Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT

UC Math MA, HKU Chemist hinwahk@gmail.com

93197825 AP MCAT GCE
HKU 1st Hons Engineer
Formulas
𝐴 ∪ (𝐵 ∩ 𝐶) = (𝐴 ∪ 𝐵) ∩ (𝐴 ∪ 𝐶)
𝐴 ∩ (𝐵 ∪ 𝐶) = (𝐴 ∩ 𝐵) ∪ (𝐴 ∩ 𝐶)
De Morgan’s laws
(𝐴 ∪ 𝐵) = 𝐴 ∩ 𝐵
(𝐴 ∩ 𝐵) = 𝐴 ∪ 𝐵

• Distributive law: (𝑥 + 𝑎)(𝑥 + 𝑏) = 𝑥 2 + (𝑎 + 𝑏)𝑥 + ab

• Perfect Square (𝑎 ± 𝑏)2 = 𝑎2 ± 2𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏 2
• Difference of 2 squares 𝑎2 − 𝑏 2 = (𝑎 + 𝑏)(𝑎 − 𝑏)
• Difference of 2 cubes 𝑎3 − 𝑏 3 = (𝑎 − 𝑏)(𝑎2 + 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏 2 )
• Sum of cubes 𝑎3 + 𝑏 3 = (𝑎 + 𝑏)(𝑎2 − 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏 2 )
• Roots of a quadratic equation
−𝑏 ± √𝐷 −𝑏 ± √𝑏2 − 4𝑎𝑐
𝑥1,2 = =
2𝑎 2𝑎

Binomial theorem
(𝑎 + 𝑏)𝑛 = 𝐶𝑛0 𝑎𝑛 + 𝐶𝑛1 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑏 + 𝐶𝑛2 𝑎𝑛−2 𝑏 2 + ⋯ + 𝐶𝑛𝑛−1 𝑎𝑏 𝑛−1 + 𝐶𝑛𝑛 𝑏 𝑛
𝑛!
, where 𝐶𝑛𝑚 = 𝑚!(𝑛−𝑚)! are the binomial coefficients.

Square of a trinomial (𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐)2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 + 𝑐 2 + 2𝑎𝑏 + 2𝑎𝑐 + 2𝑏𝑐

Square of a linear form
(𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐 + ⋯ + 𝑢 + 𝑣)2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 + 𝑐 2 + ⋯ + 𝑢2 + 𝑣 2 + 2(𝑎𝑏 + 𝑎𝑐 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑢 + 𝑎𝑣 + 𝑏𝑐 +
⋯ + 𝑏𝑢 + 𝑏𝑣 + ⋯ + 𝑢𝑣)
Cube of a trinomial
(𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐)3 = 𝑎3 + 𝑏 3 + 𝑐 3 + 3𝑎2 𝑏 + 3𝑎𝑏 2 + 3𝑎2 𝑐 + 3𝑎𝑐 2 + 3𝑏 2 𝑐 + 3𝑏𝑐 2 + 6𝑎𝑏𝑐
• Cubic equation (in a canonical form) 𝑎𝑥 3 + 𝑏𝑥 2 + 𝑐𝑥 + 𝑑 = 0
• Reduced to 𝑦 3 + 𝑝𝑦 + 𝑞 = 0 by using the substitution 𝑥 = 𝑦 − 𝑏/(3𝑎).
• Cardano’s formula
𝑦 3 + 𝑝𝑦 + 𝑞 = 0,
𝑦1 = 𝑢 + 𝑣,
1 √3
𝑦2,3 = − (𝑢 + 𝑣) ± (𝑢 − 𝑣)𝑖,
2 2
where

3 𝑞 𝑞 𝑝
𝑢 = √− + √( )2 + ( )2,
2 2 3

3 𝑞 𝑞 𝑝
𝑣 = √− − √( )2 + ( )2 .
2 2 3
sin2 𝛼 + cos2 𝛼 = 1
1+ tan2 𝛼 = sec2 𝛼
1 + cot 2 𝛼 = csc 2 𝛼
sin 𝛼
tan 𝛼 = ,
cos 𝛼
 sin(α+β)= sin α cos β+ cos α sin β 𝛼+𝛽 𝛼−𝛽
sin 𝛼 + sin 𝛽 = 2sin cos
2 2
sin(α−β)= sin α cos β−cos α sin β
𝛼+𝛽 𝛼−𝛽
sin 𝛼 − sin 𝛽 = 2cos sin
2 2
cos (α+β)= cos α cos β−sin α sin β
𝛼+𝛽 𝛼−𝛽
cos 𝛼 + cos 𝛽 = 2cos cos
2 2
cos (α−β)= cos α cos β+sin α sin β
𝛼+𝛽 𝛼−𝛽
cos 𝛼 − cos 𝛽 = −2sin sin
tan 𝛼 + tan 𝛽 2 2
tan(𝛼 + 𝛽) =
1 − tan 𝛼 tan 𝛽 cos (𝛼 − 𝛽) − cos (𝛼 + 𝛽)
sin 𝛼 ⋅ sin 𝛽 =
tan 𝛼 − tan 𝛽 2
tan (𝛼 − 𝛽) =
1 + tan 𝛼tan 𝛽 cos(𝛼 − 𝛽) + cos(𝛼 + 𝛽)
cos 𝛼 ⋅ cos 𝛽 =
2
sin (𝛼 − 𝛽) + sin (𝛼 + 𝛽)
sin 𝛼 ⋅ cos 𝛽 =
2

sin 2𝛼 = 2 sin 𝛼 cos 𝛼 cos 2𝛼 = cos2 𝛼 − sin2 𝛼 = 1 − 2sin2 𝛼 = 2cos 2𝛼 − 1

sin 3𝛼 = 3 sin 𝛼 − 4sin3 𝛼 cos 3𝛼 = 4cos 3𝛼 − 3 cos 𝛼
sin 4𝛼 = 4 sin 𝛼 cos 𝛼 − 8sin3 𝛼 cos 𝛼 cos 4𝛼 = 8cos4 𝛼 − 8cos2 𝛼 + 1
sin 5𝛼 = 5sin 𝛼 − 20sin3 𝛼 + 16sin5 𝛼 cos 5𝛼 = 16cos5 𝛼 − 20cos 3𝛼 + 5 cos 𝛼

2tan 𝛼
tan 2𝛼 = =
1 − tan2 𝛼

𝛼 1 − cos 𝛼
sin = ±√
2 2

𝛼 1 + cos 𝛼
cos = ±√
2 2

𝛼 1 − cos 𝛼 1 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛼

tan = ±√ = =
2 1 + cos 𝛼 sin 𝛼 1 + cos 𝛼
 𝛼
2 tan 2 2𝑡
tan 𝛼 = 𝛼 =
1 − tan2 1 − t2
2
𝛼
2 tan
sin 𝛼 = 2 = 2𝑡
𝛼 2
1 + tan2 2 1 + t
𝛼
1 − tan2 2 1 − t 2
cos 𝛼 = 𝛼= 2
1 + tan2 2 1 + t

𝑥 2dt
t = tan 2
𝑑𝑥 = 1+t2

sin 𝑥 = sin 𝛼 ⇒ 𝑥 = (−1)𝑛 𝛼 + 𝑛𝜋

cos 𝑥 = cos 𝛼 ⇒ 𝑥 = ±𝛼 + 2𝑛𝜋

tan 𝑥 = tan 𝛼 ⇒ 𝑥 = 𝛼 + 𝑛𝜋

• Cauchy’s inequality of arithmetic mean≥ geometric mean

𝑎+𝑏
≥ √𝑎𝑏
2
where a>0, b>0. The equality holds only when a=b.

𝑎1 +𝑎2 +⋯+𝑎𝑛
≥ 𝑛√𝑎1 𝑎2 ⋯ 𝑎𝑛 where 𝑎1 , 𝑎2 , … , 𝑎𝑛 > 0
𝑛
 sin 𝑥
𝑙𝑖𝑚 =1
𝑥→0 𝑥

tan 𝑥
𝑙𝑖𝑚 =1
𝑥→0 𝑥

1
𝑙𝑖𝑚 (1 + )𝑥 = 𝑒
𝑥→∞ 𝑥
ln(1 + 𝑥)
𝑙𝑖𝑚 =1
𝑥→0 𝑥
Basic Differentiation rules:
Power rule: (x n ) = nx n−1
Product rule: (uv) = uv  + uv

 u  vu − uv 
Quotientrule:   =
v v2

dy dy du
Chain rule:  f (g(x)) = f (g(x)) • g (x) or in other words = •
dx du dx

f(x) f '(x)
 sin x cos x
cos x −sin x
tanx sec2x
cot x −csc2x
sec x sec x tan x
csc x −csc x cot x
ex ex
ln x 1/x

 vdu = uv −  udv
1 1
 1− x 2
dx = sin −1 x + c − 1− x 2
dx = cos −1 x + c

1 1
 1+ x 2
dx = tan −1 x + c  − 1+ x 2
dx = cot −1 x + c

1 1
x x −12
dx = sec−1 x + c − x x −1
2
dx = cos ec −1 x + c
 𝑛(𝑛 + 1)
1+2+3+⋯+𝑛 =
2
2
𝑛(𝑛 + 1)
12 + 22 + 32 + ⋯ + 𝑛 2 = [ ]
2
2
3 3 3
𝑛(𝑛 + 1)
3
1 + 2 + 3 + ⋯+ 𝑛 = [ ]
2

1 1 1 1 1
+ + + ⋯+ = 1−
1⋅2 2⋅3 3⋅4 𝑛(𝑛 + 1) 𝑛+1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
+ + +⋯+ = [ − ]
1⋅2⋅3 2⋅3⋅4 3⋅4⋅5 𝑛(𝑛 + 1)(𝑛 + 2) 2 2 (𝑛 + 1)(𝑛 + 2)

∞
1
The p series (or hyperharmonic series) ∑ 𝑝 converges for p>1 and diverges for 0<p≤1.
𝑛=1 𝑛
𝑎𝑛
𝑅 = 𝑙𝑖𝑚 | |
𝑛→∞ 𝑎𝑛+1

1
𝑅 = 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑛
𝑛→∞ √𝑎
𝑛
∞
(𝑥 − 𝑎)𝑛 𝑓 ′′ (𝑎)(𝑥 − 𝑎)2 𝑓 (𝑛) (𝑎)(𝑥 − 𝑎)𝑛
𝑓(𝑥) = ∑ 𝑓 (𝑛) (𝑎) = 𝑓(𝑎) + 𝑓 ′ (𝑎)(𝑥 − 𝑎) + + ⋯+ + 𝑅𝑛 ,
𝑛! 2! 𝑛!
𝑛=0
∞
𝑥𝑛 𝑓 ′′ (0)𝑥 2 𝑓 (𝑛) (0)𝑥 𝑛
𝑓(𝑥) = ∑ 𝑓 (𝑛) (0) = 𝑓(0) + 𝑓 ′ (0)𝑥 + +⋯+ + 𝑅𝑛 .
𝑛! 2! 𝑛!
𝑛=0
1
= 1 + 𝑥 + 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 3 + 𝑥 4 + ⋯ + 𝑥 𝑛 + ⋯ , −1 < 𝑥 < 1
1−𝑥
1
= 1 − 𝑥 + 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 3 + 𝑥 4 − ⋯ + (−𝑥)𝑛 + ⋯ , −1 < 𝑥 < 1
1+𝑥
𝑥2 𝑥3 𝑥𝑛
𝑒𝑥 = 1 + 𝑥 + + + ⋯+ +⋯
2! 3! 𝑛!
𝑥2 𝑥3 𝑥4 (−1)𝑛 𝑥 𝑛+1
ln(1 + 𝑥) = 𝑥 − + − + ⋯ + ± ⋯ , −1 < 𝑥 ≤ 1
2 3 4 𝑛+1
𝑥2 𝑥4 𝑥6 (−1)𝑛 𝑥 2𝑛
cos 𝑥 = 1 − + − + ⋯ + ±⋯
2! 4! 6! (2𝑛)!
𝑥3 𝑥5 𝑥7 (−1)𝑛 𝑥 2𝑛+1
sin 𝑥 = 𝑥 − + − + ⋯ + ±⋯
3! 5! 7! (2𝑛 + 1)!
𝑥3 1 ⋅ 3𝑥 5 1 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 5 … (2𝑛 − 1)𝑥 2𝑛+1
arcsin 𝑥 = 𝑥 + + + ⋯+ + ⋯,
2⋅3 2⋅4⋅5 2 ⋅ 4 ⋅ 6 … (2𝑛)(2𝑛 + 1)
𝜋 𝑥3 1 ⋅ 3𝑥 5 1 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 5 … (2𝑛 − 1)𝑥 2𝑛+1
arccos 𝑥 = − (𝑥 + + + ⋯+ + ⋯ ),
2 2⋅3 2⋅4⋅5 2 ⋅ 4 ⋅ 6 … (2𝑛)(2𝑛 + 1)
𝑥3 𝑥5 𝑥7 (−1)𝑛 𝑥 2𝑛+1
arctan 𝑥 = 𝑥 − + − + ⋯+ ± ⋯ , |𝑥| ≤ 1
3 5 7 2𝑛 + 1
𝑥2 𝑥4 𝑥6 𝑥 2𝑛
cosh 𝑥 = 1 + + + + ⋯ + +⋯
2! 4! 6! (2𝑛)!
𝑥3 𝑥5 𝑥7 𝑥 2𝑛+1
sinh 𝑥 = 𝑥 + + + + ⋯ + +⋯
3! 5! 7! (2𝑛 + 1)!
 Half Substitution for CONICS.
The equations of tangent at a point (xo, yo) ON a CONICS curve f(x, y) = 0 is given by the formula:
(partial sub) = 0
where partial substitutions are:
x2 → xox
y2 → yoy
2xy → xoy + xy o
2x → x + xo
2y → y + yo

More precisely, if f(x, y) = ax2 + by2 + 2hxy + 2gx + 2fy + c = 0, then the equation of tangent at a point (xo, yo )
on the conics is given by
a xox + b yoy + h(xoy + xy o) + g(x + xo) + f( y + y o) + c= 0
Tangents from external point
The TWO equations of tangent from an EXTERNAL point (xo, yo) to a CONICS curve f(x, y) = 0 is given by the
formula: (half sub) 2 = (fully sub )* (no sub)

y dy
lim
x →0 x
= y
dx
y dy
  when x is small
x dx
dy
 y  x when x is small
dx
 y  y x when x is small △y
y' △ x

x
△x

(1+ x) r  1+ r(x)

when x is less than 1 and r can be any real number. In fact, a more accurate result is :
r(r −1) r(r −1)(r − 2) r(r −1)(r − 2)(r − 3)
(1+ x) r  1+ r(x) + (x) 2 + (x) 3 + (x) 4 .......
2! 3! 4!
Trapezium rule:
𝑏 𝑛−1 𝑛−1
𝑏−𝑎 𝑏 − 𝑎 𝑓(𝑥0 ) + 𝑓(𝑥𝑛 )
 ∫ 𝑓(𝑥) 𝑑𝑥 = [𝑓(𝑥0 ) + 𝑓(𝑥𝑛 ) + 2 ∑ 𝑓(𝑥𝑖 )] = [ + ∑ 𝑓(𝑥𝑖 )]
2𝑛 𝑛 2
𝑎 𝑖=1 𝑖=1