JEE Main Math chapter-wise weightage (2020–2025)
Computed from every question in 118 JEE Main papers (2020–2025) — 3335 questions mapped to chapters. Not a guess; the actual distribution.
| # | Chapter | Weightage | Per paper | Most common question types |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conic SectionsCoordinate Geometry and Vectors | 8% | ~2 Q · ~8 marks | Extract center/radius, classify geometryTangent/normal line conditions on ellipseIntercept and chord-length via perpendicular distance |
| 2 | IntegralsCalculus | 7.6% | ~2 Q · ~8 marks | King's Property f(a+b-x) SubstitutionDifferentiation Under Integral Sign (Leibnitz Rule)Periodicity and Floor/GIF Interval Decomposition |
| 3 | Sequence and SeriesAlgebra | 7% | ~2 Q · ~8 marks | Standard GP setup with given term conditionsSum of AP terms with given conditionsDirect application of Σn, Σn², Σn³ formulas |
| 4 | Three-dimensional GeometryCoordinate Geometry and Vectors | 6.7% | ~2 Q · ~8 marks | Plane through point(s) with normal from cross productDirect point-to-plane distance formulaFamily of planes through line of intersection |
| 5 | Complex Numbers and Quadratic EquationsAlgebra | 6.4% | ~2 Q · ~8 marks | Vieta's formulas with symmetric function evaluationDiscriminant condition for sign-definite quadraticSubstitution to reduce transcendental to quadratic |
| 6 | VectorsCoordinate Geometry and Vectors | 6.1% | ~2 Q · ~8 marks | Parallel-vector condition from equal cross productsAngle between vectors via dot product with trigonometric/parametric componentsLagrange's identity to relate dot and cross products |
| 7 | Applications of DerivativesCalculus | 5.8% | ~2 Q · ~8 marks | Optimize by substituting constraint to single variablePiecewise absolute value function on closed intervalSign analysis of explicit derivative |
| 8 | Differential EquationsCalculus | 5.4% | ~2 Q · ~8 marks | Apply boundary/limit condition to determine constantsIntegral equation differentiated to separable DEDirect variable separation and integration |
| 9 | DeterminantsAlgebra | 5% | ~1 Q · ~4 marks | Parameter values for infinite solutionsParameter values for no solutionNested adjoint determinant via repeated property |
| 10 | Binomial TheoremAlgebra | 4.8% | ~1 Q · ~4 marks | General term to find specific powerRemainder via modular arithmetic and periodicityConsecutive coefficients in given ratio |
| 11 | Permutations and CombinationsAlgebra | 4.4% | ~1 Q · ~4 marks | Inclusion-Exclusion over combinatorial setsMultinomial distribution of entries satisfying a sum constraintDigit-by-digit case analysis with divisibility constraints |
| 12 | Continuity and DifferentiabilityCalculus | 3.8% | ~1 Q · ~4 marks | Piecewise function continuity at junction pointsTrigonometric/algebraic limit evaluation for continuityGreatest integer function discontinuity and non-differentiability counting |
| 13 | Applications of the IntegralsCalculus | 3.5% | ~1 Q · ~4 marks | Parabola-line sandwich integrationRegion with circle exclusion or intersectionMin/max boundary piecewise integration |
| 14 | Trigonometric FunctionsTrigonometry | 3.2% | ~1 Q · ~4 marks | Quadratic substitution in single trig functionAlgebraic simplification to standard form via identitiesTriple angle or multiple angle formula with algebraic constraint |
| 15 | Straight LinesCoordinate Geometry and Vectors | 2.9% | ~1 Q · ~4 marks | Direct perpendicular distance formula applicationTriangle vertices from pairwise line intersectionsAngle between two lines via slope formula |
| 16 | Limits and DerivativesCalculus | 2.8% | ~1 Q · ~4 marks | Taylor/Maclaurin series expansionRepeated L'Hopital with coefficient matchingContinuity condition determining parameter |
| 17 | Probability (Class XII)Statistics and Probability | 2.8% | ~1 Q · ~4 marks | Find p from given probability conditionEnumeration of equally-likely outcomes: build distribution directlyInfinite series PMF: AGP sum to find k and moments |
| 18 | Relations and Functions (Class XII)Sets, Relations and Functions | 2.7% | ~1 Q · ~4 marks | Direct RST property verificationMinimum elements to achieve closureInverse function via algebraic manipulation |
| 19 | StatisticsStatistics and Probability | 2.5% | ~4 marks · ~1 paper in 2 | Find unknowns via mean and variance equationsCorrect erroneous observation by updating sumsCombined groups mean and variance formula |
| 20 | Relations and Functions (Class XI)Sets, Relations and Functions | 2.2% | ~4 marks · ~1 paper in 2 | Domain via intersection of multiple constraintsAbsolute value equation via interval case analysisGIF algebraic equation or sum |
| 21 | Inverse Trigonometric FunctionsTrigonometry | 2.1% | ~4 marks · ~1 paper in 2 | Sum/Difference of Inverse Trig via Addition FormulasSolving Equations Involving Inverse Trig FunctionsNested/Composite Inverse Trig Simplification |
| 22 | MatricesAlgebra | 2% | ~4 marks · ~1 paper in 2 | Iterative Power via Direct MultiplicationCayley-Hamilton Recurrence for Power ReductionCayley-Hamilton to express inverse |
| 23 | Probability (Class XI)Statistics and Probability | 1.6% | ~4 marks · ~1 paper in 2 | Tautology verification via truth tablesPropositional logic equivalence and tautology checkingDerangement and exact-match counting |
| 24 | SetsSets, Relations and Functions | 1% | ~4 marks · ~1 paper in 4 | Counting integers satisfying divisibility via inclusion-exclusionInclusion-Exclusion on counted setsInterval sets from inequalities then operate |
~2 Q · ~8 marks per paper
Extract center/radius, classify geometryTangent/normal line conditions on ellipseIntercept and chord-length via perpendicular distance~2 Q · ~8 marks per paper
King's Property f(a+b-x) SubstitutionDifferentiation Under Integral Sign (Leibnitz Rule)Periodicity and Floor/GIF Interval Decomposition~2 Q · ~8 marks per paper
Standard GP setup with given term conditionsSum of AP terms with given conditionsDirect application of Σn, Σn², Σn³ formulas~2 Q · ~8 marks per paper
Plane through point(s) with normal from cross productDirect point-to-plane distance formulaFamily of planes through line of intersection~2 Q · ~8 marks per paper
Vieta's formulas with symmetric function evaluationDiscriminant condition for sign-definite quadraticSubstitution to reduce transcendental to quadratic~2 Q · ~8 marks per paper
Parallel-vector condition from equal cross productsAngle between vectors via dot product with trigonometric/parametric componentsLagrange's identity to relate dot and cross products~2 Q · ~8 marks per paper
Optimize by substituting constraint to single variablePiecewise absolute value function on closed intervalSign analysis of explicit derivative~2 Q · ~8 marks per paper
Apply boundary/limit condition to determine constantsIntegral equation differentiated to separable DEDirect variable separation and integration~1 Q · ~4 marks per paper
Parameter values for infinite solutionsParameter values for no solutionNested adjoint determinant via repeated property~1 Q · ~4 marks per paper
General term to find specific powerRemainder via modular arithmetic and periodicityConsecutive coefficients in given ratio~1 Q · ~4 marks per paper
Inclusion-Exclusion over combinatorial setsMultinomial distribution of entries satisfying a sum constraintDigit-by-digit case analysis with divisibility constraints~1 Q · ~4 marks per paper
Piecewise function continuity at junction pointsTrigonometric/algebraic limit evaluation for continuityGreatest integer function discontinuity and non-differentiability counting~1 Q · ~4 marks per paper
Parabola-line sandwich integrationRegion with circle exclusion or intersectionMin/max boundary piecewise integration~1 Q · ~4 marks per paper
Quadratic substitution in single trig functionAlgebraic simplification to standard form via identitiesTriple angle or multiple angle formula with algebraic constraint~1 Q · ~4 marks per paper
Direct perpendicular distance formula applicationTriangle vertices from pairwise line intersectionsAngle between two lines via slope formula~1 Q · ~4 marks per paper
Taylor/Maclaurin series expansionRepeated L'Hopital with coefficient matchingContinuity condition determining parameter~1 Q · ~4 marks per paper
Find p from given probability conditionEnumeration of equally-likely outcomes: build distribution directlyInfinite series PMF: AGP sum to find k and moments~1 Q · ~4 marks per paper
Direct RST property verificationMinimum elements to achieve closureInverse function via algebraic manipulation~4 marks · ~1 paper in 2
Find unknowns via mean and variance equationsCorrect erroneous observation by updating sumsCombined groups mean and variance formula~4 marks · ~1 paper in 2
Domain via intersection of multiple constraintsAbsolute value equation via interval case analysisGIF algebraic equation or sum~4 marks · ~1 paper in 2
Sum/Difference of Inverse Trig via Addition FormulasSolving Equations Involving Inverse Trig FunctionsNested/Composite Inverse Trig Simplification~4 marks · ~1 paper in 2
Iterative Power via Direct MultiplicationCayley-Hamilton Recurrence for Power ReductionCayley-Hamilton to express inverse~4 marks · ~1 paper in 2
Tautology verification via truth tablesPropositional logic equivalence and tautology checkingDerangement and exact-match counting~4 marks · ~1 paper in 4
Counting integers satisfying divisibility via inclusion-exclusionInclusion-Exclusion on counted setsInterval sets from inequalities then operate
This ranks chapters by marks — but it isn’t a study order. A high-weightage chapter often sits on top of two or three others, so working strictly top-down backfires. The reliable path is prerequisite order: build the chapters that unlock the rest, then bank the high-weightage ones once you’re ready for them.
See the Math study plan in prerequisite order →Weightage tells you where the marks are — not the order to learn them. Rhovecs sequences the chapters by what unlocks what, picks each next question, and schedules revision so the high-yield chapters actually stick.
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