Mathematics
Mathematics is a core knowledge area on the AMT — General FAA written exam. This hub collects our 15 in-depth, ACS-aligned mathematics articles — each written in plain English and grounded in the official FAA handbooks. Work through them below, then drill the topic with practice questions.
Whole Numbers, Fractions, and Decimals in Aviation Calculations
Aviation maintenance technicians rely on whole numbers, fractions, and decimals every day for precise calculations. This article explains how these number types work, how to convert between them, and how to apply them correctly in AMT math problems.
Signed Numbers and Absolute Value in Aviation Math
Signed numbers and absolute value are foundational math tools that AMT students use to handle temperature differences, pressure changes, and torque calculations with precision and confidence.
Percentage Calculations for Aviation Maintenance Technicians
Aviation Maintenance Technicians must master percentage calculations to solve fuel mixtures, battery charge states, rigging tolerances, and service limits — all common on the FAA AMT General knowledge test.
Ratio and Proportion in Aviation Maintenance
Ratio and proportion are foundational math tools that aviation maintenance technicians use daily—from mixing fluids and computing gear ratios to scaling torque values and reading technical data.
Scientific Notation for Expressing Aviation Measurements
Scientific notation allows aviation technicians to express very large or very small measurements concisely, using powers of ten — an essential skill for electronics, fuel calculations, and precision maintenance work.
Powers and Roots: Squares, Cubes, and Square Roots for AMT
Aviation Maintenance Technicians rely on powers and roots daily for area, volume, and electrical calculations. This article builds mastery of squares, cubes, and square roots from first principles to FAA exam readiness.
Introduction to Trigonometry: Sine, Cosine, and Tangent for AMT
Aviation maintenance technicians use sine, cosine, and tangent ratios to solve right-triangle problems in structural layout, rigging angles, and force resolution — core skills tested on the FAA AMT General exam.
Algebraic Equations and Solving for Unknowns in Maintenance Formulas
Aviation maintenance technicians rely on algebra daily to solve for unknown values in electrical, structural, and fluid-system formulas; mastering equation manipulation is essential for both the FAA knowledge test and safe shop practice.
Volume Calculations: Cylinders, Spheres, and Rectangular Solids
Aviation maintenance technicians must calculate volumes of cylinders, spheres, and rectangular solids to determine fuel capacities, fluid quantities, and structural dimensions accurately during aircraft maintenance.
Perimeter and Circumference Calculations in Sheet Metal Layout
Sheet metal layout requires precise perimeter and circumference calculations to cut, bend, and form parts accurately; mastering these formulas is essential for every aviation maintenance technician.
Graphs and Charts: Reading and Interpreting Aviation Data
Aviation maintenance technicians must read and interpret graphs and charts accurately to diagnose systems, verify performance, and comply with manufacturer limits — a core math skill tested on the AMT General exam.
Unit Conversions: SI and US Customary Systems for Aviation
Aviation technicians must fluently convert between SI (metric) and US customary units for measurements of length, mass, pressure, temperature, and volume—errors in conversion can have direct safety consequences.
Binary and Hexadecimal Number Systems in Avionics Maintenance
Aviation maintenance technicians must understand binary and hexadecimal number systems to read fault codes, program avionics, and interpret digital data buses used throughout modern aircraft systems.
Order of Operations (PEMDAS) Applied to Maintenance Math
Aviation maintenance technicians rely on the correct mathematical order of operations—parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction—to compute accurate values for critical aircraft calculations.
Area Calculations: Rectangles, Triangles, and Circles in Airframe Work
Aviation maintenance technicians calculate areas of rectangles, triangles, and circles daily for sheet metal repairs, fuel load estimates, and structural inspections — mastering these formulas is essential for FAA AMT certification.
More AMT — General subjects
Articles are original summaries grounded in the public-domain FAA handbooks and cite their source. ACS-aligned study aids — not a substitute for the official handbooks or regulations.