Algebra Cheat Sheet & Reference Sheet Maker
Ten one-page references — algebra, geometry, fractions, grammar — each worked through or blank for students to fill in themselves.
Worked, or blank for student notes
Real cheat sheets. Click one to start from it.
What makes a cheat sheet worth handing out
Three things, and the format the good ones converged on encodes all three. It fits on one page, because a two-page cheat sheet is a handout and gets filed rather than used. Every rule sits beside a worked example, because a rule in isolation is the thing the student already could not apply. And it ships in a blank version the student fills in during the unit, because writing it is most of what makes it findable later.
The ten sheets
- Order of Operations & Integer Rules (Grades 5–9) — The two things everything else in algebra is built on
- Fractions, Decimals & Percents (Grades 4–8) — Three ways of writing the same number
- Solving Equations & Inequalities (Grades 7–10) — Algebra 1 · unit reference
- Linear Functions & Graphing (Grades 8–10) — Algebra 1 · unit reference
- Exponents & Polynomials (Grades 8–10) — Algebra 1 · unit reference
- Factoring & Quadratics (Grades 9–11) — Algebra 1 · unit reference
- Geometry Formula Sheet (Grades 6–10) — Area, volume, angles and the Pythagorean theorem
- Word Problems — What the Words Mean (Grades 3–8) — Translating English into arithmetic
- Parts of Speech & Punctuation (Grades 4–9) — The rules that come up in every piece of writing
- Test-Taking Strategies (Grades 4–12) — What to do before, during, and when you are stuck
Using one as an anchor chart
Print at 100%, then enlarge on the copier to 141% twice to reach roughly A2. The one-column option is the one to enlarge — two columns at wall distance reads as a block of grey. The section headings are solid bars in the accent colour precisely so they survive the enlargement and a photocopy generation or two.
The whole algebra set in one file
The Algebra Reference Sheet Library is the six algebra sheets in course order, each in both versions, plus the geometry and word-problem sheets — one file to print once in August. This maker stays free. See the math reference section.
We publish puzzle books too
Every titlePaperbacks we wrote and printed ourselves — including one for people who teach. Nothing to do with the makers above; they stay free.
- Last Lesson PlanCryptograms for Aggressively Dedicated Teachers
- Per My Last TantrumSnarky Cryptograms for the Mental Load
- The Giggle Brain Puzzle Book120+ Hilarious Puzzles for Middle School Kids — Cryptograms, Word Fill-Ins & Word Scrambles
These are Amazon links, and we earn a small commission if you buy through them — at no extra cost to you. They are our own books.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an algebra cheat sheet and how do students use it?
One printer-friendly page holding the rules of a single unit, each with a worked example beside it. Students keep it in a notebook, tape it inside a folder, or enlarge it into a classroom anchor chart. It is not a shortcut past learning the rules — it is the reference students reach for while they are still learning them, so they spend their attention on the problem rather than on remembering which sign flips.
What is the blank "student notes" version for?
It prints every rule with the example space left ruled and empty, so students write the worked example themselves as the unit is taught. That version is the one most teachers actually assign, because a reference sheet a student wrote is a reference sheet a student can find things on.
Which algebra topics are covered?
Six sheets follow an Algebra 1 course in order: order of operations and integer rules; fractions, decimals and percents; solving equations and inequalities; linear functions and graphing; exponents and polynomials; and factoring and quadratics. Geometry formulas, word-problem vocabulary, grammar and punctuation, and test strategy are also included.
Can I make a reference sheet for my own unit?
Yes. Switch to "build my own", write a heading on a line starting with ##, then one rule per line, using an equals sign to add a worked example. It is laid out into the same two-column one-pager, and the blank-for-notes version works on it too.
Will it always fit on one page?
Yes. The type size steps down as content grows rather than letting the sheet spill onto a second page, because a two-page cheat sheet is a handout. Every ready-made sheet here sits comfortably inside that budget at a readable size.
Are the formulas checked?
The content was written to be correct rather than exhaustive — a sheet with eleven right rules is worth more to a student than one with twenty and a wrong one. If you spot an error anywhere on a sheet, please tell us and we will fix it the same day.
Is it free to print for a whole class?
Yes, with no limit on copies or years. Free PDFs carry a small QR code and credit line in the corner; a $2.99 day pass or Plus removes them and adds custom fonts, colours and a running header.
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