On current GCSE Maths papers only a short list of formulas is printed for you. Everything else is assumed knowledge, and a question that depends on a formula you have not learned is effectively unanswerable — no method marks, because there is no method.
What is given on the paper
The formula sheet introduced for GCSE Maths includes results such as the quadratic formula, the sine and cosine rules, the area of a triangle using ½ab sin C, and volumes of a sphere and cone. Check your board's current sheet, because the list has changed in recent years and revision guides printed before the change can be misleading.
What you must know from memory
| Area | You must recall |
|---|---|
| Number | Compound interest and percentage multipliers, standard form rules |
| Algebra | Difference of two squares, expanding and factorising patterns |
| Geometry | Circumference and area of a circle, Pythagoras, area of trapezium |
| Trigonometry | SOHCAHTOA and the exact values for 0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 90° |
| Graphs | Gradient, y = mx + c, and the shapes of quadratic, cubic and reciprocal graphs |
| Ratio and rates | Speed, density and pressure relationships |
A routine that actually makes them stick
- Write the full list once, by hand, on a single sheet.
- Every morning, reproduce the sheet from blank in under five minutes.
- Circle anything you missed and rewrite only those.
- Once a week, use each recalled formula in one exam question so recall is tied to use.
Reading a formula sheet does not create recall. Reproducing it from blank does, and it takes far less time than most students expect.