When looking at investment books there appear to be lots of formulas and equations . Usually one can read and reread the definitions and hopefully grasp to some degree what the formula is for.

But being formulas, equations, ratios etc, what kind of level of financial literacy should one hold ?
Is basic high school math enough ? or should one know how to find future and present values? nominal interest rates? real interest rates ? etc or is this kind of stuff in the it's nice to know, but not essential category'