📐 Arithmetic — Complete Formula Sheet for Banking Exams
IBPS PO • IBPS Clerk • SBI PO • SBI Clerk • RRB PO • All Banking & SSC Exams
Strategy: Memorise all formulas → practice shortcuts → attempt DI-linked arithmetic last
1. PERCENTAGE
| Formula | Expression | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage | (Value / Total) × 100 | Find % of a number |
| % Change | [(New − Old) / Old] × 100 | Increase / Decrease |
| A is x% of B | A = (x/100) × B | Find value |
| x% of A = y% of B | A/B = y/x | Ratio comparison |
| Successive % change | a + b + (ab/100) % | Two consecutive changes |
2. RATIO & PROPORTION
Basic: a:b = a/b | Compound Ratio: (a:b) × (c:d) = ac:bd | Duplicate Ratio: a²:b² | Triplicate: a³:b³
Proportion: a:b = c:d → ad = bc (Product of extremes = Product of means)
Mean Proportion between a and b = √(ab)
Third Proportion of a, b → b²/a | Fourth Proportion of a,b,c → bc/a
Dividing X in ratio a:b:c: First part = X × a/(a+b+c), and so on
3. AVERAGE
Average = Sum of observations / Number of observations
Weighted Average = (w₁x₁ + w₂x₂ + … ) / (w₁ + w₂ + …)
| Situation | Formula |
|---|---|
| New avg when one value added | New Avg = (Old Sum + New Value) / (n+1) |
| If avg increases by d after adding x | x = Old Avg + (n+1)×d |
| Average of first n natural numbers | (n+1)/2 |
| Average of n odd numbers | n (the nth odd number) |
| Average speed (equal distances) | 2s₁s₂/(s₁+s₂) |
4. PROFIT & LOSS
| Term | Formula |
|---|---|
| Profit % | [(SP − CP) / CP] × 100 |
| Loss % | [(CP − SP) / CP] × 100 |
| SP from CP + Profit% | SP = CP × (100 + P%) / 100 |
| CP from SP + Profit% | CP = SP × 100 / (100 + P%) |
| Dishonest shopkeeper profit% | [(True wt − False wt) / False wt] × 100 |
| Marked Price & Discount | SP = MP × (100 − D%) / 100 |
| Two articles sold — one at x% profit, one at x% loss | Overall Loss% = x²/100 |
5. DISCOUNT
Discount = MP − SP | Discount % = (Discount / MP) × 100
Two successive discounts d₁% and d₂%: Net Discount = d₁ + d₂ − (d₁×d₂)/100
Equivalent single discount for d₁, d₂, d₃: apply successively
SP after n discounts d%: SP = MP × [(100−d)/100]ⁿ
6. SIMPLE INTEREST
| Find | Formula |
|---|---|
| Principal P | P = (SI × 100) / (R × T) |
| Rate R | R = (SI × 100) / (P × T) |
| Time T | T = (SI × 100) / (P × R) |
| When SI = P (doubles) | T = 100/R years |
| Sum doubles at R% | Time = 100/R years |
7. COMPOUND INTEREST
| Compounding | Formula |
|---|---|
| Half-yearly | A = P × (1 + R/200)^(2n) |
| Quarterly | A = P × (1 + R/400)^(4n) |
| CI − SI for 2 years | CI − SI = P(R/100)² |
| CI − SI for 3 years | CI − SI = P(R/100)² × (3 + R/100) |
| Effective rate for 2 yrs | 2R + R²/100 |
8. TIME & WORK
If A can do work in x days, A's 1-day work = 1/x
| Situation | Formula |
|---|---|
| A and B together | Time = xy/(x+y) days |
| A, B, C together | Time = 1/(1/x + 1/y + 1/z) |
| A twice as fast as B | A takes half B's time |
| Wages ∝ Work done | Wage of A/B = Work ratio of A/B |
| Men × Days = Work | M₁D₁H₁ = M₂D₂H₂ (same work) |
9. PIPES & CISTERNS
Inlet fills in x hrs, Outlet empties in y hrs. Net rate = 1/x − 1/y per hour
| Situation | Formula |
|---|---|
| Pipe A fills in x hrs, B fills in y hrs | Together: xy/(x+y) hrs |
| A fills, B empties; A faster | Together: xy/(y−x) hrs |
| Tank full, both open | Empties in: xy/(x−y) hrs (if x>y) |
| Partial fill + leak | Net = (fill rate) − (leak rate) |
Note: Treat inlet as positive work and outlet as negative work — exactly like Time & Work.
10. TIME, SPEED & DISTANCE
| Concept | Formula |
|---|---|
| km/h → m/s conversion | × (5/18) |
| m/s → km/h conversion | × (18/5) |
| Average speed (same distance) | 2s₁s₂/(s₁+s₂) |
| Trains passing each other (opposite) | Time = (L₁+L₂)/(S₁+S₂) |
| Trains passing (same direction) | Time = (L₁+L₂)/(S₁−S₂) |
| Train crossing a pole/person | Time = Train Length / Speed |
| Meeting time (towards each other) | T = D / (S₁+S₂) |
| Catch-up time (same direction) | T = Gap / (S₁−S₂) |
11. BOATS & STREAMS
u = boat speed in still water | v = stream speed
| Find | Formula |
|---|---|
| Boat speed (u) | (Downstream + Upstream) / 2 |
| Stream speed (v) | (Downstream − Upstream) / 2 |
| Time ratio (DS:US) | US time / DS time = (u+v)/(u−v) inverted |
| Same distance: round trip time | T = D/(u+v) + D/(u−v) |
12. MIXTURE & ALLIGATION
Alligation Rule: Ratio of mixing = (C − Mean) : (Mean − C') where C = dearer price, C' = cheaper price, Mean = desired price
/
Mean (m)
/
(C − m) (m − C')
Removal & replacement: If from V litres of mixture, x litres removed and replaced with water n times:
Final pure liquid = V × (1 − x/V)ⁿ
13. PARTNERSHIP
Profit sharing ∝ Capital × Time
| Type | Formula |
|---|---|
| Same time | Profit ∝ Capital → P₁:P₂ = C₁:C₂ |
| Different time | P₁:P₂ = C₁T₁ : C₂T₂ |
| Working + Sleeping partners | Deduct working partner's salary first, then split remaining profit |
| A:B:C ratio and total profit | A's share = Total × A/(A+B+C) |
14. PROBLEMS ON AGES
Let present age = x. Set up linear equation from the given condition.
| Translation | Algebra |
|---|---|
| Age n years ago | x − n |
| Age n years hence | x + n |
| A is twice B | A = 2B |
| Ratio of ages a:b now; ratio c:d after n yrs | Set up two equations; solve simultaneously |
| Sum of ages | Sum = sum of individual ages |
Tip: Always define variables clearly. For ratio problems, let ages be ax and bx, then form equations from conditions.
15. PROBABILITY
| Rule | Formula |
|---|---|
| Complementary | P(E') = 1 − P(E) |
| Addition (mutually exclusive) | P(A∪B) = P(A) + P(B) |
| Addition (general) | P(A∪B) = P(A) + P(B) − P(A∩B) |
| Multiplication (independent) | P(A∩B) = P(A) × P(B) |
| Cards: Total 52 → 4 suits × 13 cards | Face cards = 12, Aces = 4, Red = 26, Black = 26 |
| Dice: 1 die has 6 faces | P(sum=7 with 2 dice) = 6/36 = 1/6 |
16. PERMUTATION & COMBINATION
| Situation | Formula |
|---|---|
| Arrange n things in n places | n! |
| Select r from n (order doesn't matter) | nCr |
| Circular arrangement of n | (n−1)! |
| Necklace / bracelet (flips allowed) | (n−1)! / 2 |
| Words from letters with repetition | n! / (p! × q! × r! …) for repeated letters p,q,r |
| nCr + nCr-1 = (n+1)Cr | Pascal's triangle rule |
17. MENSURATION
| Shape | Area | Perimeter / Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Rectangle | l × b | P = 2(l+b) |
| Square | a² | P = 4a; Diagonal = a√2 |
| Triangle | ½ × b × h | √[s(s−a)(s−b)(s−c)] | P = a+b+c; s = P/2 |
| Circle | πr² | Circumference = 2πr |
| Trapezium | ½ × (a+b) × h | Sum of all sides |
| Parallelogram | b × h | 2(a+b) |
| Equilateral △ | (√3/4)a² | 3a; Height = (√3/2)a |
| Cube | Surface = 6a² | Volume = a³; Diagonal = a√3 |
| Cuboid | 2(lb + bh + lh) | V = l×b×h; Diagonal = √(l²+b²+h²) |
| Cylinder | CSA = 2πrh; TSA = 2πr(h+r) | V = πr²h |
| Cone | CSA = πrl; TSA = πr(l+r); l=√(r²+h²) | V = (1/3)πr²h |
| Sphere | 4πr² | V = (4/3)πr³ |
| Hemisphere | CSA = 2πr²; TSA = 3πr² | V = (2/3)πr³ |
π ≈ 22/7 = 3.14159 | Use π = 3.14 for approximation unless specified
18. NUMBER SYSTEM
| Concept | Key Facts |
|---|---|
| Divisibility by 2 | Last digit even (0,2,4,6,8) |
| Divisibility by 3 | Sum of digits divisible by 3 |
| Divisibility by 4 | Last 2 digits divisible by 4 |
| Divisibility by 7 | Double last digit, subtract from rest; repeat if needed |
| Divisibility by 8 | Last 3 digits divisible by 8 |
| Divisibility by 9 | Sum of digits divisible by 9 |
| Divisibility by 11 | (Sum of odd-position digits) − (Sum of even-position digits) = 0 or divisible by 11 |
| Sum of first n natural numbers | n(n+1)/2 |
| Sum of first n odd numbers | n² |
| Sum of first n even numbers | n(n+1) |
| Sum of squares 1²+2²+…+n² | n(n+1)(2n+1)/6 |
| Sum of cubes 1³+2³+…+n³ | [n(n+1)/2]² |
Unit digit cycles: 2→2,4,8,6; 3→3,9,7,1; 4→4,6; 7→7,9,3,1; 8→8,4,2,6; 9→9,1; 5 always 5; 6 always 6
19. HCF & LCM
| Concept | Rule |
|---|---|
| HCF of fractions | HCF of numerators / LCM of denominators |
| LCM of fractions | LCM of numerators / HCF of denominators |
| Largest number dividing a,b,c leaving same remainder r | HCF of (a−r), (b−r), (c−r) |
| Smallest number divisible by a,b,c | LCM of a, b, c |
| Bells ringing together after t min; ring again together | LCM of their intervals |
| Largest square tile for a floor a × b | HCF of a and b |
Methods: Prime Factorisation (best for exams) | Division Method (faster for HCF)
📋 Quick-Reference Summary Card
SI: PRT/100
CI: P(1+R/100)ⁿ − P
Profit%: (SP−CP)/CP × 100
Avg Speed: 2s₁s₂/(s₁+s₂)
A+B work: xy/(x+y) days
DS/US: u+v / u−v
Mixture: V(1−x/V)ⁿ
HCF×LCM: = Product (2 nos)
nCr: n!/r!(n−r)!
% Change: (New−Old)/Old × 100
Successive %: a+b+ab/100
Π circle: πr² / 2πr
Cube V: a³; Surface: 6a²
Sphere V: 4πr³/3
1²+2²+…n²: n(n+1)(2n+1)/6
Partnership: Profit ∝ C×T
P(E): Favourable/Total
Alligation: (Dearer−Mean):(Mean−Cheaper)