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Placement Practice Desk · Updated 17 May 2026

90 aptitude formulas you will actually see in 2026 placement tests

Ranked by frequency in TCS NQT, Accenture Cognitive, Infosys SP, and Wipro Elite drives across January to May 2026. Each topic links to a deep-dive with solved questions and the typical drive context. The long tail of CAT-style formulas is not included, this is what actually shows up.

What this cheat sheet covers

90
Distinct formulas, all categorised
18
Quant topics, ordered by drive frequency
92%
Quant questions covered across 12 drive recaps
~90 sec
Per-question time floor on TCS NQT 2026

Frequency percentages are derived from a sample of 12 drive recaps, January to May 2026, tracked via verified candidate threads on r/developersIndia and PrepInsta. Full method lives at the methodology page.

Topic frequency in 2026 drives

Read this table first. Spending equal time on every topic is the wrong allocation, time-bound prep should index on the high-frequency rows.

TopicDrive frequencyFormula countDeep dive
Percentages11%5Open topic page
Time, Speed, and Distance9%8Open topic page
Time and Work9%5Open topic page
Profit and Loss8%7Open topic page
Ratio and Proportion7%6Open topic page
Averages6%5Open topic page
Simple Interest5%4Open topic page
Compound Interest5%5Open topic page
Number System5%7Open topic page
Mensuration5%9Open topic page
Ages4%4In review
HCF and LCM4%3Open topic page
Permutation and Combination4%5Open topic page
Probability3%5Open topic page
Mixtures and Alligations3%2Open topic page
Pipes and Cisterns3%3Open topic page
Boats and Streams2%4Open topic page
Inequalities2%3Open topic page

The 90-formula reference

Grouped by topic, each block links to a question bank with 20-plus solved examples. Bookmark this page, the formulas are the floor, the linked drills are the work.

Percentages

Frequency 11% · 5 formulas
  • Percent to decimal: x% = x / 100
  • Increase by x%: New = Old x (1 + x/100)
  • Decrease by x%: New = Old x (1 - x/100)
  • Percent change: ((New - Old) / Old) x 100
  • Successive percent: Net = a + b + (ab/100)

Time, Speed, and Distance

Frequency 9% · 8 formulas
  • Speed: Distance / Time
  • Distance: Speed x Time
  • km/hr to m/s: x km/hr = x x (5/18) m/s
  • Average speed (two equal distances): (2 x A x B) / (A + B)
  • Relative speed (same dir): |A - B|
  • Relative speed (opp dir): A + B
  • Train crosses pole: Time = L / Speed
  • Train crosses platform: Time = (L_train + L_platform) / Speed

Time and Work

Frequency 9% · 5 formulas
  • Combined work rate: 1/T = 1/A + 1/B
  • Time to finish together: T = (A x B) / (A + B)
  • Work done by N persons: (M1 x D1) / W1 = (M2 x D2) / W2
  • Efficiency ratio: Eff_A : Eff_B = T_B : T_A
  • Pipes fill time: 1/T = 1/F1 + 1/F2 - 1/Drain

Profit and Loss

Frequency 8% · 7 formulas
  • Profit: SP - CP
  • Loss: CP - SP
  • Profit percent: (Profit / CP) x 100
  • Loss percent: (Loss / CP) x 100
  • SP from CP and profit: SP = CP x (1 + profit%/100)
  • Discount: MP - SP
  • Successive discount: Net = 1 - (1-a)(1-b)

Ratio and Proportion

Frequency 7% · 6 formulas
  • Ratio definition: a : b = a/b
  • Mean proportional: x = sqrt(a x b)
  • Componendo: If a/b = c/d then (a+b)/b = (c+d)/d
  • Dividendo: If a/b = c/d then (a-b)/b = (c-d)/d
  • Direct variation: x = k x y for constant k
  • Inverse variation: x x y = k

Averages

Frequency 6% · 5 formulas
  • Average: Sum / Count
  • New average after addition: (Old sum + new value) / (Old count + 1)
  • Weighted average: (w1 x x1 + w2 x x2 + ...) / (w1 + w2 + ...)
  • Average of first N naturals: (N + 1) / 2
  • Average of consecutive integers: (First + Last) / 2

Number System

Frequency 5% · 7 formulas
  • Sum of first N naturals: N x (N + 1) / 2
  • Sum of first N squares: N x (N+1) x (2N+1) / 6
  • Sum of first N cubes: [N x (N + 1) / 2]^2
  • Sum of AP: n/2 x (2a + (n-1)d)
  • Sum of GP: a x (r^n - 1) / (r - 1) for r != 1
  • Divisibility by 3: Digit sum divisible by 3
  • Divisibility by 11: Alternating sum divisible by 11

Mensuration

Frequency 5% · 9 formulas
  • Rectangle area: L x B
  • Triangle area: 0.5 x base x height
  • Circle area: pi x r^2
  • Circle circumference: 2 x pi x r
  • Cuboid volume: L x B x H
  • Cube volume: a^3
  • Cylinder volume: pi x r^2 x h
  • Sphere volume: (4/3) x pi x r^3
  • Cone volume: (1/3) x pi x r^2 x h

Ages

Frequency 4% · 4 formulas
  • Future age: Present age + x years
  • Past age: Present age - x years
  • Age ratio after t years: (A + t) / (B + t) = given ratio
  • Sum of ages: Sum stays constant only at one moment, drifts as years pass

Probability

Frequency 3% · 5 formulas
  • Probability: P(E) = favorable / total
  • Complement: P(not E) = 1 - P(E)
  • Independent events: P(A and B) = P(A) x P(B)
  • Mutually exclusive: P(A or B) = P(A) + P(B)
  • Conditional: P(A given B) = P(A and B) / P(B)

Aptitude cheat sheet FAQ, 2026 edition

How many formulas do I actually need for placement aptitude tests in 2026?+

Across 12 recent drive recaps, 90 formulas grouped across 18 topics covered 92 percent of solvable quant questions on TCS NQT, Accenture Cognitive, Infosys SP, and Wipro Elite. The long tail of 200-plus formulas typically tested in CAT and competitive exams does not transfer here, IT-services drives stay within a known frequency band.

Which aptitude topic appears most often in 2026 placement drives?+

Time-Speed-Distance and Time-Work together account for roughly 18 percent of quant questions on tier-1 IT-services drives, based on a sample of 12 drive recaps from January to May 2026. Percentages, Ratios, and Profit-Loss together add another 22 percent. Number System and Averages round out the high-frequency group.

Are formulas enough to clear TCS NQT or Accenture cognitive?+

No. Formulas are necessary but not sufficient. TCS NQT 2026 expects you to apply formulas under a per-section time pressure of roughly 90 seconds per question. Accenture's cognitive section adds Para Jumbles and critical reasoning, which formulas do not solve. Practice with the linked topic deep-dives, not just rote learning.

How is this cheat sheet different from a generic formula PDF?+

Each formula on this hub links to a topic deep-dive with 20-plus solved questions and the typical drive context. The order is by 2026 drive frequency, not textbook chapter order. Repeat-failure formulas are flagged based on candidate mistakes from r/developersIndia threads, May 2026 set.

What is the best way to revise these formulas before a placement test?+

Revise in three passes. First pass, read all 90 formulas once. Second pass, drill the top 30 high-frequency formulas using the linked topic articles. Third pass, take a full mock test and only revisit formulas you missed. The mock-test loops live at the Placement Practice page and at the topic-level pages.

How frequencies are calculated

Frequency percentages come from a sample of 12 drive recaps, tracked January through May 2026 across TCS NQT, Accenture Cognitive, Infosys SP, Wipro Elite, and Cognizant GenC. Each recap is sourced from at least two verified candidate threads on r/developersIndia or PrepInsta. When a new pattern emerges, this hub updates within 72 hours. Source list and methodology are at the methodology page.

Maintained by Aditya Sharma. Topics: 18. Formulas: 90. Linked topic deep-dives: 17.