the formula above

USAGE SUMMARY

"the formula above" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It is typically used when referring to a specific formula that has been mentioned previously in the text or is visually displayed above the current sentence. Example: "To calculate the volume of a cylinder, use the formula above." In this sentence, "the formula above" refers to a formula that has been mentioned or displayed earlier in the text. Another example: "Using the formula above, we can determine the pressure of the gas in the container." In this sentence, "the formula above" refers to a formula that is visually displayed above the current sentence.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I'm not convinced, however, that choosing the formula above is going to stop arguments.

The Guardian - Money

It has a mass of about 10 million solar masses, and so from the formula above it has a Schwarzchild radius of about 30 million kilometres.

Cornell University

We expect that students entering the Law School will contribute the higher of a summer contribution calculated by the formula above or $2,500.

Yale University

Below: Residue of fit (yellow points) for a double-bolus experiment (two 11C syntheses), together with the raw noise model (white lines) dependent upon signal intensities using the formula above, and a regularized noise model (red curve) fit by polynomials.

Harvard University

And more generally, are you seeing examples of freemium games that aren't as cynical as the formula above, or do you think the model can't help but fall into this pattern?

The Guardian - Tech

The excess undecided voters, above the 5 percent threshold, are assumed to reflect a lack of early name recognition for the Republican candidates and five-sixths of them are assigned to the G.O.P. candidate, in accordance with the formula above.

The New York Times

In a thin lens such as a spectacle, the two principal planes coincide within the lens, and then the conjugate distances p and p′ in the formula above become the distances of object and image from the lens itself.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The theorem says that if a and b are the lengths of the triangle's legs (the sides that meet at the right angle), then the length of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is given by c, according to the formula above.

The New Yorker

The acid level was then determined using the formula above.

Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology

The formula above implies that | λ ( A ) | ≺ w s ( A ).

Journal of Inequalities and Applications

Conversely, of course, every such density operator defines a unique state by the formula above.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the formula you are referencing with "the formula above" is clearly visible and immediately precedes the statement to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "the formula above" when multiple formulas are present on the page or the referenced formula is not immediately visible. This can confuse the reader. Instead, use a more specific identifier or repeat the formula.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the formula above" functions as a definite noun phrase, specifically an anaphoric reference. It points back to a particular formula that has already been presented or displayed, allowing for concise communication. As Ludwig AI states, it is used when referring to a specific formula that has been mentioned previously.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

46%

Wiki

15%

News & Media

11%

Less common in

Academia

9%

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the formula above" is a very common and grammatically correct phrase used to refer to a previously mentioned formula. As Ludwig AI pointed out, this phrase is used when a specific formula has been mentioned previously or is visually displayed above the current sentence. It's frequently found in scientific and technical contexts, as well as in general reference materials. To use it effectively, ensure that the referenced formula is clearly visible and unambiguous. Consider alternative phrasing like "the aforementioned formula" or "the previously stated formula" for increased clarity or formality. By understanding its function and potential pitfalls, you can confidently incorporate "the formula above" into your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the formula detailed above

Replaces the simple "above" with "detailed above" for emphasis.

the aforementioned formula

Uses a more formal adjective ("aforementioned") to indicate prior reference.

the formula described previously

Substitutes "above" with "described previously" to indicate where the formula was explained.

the formula presented earlier

Replaces "above" with "presented earlier", indicating the formula was shown before.

the previously stated formula

Emphasizes that the formula was specifically stated, not just implied.

the equation mentioned earlier

Replaces "formula" with "equation" and explicitly states that it was mentioned before.

the prior formula

Uses "prior" as a more concise way of indicating that the formula came before.

the formula in the preceding section

Specifies the location of the formula by referring to the previous section.

the mathematical expression above

Replaces "formula" with "mathematical expression" to specify the type of formula.

the model detailed earlier

Replaces "formula" with "model" if the formula is describing a model, and "detailed earlier" is used instead of "above".

FAQs

How do I properly use "the formula above" in a sentence?

Use "the formula above" to refer to a specific formula that has been mentioned previously in the text or visually displayed above the current sentence. For example, "To calculate the area, use "the formula above"."

What can I say instead of "the formula above"?

You can use alternatives like "the aforementioned formula", "the equation mentioned earlier", or "the previously stated formula" depending on the context.

Is it ever incorrect to use "the formula above"?

Yes, it's incorrect if the formula isn't actually displayed above the reference or if there are multiple formulas and the reference is ambiguous. In such cases, provide a clearer reference.

What's the difference between "the formula above" and "the following formula"?

"The formula above" refers to a formula already presented, while "the following formula" introduces a formula that will be stated next. They indicate opposite directions in the text.