The Edexcel A-level Maths formula sheet is one of the most useful tools in the exam, and one of the most under-used. Candidates who lose marks in A-level Maths often do so because they memorised a formula that was on the sheet, or wasted three minutes hunting for a formula they thought was on the sheet but was not. This guide walks through what is on it, what is not, and how to use it well.
What the sheet actually is
The Edexcel A-level Maths formula sheet is a two-page document printed inside your answer booklet in every exam of the Edexcel A-level Mathematics qualification (9MA0). It covers Pure Mathematics, Statistics and Mechanics on the same sheet. The AS-level (8MA0) has a shorter version covering only AS content.
The sheet lists formulae you might otherwise be expected to memorise. But it does not list every formula on the specification. Some formulae are considered core enough to be memorised; others are considered "look up when needed".
Pure Mathematics section
The Pure section includes: the binomial expansion for positive integer n and for rational n; logarithm and exponential relationships (change of base); trigonometric identities (compound angles, double angles, small angle approximations); differentiation of standard functions (e^x, ln x, sin x, cos x, tan x, sec x, cosec x, cot x, and inverse trig); and integration of standard functions plus integration by parts.
Not on the sheet but expected to be memorised: the quadratic formula, differentiation from first principles, the arithmetic series and geometric series formulae, the equation of a line and a circle, and the basic trigonometric identity sin^2 x + cos^2 x = 1.
Statistics section
The Statistics section includes: the formula for standard deviation using summation notation; the product-moment correlation coefficient formula; the equation for the regression line of y on x; the binomial distribution and its mean and variance; the normal distribution notation; and confidence interval calculation.
Statistical tables are a separate booklet, issued with the exam alongside the formula sheet. Tables include the normal distribution cumulative Phi values, the binomial cumulative distribution, and the Poisson cumulative distribution. Critical values for hypothesis tests, including the product-moment correlation coefficient, are also in the tables booklet.
Mechanics section
The Mechanics section includes: the SUVAT equations for uniform acceleration; the formula for weight (W = mg); the moment of a force about a point; centre of mass formulae for particles on a line and in a plane; impulse (Ft = mv - mu) and momentum equations; and the equation for the coefficient of friction.
What is missing from Mechanics: candidates are expected to know Newton's laws in word form, resolve forces on inclined planes without a diagram, and derive the projectile equations from SUVAT (they are not given in the ready-to-use projectile form).
How to use the sheet in the exam
The single biggest time-saver is knowing the layout of the sheet before you sit the paper. Candidates who have never revised with the sheet next to them waste 30 to 90 seconds per question looking for formulae. Over a two-hour paper, that is 20 to 60 marks of thinking time lost.
From the first month of the course, keep the sheet next to you when doing exam questions. Do not memorise formulae that are on the sheet; instead, memorise where they are on the sheet. In the last month, do timed past papers using the sheet, until navigating it becomes reflexive.
Some candidates annotate the sheet in the first minute of the exam, boxing formulae they are likely to use in that paper and crossing out sections they are not. This is legal and can save time on longer papers. Others leave it clean. Both approaches work; the important thing is that navigating the sheet is fast.
What to memorise (the shortlist)
The core memorisation shortlist for Edexcel A-level Maths: the quadratic formula and discriminant; the arithmetic series and geometric series formulae (nth term and sum); the equation of a straight line in both point-gradient and general form; the equation of a circle; the basic trigonometric identity sin^2 x + cos^2 x = 1 and the tangent identity; differentiation from first principles; and the SUVAT equations in their word form.
Beyond this shortlist, memorise the location of formulae on the sheet rather than the formulae themselves. Time is your scarcest resource in the exam.
AQA and OCR: similar but not identical
If you are sitting AQA or OCR A-level Maths, use their specific formula sheet. All three boards cover the same core content and the sheets are similar in spirit, but the layout differs and a few formulae are worded differently or placed in different sections. Past-paper practice on the wrong board's sheet is a common source of confusion in the last month of preparation.
Related reading
Doing A-levels as a Mature Student covers how adult candidates approach A-levels differently.
UCAS Points: A Complete Guide to the Tariff explains how A-level grades convert to UCAS points.