GED Math Test - Formula Reference - Area, Perimeter, Volume, Geometry

Sep 14, 2026

GED Math Test formula reference covering key geometry and measurement tools needed during the exam. Includes area and perimeter formulas for common shapes (square, rectangle, parallelogram, triangle, trapezoid, circle), plus circumference for circles. Adds volume formulas for cube, rectangular solid, square pyramid, cylinder, and cone. Provides coordinate geometry distance and slope, the Pythagorean relationship, measures of central tendency (mean, median), and basic interest and distance cost calculations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Formulas Reference

Area and Perimeter

Circumference and Volume

Coordinate Geometry and Pythagorean Relationship

Central Tendency and Financial/Distance Calculations

This page will be provided when you take the GED Math Test. Although you do not need to memorize these formulas, it is a good idea to be familiar with the contents of this page so that you will know when to use it. | FORMULAS | | --- | | AREA of a:
square Area 􀀅 side2
rectangle Area 􀀅 length 􀀃 width
parallelogram Area 􀀅 base 􀀃 height
triangle Area 􀀅 ~~ 12~~ 􀀃 base 􀀃 height
trapezoid Area 􀀅 ~~ 12~~ 􀀃 (base1 􀀁 base2) 􀀃 height
circle Area 􀀅 π 􀀃 radius2; π is approximately equal to 3.14. | | PERIMETER of a:
square Perimeter 􀀅 4 􀀃 side
rectangle Perimeter 􀀅 2 􀀃 length 􀀁 2 􀀃 width
triangle Perimeter 􀀅 side1 􀀁 side2 􀀁 side3
CIRCUMFERENCE of a:
circle Circumference 􀀅 π 􀀃 diameter;
π is approximately equal to 3.14. | | VOLUME of a:
cube Volume 􀀅 edge3
rectangular solid Volume 􀀅 length 􀀃 width 􀀃 height
square pyramid Volume 􀀅 ~~13 ~~ 􀀃 (base edge)2 􀀃 height
cylinder Volume 􀀅 π 􀀃 radius2 􀀃 height;
π is approximately equal to 3.14.
cone Volume 􀀅 ~~13 ~~ 􀀃 π 􀀃 radius2 􀀃 height;
π is approximately equal to 3.14. | | COORDINATE GEOMETRY
distance between points 􀀅 (x2 􀀂 x1)2 􀀁 (y2 􀀂 y1)2; (x1,y1) and (x2,y2) are two points in a plane. slope of a line 􀀅 y~~ ~~2~~x ~~2~~ ~~􀀂~~ ~~y~~ ~~1~~x ~~1~~ ~~ ; (x1,y1) and (x2,y2) are two points on the line. | | PYTHAGOREAN RELATIONSHIP
a2 􀀁 b2 􀀅 c2; a and b are legs and c the hypotenuse of a right triangle. | | MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY
mean 􀀅 x1 􀀁 x2 n􀀁 ... 􀀁xn , where the x’s are the values for which a mean is desired, and n is the total number of values for x.
median 􀀅 the middle value of an odd number of ordered scores, and halfway between the two middle values of an even number of ordered scores. | | SIMPLE INTEREST interest 􀀅 principal 􀀃 rate 􀀃 time
DISTANCE distance 􀀅 rate 􀀃 time
TOTAL COST total cost 􀀅 (number of units) 􀀃 (price per unit) | Reprinted with permission of the GED Testing Service. © 2001, GEDTS

FAQs

Do I need to memorize these GED Math formulas?

Memorization is not required, but reviewing the contents helps you recognize when to use each formula on the test.

Which shapes are included in the area and perimeter formulas?

The page lists area for square, rectangle, parallelogram, triangle, trapezoid, and circle, and perimeter for square, rectangle, and triangle, along with circle circumference.

What core topics are covered beyond geometry?

It also includes coordinate geometry (distance, slope), the Pythagorean relationship, central tendency (mean, median), and simple interest, distance, and total cost calculations.

Sep 14, 2026

Uploaded by Riley West