + 1 + c ( n = − 1 )
∫ ( a x + b ) n d x = ( a x + b ) n + 1 a ( n + 1 ) + c \int (ax + b)^n\,dx = \frac{(ax + b)^{n+1}}{a(n+1)} + c ∫ ( a x + b ) n d x = a ( n + 1 ) ( a x + b ) n + 1 + c
∫ sin ( a x ) d x = − 1 a cos ( a x ) + c ∫ cos ( a x ) d x = 1 a sin ( a x ) + c \int \sin(ax)\,dx = -\frac{1}{a}\cos(ax) + c \qquad \int \cos(ax)\,dx = \frac{1}{a}\sin(ax) + c ∫ sin ( a x ) d x = − a 1 cos ( a x ) + c ∫ cos ( a x ) d x = a 1 sin ( a x ) + c
Area under a curve between x = a x = a x = a and x = b x = b x = b :
A = ∫ a b y d x A = \int_a^b y\,dx A = ∫ a b y d x
Area between two curves (f ( x ) ≥ g ( x ) f(x) \geq g(x) f ( x ) ≥ g ( x ) on [ a , b ] [a,b] [ a , b ] ):
A = ∫ a b [ f ( x ) − g ( x ) ] d x A = \int_a^b \bigl[f(x) - g(x)\bigr]\,dx A = ∫ a b [ f ( x ) − g ( x ) ] d x
Volume of revolution about the x x x -axis:
V = π ∫ a b y 2 d x V = \pi\int_a^b y^2\,dx V = π ∫ a b y 2 d x
Kinematics¶
Displacement s s s , velocity v v v , acceleration a a a , time t t t :
v = d s d t a = d v d t = d 2 s d t 2 v = \frac{ds}{dt} \qquad a = \frac{dv}{dt} = \frac{d^2s}{dt^2} v = d t d s a = d t d v = d t 2 d 2 s
s = ∫ v d t v = ∫ a d t s = \int v\,dt \qquad v = \int a\,dt s = ∫ v d t v = ∫ a d t
SUVAT equations (uniform acceleration only; u u u = initial velocity, s s s = displacement):
v = u + a t s = u t + 1 2 a t 2 v 2 = u 2 + 2 a s s = 1 2 ( u + v ) t v = u + at \qquad s = ut + \tfrac{1}{2}at^2 \qquad v^2 = u^2 + 2as \qquad s = \tfrac{1}{2}(u + v)t v = u + a t s = u t + 2 1 a t 2 v 2 = u 2 + 2 a s s = 2 1 ( u + v ) t
Particle is stationary when v = 0 v = 0 v = 0 . Direction changes when v v v changes sign.
Section 4: Probability and Statistics¶
A. Data Representation and Analysis¶
Mean:
x ˉ = ∑ x n (ungrouped) x ˉ = ∑ f x ∑ f (grouped) \bar{x} = \frac{\sum x}{n} \quad \text{(ungrouped)} \qquad \bar{x} = \frac{\sum fx}{\sum f} \quad \text{(grouped)} x ˉ = n ∑ x (ungrouped) x ˉ = ∑ f ∑ f x (grouped)
Variance and standard deviation:
S 2 = ∑ ( x − x ˉ ) 2 n S = ∑ ( x − x ˉ ) 2 n (ungrouped) S^2 = \frac{\sum(x - \bar{x})^2}{n} \qquad S = \sqrt{\frac{\sum(x - \bar{x})^2}{n}} \quad \text{(ungrouped)} S 2 = n ∑ ( x − x ˉ ) 2 S = n ∑ ( x − x ˉ ) 2 (ungrouped)
S 2 = ∑ f ( x − x ˉ ) 2 ∑ f (grouped) S^2 = \frac{\sum f(x - \bar{x})^2}{\sum f} \quad \text{(grouped)} S 2 = ∑ f ∑ f ( x − x ˉ ) 2 (grouped)
Measures of spread:
Range = x max − x min IQR = Q 3 − Q 1 Semi-IQR = Q 3 − Q 1 2 \text{Range} = x_{\max} - x_{\min} \qquad \text{IQR} = Q_3 - Q_1 \qquad \text{Semi-IQR} = \frac{Q_3 - Q_1}{2} Range = x m a x − x m i n IQR = Q 3 − Q 1 Semi-IQR = 2 Q 3 − Q 1
Skewness:
B. Probability Theory¶
P ( A ) = favourable outcomes total outcomes P ( A ′ ) = 1 − P ( A ) 0 ≤ P ( A ) ≤ 1 P(A) = \frac{\text{favourable outcomes}}{\text{total outcomes}} \qquad P(A') = 1 - P(A) \qquad 0 \leq P(A) \leq 1 P ( A ) = total outcomes favourable outcomes P ( A ′ ) = 1 − P ( A ) 0 ≤ P ( A ) ≤ 1
Two non-zero-probability events cannot be simultaneously mutually exclusive and independent.
Tree diagrams: multiply along branches for intersection probabilities; add across branches for union. The syllabus restricts trees to two initial branches.
Venn diagrams: restricted to two sets; the four regions (A A A only, B B B only, A ∩ B A \cap B A ∩ B , neither) must sum to P ( S ) = 1 P(S) = 1 P ( S ) = 1 .