Master CTET -2026 Mathematics
Algebra · Geometry · Mensuration · Data
Your all-in-one, teacher-guided study companion for CTET, TET, DSSSB & State TET success — concepts made simple, tricks made powerful!
Algebra uses letters (variables) to represent unknown numbers. It helps us write rules and solve unknowns. Think of it as generalised arithmetic.
📦 Constant — Fixed value (e.g. 5, 12, π)
🔤 Variable — Unknown letter (e.g. x, y, n)
🧩 Expression — Combination (e.g. 3x + 5)
⚖️ Equation — Expression with = (e.g. 3x + 5 = 14)
- Calculating total cost = price × quantity
- Finding unknown age in age problems
- Splitting bills equally among friends
- Speed, distance, time problems
- Temperature conversion formulas
Example: Solve 2x + 6 = 14
Step 1: Subtract 6 from both sides → 2x = 8
Step 2: Divide both sides by 2 → x = 4
Golden Rule: Whatever you do to one side, do the same to the other side!
❌ Not distributing brackets properly: 3(x+2) ≠ 3x+2
❌ Confusing expression with equation — expressions have no "="
A ratio compares two quantities of the same type.
If a class has 20 boys and 30 girls:
Ratio of boys : girls = 20 : 30 = 2 : 3
Simplify ratios by dividing both parts by their HCF.
Direct Proportion: As one increases, the other increases.
Example: More workers → more work done ✅
Inverse Proportion: As one increases, the other decreases.
Example: More speed → less time ✅
Keyword Trick: "More…More" = Direct | "More…Less" = Inverse
| Type | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Proportion | a/b = c/d | 3/6 = 5/10 ✅ |
| Inverse Proportion | a × b = c × d | 4 × 6 = 3 × 8 ✅ |
| Ratio Simplification | Divide by HCF | 18:24 = 3:4 |
| Finding Missing Term | Cross Multiply | x/8 = 3/4 → x=6 |
In a : b :: c : d → b × c = a × d
Means = middle two; Extremes = outer two
Point — Exact location, no size (·)
Line — Endless in both directions (↔)
Line Segment — Part of line, fixed ends (—)
Ray — Starts at a point, goes one way (→)
Parallel Lines — Never meet (= =)
Intersecting Lines — Cross at one point (✕)
| Acute | 0° – 90° |
| Right | = 90° |
| Obtuse | 90° – 180° |
| Straight | = 180° |
| Reflex | 180° – 360° |
| Complete | = 360° |
🔷 2D Shapes — Properties at a Glance
Sum = 180°
All angles 90°
4 right angles
Circumference = 2πr
Sum = 540°
Sum = 720°
🔶 3D Shapes — Faces, Edges & Vertices
| Shape | Faces | Edges | Vertices | Real-Life Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cube | 6 | 12 | 8 | 🎲 Dice, Ice Cube |
| Cuboid | 6 | 12 | 8 | 📦 Box, Brick |
| Sphere | 1 (curved) | 0 | 0 | ⚽ Ball, Globe |
| Cylinder | 3 (2 flat+1 curved) | 2 | 0 | 🥫 Can, Pipe |
| Cone | 2 (1 flat+1 curved) | 1 | 1 | 🍦 Ice Cream Cone |
| Pyramid (sq.base) | 5 | 8 | 5 | 🔺 Egyptian Pyramid |
(Faces + Vertices − Edges = 2)
Cube check: 6 + 8 − 12 = 2 ✅
An object is symmetrical if it looks exactly the same on both sides of a line. That dividing line is called the Line of Symmetry.
🔄 Reflection Symmetry — Mirror image
🔃 Rotational Symmetry — Looks same after rotation
📐 A square has 4 lines of symmetry
🔵 A circle has infinite lines of symmetry
Symmetrical objects:
Butterfly 🦋 | Leaf 🍃 | Human face 😊 | Snowflake ❄️
Asymmetrical objects:
Scissors ✂️ | Spoon 🥄 | Lightning bolt ⚡
Letters with symmetry:
A, H, I, M, O, T, U, V, W, X, Y
- Straight Edge / Scale — Draw lines
- Compass — Draw arcs & circles
- Protractor — Measure angles
- Set Square — Right angles
- Drawing a line segment of given length
- Bisecting a line segment
- Drawing a perpendicular from a point
- Constructing 60°, 90°, 120° angles
- Bisecting an angle
Step 1: Draw a ray AB
Step 2: Place compass at A, draw an arc cutting AB at P
Step 3: With same radius, place compass at P, cut the first arc at Q
Step 4: Join AQ → ∠QAB = 60°
📐 2D Shapes — Perimeter & Area
| Shape | Perimeter | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Square (side = a) | 4a | a² |
| Rectangle (l × b) | 2(l + b) | l × b |
| Triangle (a, b, c) | a + b + c | ½ × base × height |
| Equilateral △ (side a) | 3a | (√3/4) × a² |
| Circle (radius r) | 2πr | πr² |
| Parallelogram | 2(a + b) | base × height |
| Trapezium | sum of all sides | ½ × (a+b) × h |
📦 3D Shapes — Volume & Surface Area
| Shape | Volume | Total Surface Area |
|---|---|---|
| Cube (side a) | a³ | 6a² |
| Cuboid (l×b×h) | l × b × h | 2(lb + bh + hl) |
| Cylinder (r, h) | πr²h | 2πr(r + h) |
| Cone (r, h, l) | ⅓πr²h | πr(r + l) |
| Sphere (r) | ⁴⁄₃πr³ | 4πr² |
| Hemisphere (r) | ⅔πr³ | 3πr² |
- 📌 If side doubles → Area × 4
- 📌 If side triples → Area × 9
- 📌 If radius doubles → Area × 4, Volume × 8
- 📌 Diagonal of square = a√2
- 📌 Diagonal of rectangle = √(l²+b²)
- 🏡 Tiling a floor → Area of Rectangle
- 🌊 Water in a tank → Volume of Cuboid
- 🎁 Wrapping a gift → Surface Area of Cuboid
- 🌀 Rolling a cylinder → Curved Surface Area
- ⛽ Capacity of a pipe → Volume of Cylinder
"Circumference = 2 Pie R" → 2πr
Use π ≈ 22/7 when r is a multiple of 7; use π ≈ 3.14 otherwise.
Raw Data — Unorganized information collected directly
Tally Marks — Quick counting method using ||| marks
Frequency — How many times a value occurs
Frequency Table — Organized tally data in a table
Tally Mark Rule: Draw 4 vertical lines (||||) then cross the 5th (𝍷) = groups of 5!
- 📷 Pictograph — Uses symbols/pictures to show data
- 📊 Bar Graph — Bars of equal width, varying height
- 🍕 Pie Chart — Circle divided into sectors
- 📈 Line Graph — Points joined to show trend
- 📉 Histogram — Like bar graph, continuous data
📊 Sample Bar Graph — Students in Each Section
📌 Total students = 40+30+50+35+45 = 200 | Most students in Section C
2. Note the scale (what does 1 unit represent?)
3. Identify maximum, minimum, and difference
4. Calculate totals and averages if asked
5. Never rush — double-check your scale reading!
3x + 7 = 28 → 3x = 21 → x = 7. Always isolate the variable by doing inverse operations.
Total parts = 3+5 = 8. Boys = (3/8) × 40 = 15.
An equilateral triangle has 3 equal sides and 3 lines of symmetry — one from each vertex to the midpoint of the opposite side.
Area = l × b → 96 = 12 × b → b = 96 ÷ 12 = 8 cm.
Volume of cube = a³ = 5³ = 5×5×5 = 125 cm³.
C = 2πr = 2 × (22/7) × 7 = 2 × 22 = 44 cm. Note: 154 cm² is the area, not circumference!
V = πr²h = 3.14 × 9 × 10 = 3.14 × 90 = 282.6 cm³.
Speed and time are in inverse proportion (for constant distance). More speed → less time. Time = Distance ÷ Speed.
A cone has 2 faces: 1 flat circular base + 1 curved lateral face. Edges = 1, Vertices = 1.
Side = 36÷3 = 12 cm. Area = (√3/4) × 12² = (√3/4) × 144 = 36√3 cm².
5x − 3 = 22 → 5x = 25 → x = 5.
💡 Trick: Add 3 to both sides first, then divide by 5.
Discount = 15% of 120 = 18. Final price = 120 − 18 = ₹102.
💡 Quick method: 85% of 120 = 0.85 × 120 = 102.
Pattern: n(n+1) → 1×2=2, 2×3=6, 3×4=12, 4×5=20, 5×6=30, 6×7=42.
💡 Differences: +4, +6, +8, +10, +12 → next difference is 12.
Total parts = 4+5 = 9. B's age = (5/9) × 54 = 30.
A's age = (4/9) × 54 = 24. Check: 24+30 = 54 ✅
SP = CP × (1 + Profit%) → 350 = CP × 1.25 → CP = 350 ÷ 1.25 = ₹280.
💡 Formula: CP = SP × 100 ÷ (100 + Profit%) = 350×100÷125 = 280.
Formula: Sum of interior angles = (n−2) × 180° where n = number of sides.
Hexagon: (6−2) × 180° = 4 × 180° = 720°.
💡 Quick table: Triangle=180°, Quad=360°, Pentagon=540°, Hexagon=720°.
In a right-angled triangle: 90° + 35° + x = 180° → x = 180° − 125° = 55°.
💡 The two acute angles in a right triangle always add up to 90°.
A regular polygon with n sides has exactly n lines of symmetry.
Pentagon (5 sides) → 5 lines of symmetry.
💡 Square=4, Pentagon=5, Hexagon=6, Circle=infinite.
Euler's Formula: F + V − E = 2 → 6 + 8 − E = 2 → E = 12.
💡 Remember F+V−E=2 for any convex polyhedron — a CTET favourite!
Third angle = 180° − 70° − 50° = 60°. All three angles (70°, 50°, 60°) are less than 90°, so it is an acute-angled triangle.
Area = ½ × base × height = ½ × 14 × 9 = 7 × 9 = 63 cm².
💡 Common mistake: forgetting the ½ and writing 126 cm².
Perimeter = 4a → 200 = 4a → a = 50 m. Area = a² = 50² = 2500 m².
Original area = πr². New area = π(2r)² = 4πr².
Ratio = 4πr² ÷ πr² = 4 times.
💡 Key insight: Area is proportional to r². If r doubles, area quadruples.
TSA of cube = 6a² = 6 × 6² = 6 × 36 = 216 cm².
💡 A cube has 6 identical square faces, so TSA = 6 × (side)².
Area of trapezium = ½ × (sum of parallel sides) × height
= ½ × (8+12) × 5 = ½ × 20 × 5 = 50 cm².
Mean = Sum ÷ Count = (72+85+90+68+75) ÷ 5 = 390 ÷ 5 = 78.
Step 1: Arrange in order → 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11
Step 2: Middle value (4th of 7) = 5.
💡 Always sort the data before finding the median!
In a bar graph, bar height represents the frequency or value. The tallest bar = highest/maximum value in that category.
Bruner's three stages (CPA Approach):
1. Enactive/Concrete — hands-on objects (blocks, sticks)
2. Iconic/Pictorial — diagrams and pictures
3. Symbolic/Abstract — numbers and symbols
💡 Remember: Concrete → Pictorial → Abstract (CPA)
The student confused "×0" with "+0". This shows a conceptual misconception — they don't understand that multiplying any number by 0 gives 0 (Zero Property of Multiplication).
💡 CTET key distinction: Conceptual error = wrong understanding of a concept. Procedural error = correct concept, wrong calculation steps.
🎉 You've completed 10 questions! More practice = Higher CTET score!
Keep revising → Attempt mock tests → Aim for 28+/30 in Mathematics!
- Week 1 → Algebra + Ratio
- Week 2 → Geometry + Symmetry
- Week 3 → Mensuration (all formulas)
- Week 4 → Data Handling + Mock MCQs
- Week 5 → Full revision + Previous papers
- ⏳ 30 Math questions in 45 minutes
- ✅ Easy questions first — max 1 min each
- 🔁 Mark difficult ones — come back later
- 📌 Don't spend >90 sec on any 1 question
- ⚡ Use shortcuts, eliminate wrong options
- ❌ Skipping formula revision
- ❌ Not practicing data graphs
- ❌ Confusing area with perimeter
- ❌ Wrong unit conversions
- ❌ Ignoring Pedagogy section
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