Important Formulas For CAT Exam 2026: Topic Wise Formulas for [Quant, DI & LR]

Q: What are the most important formulas for CAT Quantitative Ability?

The key formulas include quadratic equations, geometry (area, perimeter, volume), percentage, profit and loss, and compound interest.

Q: How can I remember all the formulas for the CAT exam?

Regular practice, creating flashcards, and revising formulas frequently can help in memorizing them effectively.

Q: Are there shortcuts or tricks for using formulas in CAT?

Yes, understanding concepts and practicing with shortcut methods can save time during the exam.

Q: Do I need to know formulas for all sections of CAT?

Formulas are primarily essential for Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation sections, but logical reasoning relies more on concepts than formulas.

Q: What is the formula for TSD in CAT?

The formula for TSD in CAT is Distance = Speed × Time, with variations like Speed = Distance / Time and Time = Distance / Speed. These are used to solve problems involving average speed, relative speed, and more.

Author : Lalita Vishwakarma

November 25, 2025

Overview: What are the Important formulas for CAT exam 2026? Is the Quantitative section of the CAT exam tough? Read on to know the complete details.

The Common Admission Test, or CAT 2026, is the most challenging MBA entrance exam and a major gateway to the top management colleges in India.
The quantitative section of the CAT exam covers various topics, such as Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Number Systems, and Miscellaneous.
It is very important to learn the CAT Important Formulas 2026, along with tricks and tips.

So, keep reading to explore all the CAT formula books list and important CAT formula sheet compiled in our CAT 2026 PDF below

Download Important CAT Formula Cheat Sheets PDFs Links Below

Number System Formula PDF
Arithmetic Formula PDF
Number Theory Formula PDF
Quadratic Equation Formula PDF
Inequalities Formula PDF
Logarithms, Surds & Indices Formula PDF
Time, Speed & Distance Formula PDF
Linear Equations Formula PDF
Ratio, Proportion & Variations Formula PDF
Simple Interest - Compound Interest Formula PDF
Profit & Loss Formula PDF

What are the Important Formulas for CAT Exam 2026?

The quantitative section of the CAT exam evaluates candidates' problem-solving abilities through topics such as Algebra, Arithmetic, Number Systems, Geometry, and Miscellaneous. It consists of 22 questions covering different topics.

While you may already be familiar with these CAT formula sheet from high school, revising them is crucial to enhance your CAT exam preparation. Here is the list of the most important formulas of CAT exam for quantitative aptitude.

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Important Formulas for CAT 2026: Number System

Learning the CAT quant formulas can help you understand the basics. So, here are the CAT important formulas for the number system:

Description	Formulas
Difference of Squares	(a + b)(a - b) = a² - b²
Square of a Binomial (positive)	(a + b)² = a² + 2ab + b²
Square of a Binomial (negative)	(a - b)² = a² - 2ab + b²
Square of a Trinomial	(a + b + c)² = a² + b² + c² + 2ab + 2bc + 2ca
Sum of Cubes	(a³ + b³) = (a + b)(a² - ab + b²)
Difference of Cubes	(a³ - b³) = (a - b)(a² + ab + b²)
Factorization of a³ + b³ + c³ - 3abc	(a³ + b³ + c³ - 3abc) = (a + b + c)(a² + b² + c² - ab - bc - ca)
Special case for a + b + c = 0	When a + b + c = 0, then a³ + b³ + c³ = 3abc
Sum of first n natural numbers	1 + 2 + 3 + ... + n = n(n + 1) / 2
Sum of squares of first n natural numbers	1² + 2² + 3² + ... + n² = n(n + 1)(2n + 1) / 6
Sum of cubes of first n natural numbers	1³ + 2³ + 3³ + ... + n³ = (n(n + 1) / 2)²
Sum of first n odd numbers	Sum of first n odd numbers = n²
Sum of first n even numbers	Sum of first n even numbers = n(n + 1)

Also Read | CAT 2026: Exam Pattern, Syllabus for Quantitative Aptitude

Important Formulas for CAT 2026: Profit & Loss

Understanding the CAT formulas for profit and loss can be a plus point to boost your preparation for the main day. Here are some CAT important formulas you should focus on:

S.No.	Formulas
1.	Profit = Selling Price (SP) - Cost Price (CP)
2	Loss = Cost Price (CP) - Selling Price (SP)
3	Profit Percentage = (Profit / Cost Price) * 100
4	Loss Percentage = (Loss / Cost Price) * 100
5	Selling Price = (100 + Profit Percentage) / 100 * Cost Price
6	Selling Price = (100 - Loss Percentage) / 100 * Cost Price
7	Cost Price = 100 / (100 + Profit Percentage) * Selling Price
8	Cost Price = 100 / (100 - Loss Percentage) * Selling Price
9	Discount = Marked Price - Selling Price
10	Discount Percentage = (Discount / Marked Price) * 100

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Check | How To Prepare For CAT Exam 2026?

Important CAT Formulas Cheat Sheet for Time, Distance, Speed & Work

Learning these Important Formulas for CAT can help you solve questions quickly and improve your overall accuracy in Time, Distance, Speed & Work.

Category	Formulas
Speed	Speed = Distance / Time
Distance	Distance = Speed * Time
Time	Time = Distance / Speed
Average Speed (constant distance)	Average Speed = 2xy / (x + y)
Work	Work Done = Time Taken * Rate of Work
Work	Rate of Work = 1 / Time Taken
Work	Time Taken = 1 / Rate of Work

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Important CAT Formulas Cheat Sheet for Percentage

S.No.	Formulas
1	Percentage = (Part / Whole) * 100
2	Percentage Increase= [(New Value - Old Value) / Old Value] * 100
3	Percentage Decrease= [(Old Value - New Value) / Old Value] * 100
4	Profit Percentage = (Profit / Cost Price) * 100
5	Loss Percentage = (Loss / Cost Price) * 100
6	Markup Percentage = (Markup / Cost Price) * 100
7	Discount Percentage = (Discount / Marked Price) * 100

Also Read: CAT Total Marks and Distribution

CAT Important Formulas 2026: Time and Work

S.No.	Formulas
1.	Work Done = Time Taken × Rate of Work
2.	Rate of Work = 1 / Time Taken
3.	Time Taken = 1 / Rate of Work
4.	Total Work = Number of Days × Efficiency
5.	Efficiency = Work / Time
6.	M1D1H1W2 = M1D2H2W1

Also Read | How to download CAT Exam Admit Card 2026

Important Formulas for CAT Exam 2026: Simple and Compound Interest

S.No.	Formulas
1	Simple Interest = (P * R * T) / 100
2	Amount in Simple Interest = P + SI
3	Compound Interest (Annual Compounding) = P [(1 + R/100)^T - 1]
4	Amount in Compound Interest (Annual Compounding) = P (1 + R/100)^T
5	Compound Interest (Periodic Compounding) = P [(1 + R/n)^(nt) - 1]
6	Amount in Compound Interest (Periodic Compounding)= P (1 + R/n)^(nt)

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Important Formulas for CAT Exam 2026: Mensuration

CAT Important Formulas for 2D Shapes

Shapes	Formula for Area (A)	Formula for Perimeter (P)
Square	A = s²	P = 4s
Rectangle	A = lb	P = 2(l + b)
Triangle	A = 1/2 bh	P = a + b + c (where a, b, c are sides)
Circle	A = πr²	P = 2πr or πd
Parallelogram	A = bh	P = 2(l + b)
Trapezium	A = 1/2 (a + b)h	P = a + b + c + d (where a, b are parallel sides)

Read More | CAT Exam Subjects 2026

CAT Important Formulas for 3D Shapes

Shapes	Formula for Volume (V)	The formula for Total Surface Area (TSA)
Cube	V = s³	TSA = 6s²
Cuboid	V = lbh	TSA = 2(lb + bh + lh)
Cylinder	V = πr²h	TSA = 2πr(r + h)
Sphere	V = 4/3 πr³	TSA = 4πr²
Cone	V = 1/3 πr²h	TSA = πr(l + r) (where l is slant height)
Hemisphere	V = 2/3 πr³	TSA = 3πr²

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CAT Important Formulas 2026 for Trigonometry

1. Basic Trigonometric Ratios

These are defined in relation to a right-angled triangle:

Sine (sin): Opposite side / Hypotenuse
Cosine (cos): Adjacent side / Hypotenuse
Tangent (tan): Opposite side / Adjacent side
Cosecant (csc): Hypotenuse / Opposite side
Secant (sec): Hypotenuse / Adjacent side
Cotangent (cot): Adjacent side / Opposite side

2. Pythagorean Identities

sin²θ + cos²θ = 1
1 + tan²θ = sec²θ
1 + cot²θ = csc²θ

Check: CAT Exam Response sheet

3. Trigonometric Functions of Negative Angles

sin(-θ) = -sinθ
cos(-θ) = cosθ
tan(-θ) = -tanθ
csc(-θ) = -cscθ
sec(-θ) = secθ
cot(-θ) = -cotθ

4. Angle Sum and Difference Formulas

sin(A + B) = sinAcosB + cosAsinB
sin(A - B) = sinAcosB - cosAsinB
cos(A + B) = cosAcosB - sinAsinB
cos(A - B) = cosAcosB + sinAsinB
tan(A + B) = (tanA + tanB) / (1 - tanA tanB)
tan(A - B) = (tanA - tanB) / (1 + tanA tanB)

Read More: CAT Exam QA Syllabus

Best CAT Formula Books for 2026 Preparation

Below is a neatly structured table listing popular formula books for CAT preparation, categorised by section

Formula Books for CAT 2026 Preparation

Section	Book Title	Author/Publisher	Highlights
Quantitative Aptitude	Quantitative Aptitude for CAT	Arun Sharma (TMH)	Detailed formula coverage with solved examples and practice questions.
Quantitative Aptitude	Quantum CAT	Sarvesh K. Verma	Advanced-level formulas, tricks, and shortcut techniques.
Data Interpretation & LR	Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT	Nishit K. Sinha (Pearson)	Techniques and a structured approach to DILR questions.
VARC / Vocabulary	Word Power Made Easy	Norman Lewis	Vocabulary building through word roots and practical usage.

Conclusion

The Quantitative section of the CAT exam includes approximately 22 questions covering the mentioned topics. To excel in CAT 2026 with a good score and percentile, the CAT aspirants ensure to practice all the important Formulas For CAT exam described in this blog.

Remember. mastering these C AT important formulas will enhance your problem-solving speed and accuracy. Additionally, check out the preparation tips provided for the CAT entrance exam to refine your strategy and approach

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