Mathematical Toolbox

1. Solution of quadratic equations

For an equation: ax 2 + bx + c = 0
There are two solutions given by: x =

b b 2 4ac
2a

2. Geometry
1. The internal angles of a triangle add up to 1800.

+ + = 1800

2. The external angle equals the sum of the angles facing the other two
sides.
= +
3. Trigonometry
1. For a right angled triangle having sides a,b,c, with the hypotenuse the
side c opposite the right angle, and a the angle opposite side a etc.
sina = a/c

cosa =b/c

tana = a/b = sina

/ cosa

sin is an odd function hence sin(-) = -sin()

cos in an even function hence cos(-) = cos()
Hence tan is an odd function with tan (-a ) = -tan(a )
sin(900 - ) = cos ()
Pythagoras (applies to right angled triangle) a2 + b2 = c2
Cosine rule (applies to any triangle)
a2 = b2 + c2 2bc cosa
2. The identity

sin2 + cos2 = 1

4. Expansions

1. binomial theorem: x + y

=
k =0

FG n IJ x
H kK

nk

y k where

and factorial m is denoted m! = 1 2 3.......m; 0! = 1

FG n IJ = n!
H k K (n k )! k !

e.g

b x yg

b x yg

= x 2 2 xy + y 2

= x 3 3x 2 y + 3xy 2 y 3

if x2 < 1 then the following can be used:

b1 + xg

= 1 + nx +

b g

b gb g

n n 1 2 n n 1 n 2 3
x +
x +L
2!
3!

2. expansions of trigonometric functions

sin =

tan = +

3
3!

3
3

5
5!

7
7!

cos = 1

+K

FG
H

2 5 17 7
2
+
+K 2 <
15
315
4

IJ
K

3. expansion of exponentials and logarithms

x2 x3
ex = 1 x + + L
2 ! 3!
x2 x3 x4
ln(1 + x ) = x + + L x 2 < 1
2
3 4

5. Areas and Volumes

1. Circle

Circumference = 2r

Area = r2

2. Sphere

Area = 4r2

Volume = 4r3/3

3. Cylinder

height h, radius r

Volume = r2h

4. Triangle

area = base x height

6. Derivatives and Integrals

1.

Product Rule:

if u and v are functions of x

b g

d
dv
du
uv = u + v
dx
dx
dx

if u is a function of y and y in turn is a function of x:

2. Chain Rule:

du du dy
=
dx dy dx

3. Integration by parts
2

2
2!

4
4!

6
6!

+K

dv
du
dx = uv v dx
dx
dx
4. Two integrals:
r =a
1
a
r =b r dr = loge b
u

r =a

r =b

1 1
dr =
b a

5. General rules
m
x dx =

x m +1
m +1

cos d = sin[ f ] sin[ i ]

i

7. Vectors
In a Cartesian coordinate system, with three mutually perpendicular linear coordinates in
variables x, y and z denoted by the unit vectors i , j and k .

Dot product ii = jj = kk = 1

ij = jk = ki = 0

Vector product i i = j j = k k = 0

i j= k j k = i k i = j

Order of vector product

j i = - k k j = -i i k = -j

For any arbitrary vector a = ax i + ay j +az k, when operated on by other arbitrary

vectors b and c defined in a similar way,
a (b + c) = a b + a c
sa b = a sb = s(a b)

where s is a scalar

Scalar (dot) product of two vectors

ab = ba = axbx + ayby + azbz = ab cos
where is the acute angle between a and b
and a,b are the magnitudes (size) of a and b.

Vector ( cross) product of two vectors

ab=-ba=

ax

ay

az

bx

by

bz

= (aybz-azby)i (axbz -azbx)j + (axby-aybx)k

= ab sin
3