Read the article below to check important tips for effective preparation of Algebra from JEE Advanced point of view.
Algebra is one of the most important topics of Mathematics in JEE. In fact, in the preparation of JEE, this is the starting point. Algebra like most of the other topics in Math doesn’t involve as much theory as application. There are very few formulae and definitions that you need to know, and won’t take much time in knowing either. But after that, your prowess on the topic depends on how much you practice it. By doing this, you will develop fluency in the topic and will get to know all the tricks and loopholes thoroughly.
Let us first note what all algebra covers:
Complex Number, Quadratic Equations, Series and Progressions (Includes Arithmetic, Geometric, Harmonic and Miscellaneous Series), Logarithms, Permutations and Combinations, Binomial Theorem, Matrices and Determinants, Probability.
Explore colleges based on JEE Advanced
From the above topics, Quadratic Equations, Matrices, and Determinants, Probability have heavy weightage. So, you should definitely focus on these chapters as they will be very helpful in getting you more marks. The rest of the chapters are relatively easy and you won’t face many problems in understanding.
Q: How to prepare for JEE Advanced in 1 month?
Q: What is JEE Advanced rank list?
JEE Advanced rank lists are prepared based on the aggregate marks in JEE Advanced. Only candidates who appear for BOTH Paper 1 and Paper 2 will be considered for ranking. There will be no waiting list for ranking. The ranklist is used in JoSAA for allocation of seats in the IITs. JoSAA is held online only. All the candidates who are eligible for admission will have to participate in the joint seat allocation process by filling in their preferential choices of the courses and institutes. If the aggregate marks scored by two or more candidates are the same, then the following tie-break policy will be used for awarding ranks: Candidates having higher positive marks will be awarded a higher rank. If a tie exists then a higher rank will be assigned to the candidate who has obtained higher marks in Mathematics. If this does not break the tie, a higher rank will be assigned to the candidate who has obtained higher marks in Physics. If there is a tie even after this, candidates will be assigned the same rank.
Q: What is a safe score for JEE Advanced to get an IIT?
It is a very relatable thing. A good score in JEE Advanced will depend on various factors one of them being the cutoff. Further, the cutoff will depend on various factors like the difficulty level, paper pattern, number of seats in the IITs, number of candidtaes taking the exam and so on. Therefore, it is difficult to say what will be a safe score. However, 300+ is a safe score in JEE Advanced if the total marks in the paper is 360.
JEE Advanced 2024 cutoff has been the highest in the past 6 year. This year the cutoff marks has been 109 marks for the Common rank list (CRL) out of 360 marks. For the GEN-EWS and OBC-NCL rank list the cutoff marks is 98; for SC/ST/Common-PwD/GEN-EWS-PwD/OBC-NCL-PwD/SC-PwD/ST-PwD is 54 marks and for Preparatory course rank lists it is 27 marks.
Algebra is the most diverse topic. You have to learn each topic very efficiently and practice a lot of problems in order to perform well in Algebra.
Now, coming to the chapter-wise analysis:
Quadratic Equations
Quadratic equations fetch direct questions too and are also easy to grasp. Make sure you know all the concepts. This would be easy if you practice past years’ problems well. Beware of getting negative square roots. Learn the properties of inequality well. This can be tricky when multiple-choice questions are asked. So, practice few questions and be careful during exams. Make sure you understand how to make graphs of quadratic equations as it will be very helpful to determine signs of the roots.
Series and Progressions
Series and Progressions is another section that is mixed with other concepts and then asked in the examination. This is one of the easiest topics to understand but questions can be a bit tricky. You should understand the series properties carefully. Make sure you practice a variety of problems. Learn how to solve an series problems. If you are stuck on a question, try to think out of the box and apply various methods. Remember the standard GP, HP formulas as students tend to forget them quickly.
Q: What is JoSAA?
JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority) has been set up by the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) to manage and regulate joint seat allocation for admissions to over 100 institutes including IITs, NITs, IIITs, and Other-Government Funded Technical Institutes (Other-GFTIs). Admissions to all these institutes will be done through a single platform. The idea behind introducing a single counselling platform was to reduce thousands of seats going vacant in engineering colleges across the country. The Joint seat allocation process was introduced to make the whole process of admissions smoother, effective, efficient, transparent and a lot faster. Candidates who qualify for the JEE Main or JEE Advanced must register for JoSAA 2025 to participate in the counselling and admission process for various renowned engineering institutes across India. The admission process for admissions in 23 IITs, 31 NITs, 25 IIITs, and 28 Other-Government Funded Technical Institutes (Other-GFTIs) is managed by The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA). Candidates will be allotted seats in various rounds of JoSAA counselling. The seat allotment through JoSAA will be based on the merit of candidates and their preference for courses and colleges.
Q: What should be my preparation strategy to crack JEE Advanced in one year?
Determination and dedication are the two main Ds which one should have in plenty. It's the mind which helps you achieve whatever your dreams or goals are and at the same time acting on it. To preparae for JEE Advanced in one year, candidates must consider the following:
- Make formulae sheets along with your preparation, you can also use 100 marks mind maps.
- Keep marking tricky questions to look upon at the time of revision.
- Always solve questions in time constraints.
- It is not at all necessary to attempt questions in a specific order, start with the easiest.
- You only have 1 year, focus on problem-solving tactics rather than analysis of questions.
- If a reverse approach is easy then use it rather than following full solution procedure.
- Go with few books, clear your basics and keep yourself attached to the school curriculum.
- Study all three subjects daily, you may decide timings according to your convenience and do it consistently and eventually, you will surely secure a good rank. 9. Have faith in yourself.
- There will be times when you would find it difficult to understand and manage things. Do not give up. That is the point where many aspirants give up and finally fail. Keep giving your best, even if you feel like you aren't getting any output. Remember, hard work pays forever.
Q: How to score well in JEE Advanced?
Here are the top 7 strategies that any students may follow to clear JEE Advanced exam with ease: 1. Solve As Many Numerical Problems as Possible JEE Advanced exam focuses on testing the candidates comprehension, reasoning and analytical ability. The questions asked in the three subjects of Physics Chemistry and Mathematics are of advanced level and focus on the application of the concepts rather than the concepts themselves. 2. Keep Track of Strengths and Weaknesses For scoring perfect marks, candidates must be prepared perfectly as well. This means keeping an eye on their strengths and weaknesses and trying to avoid making the same mistake twice. Errors occur when one is unsure of himself/herself, and uncertainty is the last thing any candidate would want while attempting questions in the exam. 3. Set Daily Targets Setting daily targets serves two purposes. One, the entire syllabus is divided into short-term goals that need to be achieved daily, and two, the focus of the students remains unwavering until the long-term goal is achieved. 4. Develop a Subject-wise Study Plan Different students have varied levels of command over different subjects. Someone may be good at Physics and Mathematics and need more effort in Chemistry or the other way round. 5. Keep a Positive Outlook JEE Advanced is not the end of the world, but that does not mean it should be taken lightly. Moreover, if a candidate appears for JEE Advanced then it is natural that they have qualified the JEE Main exam after beating Lacs of competitors. This means that a positive mindset can help achieve the steepest of goals under any circumstance. Hence, students should always keep a positive outlook for the best results. 6. Refer to Previous Years Question Papers 7. Attempt Mock Tests. Hope it helps.
Q: JEE Advanced syllabus feels overwhelming. How to cope with it?
JEE Advanced syllabus can sometimes feel like an infinite sea. So, candidates can get overwhelmed. Thus, here is what to do:
- Firstly, it is crucial to keep yourself updated with the ongoing chapters in your class. It is highly recommended to read ahead of what you are being taught in class. This technique has been proven to be helpful for every person who believed themselves to be average and not incredibly smart.
- Secondly, it is essential to mark the difficulty level of the questions when you attempt them for the very first time. This way, you can categorize them according to their level of difficulty. Then, it is recommended to revise the theory and revisit the marked questions. You should filter out the questions again accordingly to their level and mark them differently for Mains and advanced. (Note: This idea works for inorganic chemistry too but it must be learned by heart first.). Now, whenever you feel the need to revise any topic, just go through the marked questions. If you can do them, practice past year questions. In case you get stuck, you can always refer to your notes or clear your doubts during doubt sessions. This technique is believed to be the best method for effective learning.
Q: How many chapters should be covered for JEE Advanced for fast revision?
Logarithms
This chapter is the simplest one but the base change formula is important. Direct questions are asked rarely but they can test you in say a different way but integrating this chapter with other chapters of algebra. Don’t get afraid by seeing large terms, they are actually the easiest ones.
Permutations and Combinations / Probability
Permutations and Combinations along with Probability is the most important section in Algebra. JEE Advanced exam fetches a lot of questions on them. These chapters are rank deciders for those who aim for a very good rank in JEE Advanced.
A permutation is an ordered arrangement of the numbers, terms, etc., of a set of specified groups. A combination is also a way of selecting certain things out of a larger group. But here order does not matter, unlike permutation.
This is one of the most difficult chapters for JEE. Make sure you practice a lot of problems and learn the standard tricks.
For probability, I would recommend first solve problems from NCERT and then move to JEE problems. Generally, questions from probability are not that tough if you know which formula will be applied where. Practice questions on every theorem till you get comfortable. This chapter needs a lot of practice to be confident while giving JEE paper.
Binomial Theorem
Binomial Theorem is also a mark fetching topic as the questions on this topic are quite easy. The binomial theorem is used for expanding binomial expressions (a+b) raised to any given power without direct multiplication. Make sure you practice enough problems for having good speed and accuracy during exams.
Matrices and Determinants
Matrices and Determinants mostly give direct questions and you can solve them easily. Questions from determinants are quite simple and can be solved using their properties. Remember the properties. Be fast in expanding it (this will be achieved by practising), it will save your time during exams. However, if you are stuck somewhere, try its expansion. Sometimes, scary questions are the easiest ones. Few questions from matrices are a bit tricky. Learn the properties of matrices, their multiplication, and inverse properties well and solve a lot of questions from this to be comfortable.
Complex Number
Complex Numbers are also important as this fetches questions in JEE almost every year. As the name suggests, this chapter is a bit complex. Try to study this chapter after co-ordinate geometry and you will find it easy to visualize what is happening (real and imaginary number concepts). This chapter contains a large number of concepts. Solve a lot of problems just after learning any concept. Learn to apply the triangular inequality property well. Also, visualize any complex number by making quadrants. This will be helpful for knowing the tangent of the angle.
Algebra requires you to practice a lot of problems and if you are quick, then you will be benefited from exams. Remember the standard formulas and practice a lot. Since there is a very limited number of formulas in algebra, make a note of all the important ones in one place. Not the basic ones which you will remember obviously, but the ones which you always seem to forget uncannily. There are always a few. Keep updating your list and constantly revising. Algebra will have questions more often than not which involve several topics so fluency in all and application is crucial. All the best.
About the Author:
Aman Goel is a co-founder at a Tech Start-up. He holds a BTech in Computer Science Engineering from IIT Bombay with a JEE Advanced AIR 33 (Year 2013).
During his free time, he enjoys writing articles/blogs. He is an Entrepreneur, Coder, Speed-cuber, gamer, and fan of Air crash investigation!
Read more:
- Best books for JEE Advanced Physics: A Comparison
- Best books for JEE Advanced Mathematics: A comparison
- Most scoring topics in JEE Physics
- Most scoring topics in JEE Mathematics
- Most scoring topics in JEE Chemistry
- How To Handle Tough Topics in JEE Physics
- How To Handle Tough Topics in JEE Mathematics
- How To Handle Tough Topics in JEE Chemistry
This account contains a repository of insightful articles by subject matter experts from all walks of life talking in-depth about various facets of course/college/career selection and corresponding challenges and le... Read Full Bio
News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
22 Jan '25 - 31 Jan '25 | JEE Main 2025 Exam Date Sessio... |
31 Jan '25 - 24 Feb '25 | JEE Main 2025 Session 2 Regist... |
12 Nov '24 - 16 Apr '25 | SRMJEEE 2025 application form ... |
12 Nov '24 - 6 Jun '25 | SRMJEEE 2025 application form ... |
Feb '25 | COMEDK 2025 application form s... |
14 Oct '24 - 15 Mar '25 | MET 2025 application form |
Apr '25 | MET 2025 Result |
Jan '25 | BITSAT 2025 application form |
May '25 | BITSAT 2025 application form -... |
Feb '25 | TS EAMCET 2025registration wit... |
Student Forum
Answered 12 hours ago
If you match the eligibility requirements, you can apply for JEE Advanced after finishing your second intermediate (12th class). Clearing JEE Main and placing in the top 2.5 Lacs applicants are prerequisites for JEE Advanced. Your age, number of attempts, and results from your prior qualifying exams
K
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 3 days ago
The marks needed to get an admission in IIT Patna through JEE Advanced change each year according to the level of difficulty with the number of applicants appearing for the exam. Competition-wise, a rank that falls within the top 10,000 is considered highly competitive for the popular branches; ther
a
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, it is possible to join IIT Patna wihout JEE Advanced for courses other than BTech. For BTech programme JEE Advanced with JEE Mains is necessary. For other courses, such as M.Tech the asping candidates need to clear GATE with COAP counselling. Candidates who are seeking admission to the MTech, B
a
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
BHU cutoff 2024 has been released across multiple specialisations. Based on the Round 5 seat allotment, the BTech cutoff ranged between 1071 and, 14557 for the General AII India category students. Among all the BTech specialisations, B.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering is the most competitiv
Y
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
To pursue B.Arch from IIT, you need to qualify JEE (Main) exam, specifically Paper-2 (B.Arch/B.Planning), not JEE Advanced. Secure a valid score and meet the Joint Admission Board's (JAB) eligibility criteria. Participating IITs for B.Arch include Kharagpur, Roorkee and Varanasi (BHU). Focus on JEE
J
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 months ago
Candidates who passed Class 12 in 2024 or 2025 are eligible for JEE Advanced 2025. Since you have appeared for class 12 boards for the first time in 2023 you are not eligible for JEE Advanced 2025
JEE Main 2025 Eligibility Criteria- Age Limit
There is no age limit for the candidates to appear in JEE M
Answered 2 months ago
During the process of document verification in JoSAA, if there is any mismatch between the document uploaded earlier by the candidate JEE Main registration site, JEE Advanced registration site and the document uploaded by the candidate on the JoSAA portal, the offer of admission will be withdrawn. T
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Since the total marks in JEE Advanced changes over the years, it is difficukt to compare what has bee the highest score so far. But if we convert the scores of the JEE Advanced toppers over the years, then the following has been the highest percentages in JEE Advanced exam so far:
Year | AIR 1 score | Total marks | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | 355 | 360 | 98.61% |
2023 | 341 | 360 | 94.72% |
2022 | 314 | 360 | 87.22% |
2021 | 348 | 360 | 96% |
2020 | 352 | 396 | 88.88% |
2018 | 337 | 360 | 93% |
2017 | 339 | 366 | 92% |
2016 | 320 | 372 | 86% |
2015 | 469 | 504 | 93.05% |
2014 | 334 | 360 | 92.77% |
2013 | 332 | 360 | 92.22% |
M
Contributor-Level 10
Can I apply for JEE Advanced after my second intermediate?