Explore: All JEE Main chapters · JEE Main Mathematics PYQs · JEE Main hub · JEE Main 2026 · Syllabus & pattern
Answer first
Matrices and Determinants PYQs (previous year questions) for JEE Main: Matrices and Determinants (Mathematics) had 21 questions across the 11 official JEE Main papers we tagged (2016–2026), and appeared in 11 of them. Asked in 3 of 3 years. The concepts asked in the most papers: System of Linear Equations, Adjoint of Matrix, Determinants.
Year-wise question count
Asked in 3 of 3 years.
| Year | Papers | Questions | Per paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| JEE Main 2026 | 9 | 17 | 1.9 |
| JEE Main 2017 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| JEE Main 2016 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Most-asked concepts
Sorted by the number of papers a concept appeared in.
| Concept | Questions | Papers | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| System of Linear Equations | 8 | 8 | 2026, 2017, 2016 |
| Adjoint of Matrix | 6 | 6 | 2026, 2017, 2016 |
| Determinants | 2 | 2 | 2026 |
| Inverse of Matrix | 1 | 1 | 2026 |
| Matrix Algebra | 1 | 1 | 2026 |
| Matrix Equations | 1 | 1 | 2026 |
| Matrix Multiplication | 1 | 1 | 2026 |
| Powers of Matrix | 1 | 1 | 2026 |
How to practise Matrices and Determinants PYQs
- Start with the concepts at the top of the table. They have come back the most.
- Solve one year’s Matrices and Determinants questions from the official PDF against the clock, then check the answer listed below.
- Log every miss as a concept gap, a calculation slip or a misread. Each needs a different fix.
- Once a concept is clean in two papers, move to the next. Then sit a full paper from the year pages.
Questions by year
Each line gives the question number and paper, type, concept, our one-line summary and the official answer, with a link to the official PDF.
JEE Main2026
- Q.3 (2 April, shift 1) · MCQ · System of Linear Equations: Condition for no solution of a 3x3 linear system; find beta/alpha (official answer: option 2) PDF
- Q.4 (2 April, shift 1) · MCQ · Matrix Algebra: Check statements on (B-A)(B+A) transpose and det adj(A+B) for given 2x2 matrices (official answer: option 2) PDF
- Q.3 (2 April, shift 2) · MCQ · System of Linear Equations: Infinitely many solutions condition; find the line containing (a, b) (official answer: option 2) PDF
- Q.22 (2 April, shift 2) · Numerical · Inverse of Matrix: Solve PA = B and AQ = B; trace of 2(P + Q) (official answer: 34) PDF
- Q.5 (4 April, shift 1) · MCQ · Matrix Equations: Count 2x2 matrices with entries 0-4 satisfying A^2 - 4A + 3I = 0 and trace 4 (official answer: option 4) PDF
- Q.6 (4 April, shift 1) · MCQ · Adjoint of Matrix: Sum of entries of adj(adj(2(adj A)^-1)) for a given 3x3 matrix (official answer: option 4) PDF
- Q.3 (4 April, shift 2) · MCQ · System of Linear Equations: Find λ+μ for which a 3×3 linear system has infinitely many solutions (official answer: option 2) PDF
- Q.6 (4 April, shift 2) · MCQ · Determinants: Largest α with det(A−αI)=0, then count axis intersections of a circle (official answer: option 3) PDF
- Q.3 (5 April, shift 1) · MCQ · Adjoint of Matrix: Find det(adj(A²+A)) from given products of A and Aᵀ with vectors (official answer: option 4) PDF
- Q.4 (5 April, shift 1) · MCQ · System of Linear Equations: Homogeneous system with infinitely many solutions for all t; nature of f (official answer: option 2) PDF
- Q.3 (5 April, shift 2) · MCQ · Determinants: Determinant f(n) summed over n equals 98; find k (official answer: option 1) PDF
- Q.4 (5 April, shift 2) · MCQ · Matrix Multiplication: Find x+y+z from M's action on standard basis vectors (official answer: option 2) PDF
- Q.21 (6 April, shift 1) · Numerical · Adjoint of Matrix: Matrix equation with adj(adj A) terms; find (a-b)^2 (official answer: 4) PDF
- Q.4 (6 April, shift 2) · MCQ · System of Linear Equations: Sum of theta in [0,2pi] for which homogeneous system has non-trivial solution (official answer: option 4) PDF
- Q.5 (6 April, shift 2) · MCQ · Powers of Matrix: Compute ratio of entries of A^99 - I for a lower triangular matrix (official answer: option 3) PDF
- Q.3 (8 April, shift 2) · MCQ · System of Linear Equations: Find lambda + mu for infinitely many solutions of a 3x3 system (official answer: option 3) PDF
- Q.4 (8 April, shift 2) · MCQ · Adjoint of Matrix: det(adj A) given det of B formed from adj A (official answer: option 3) PDF
JEE Main2017
JEE Main2016
Matrices and Determinants in other exams
The same chapter in other official papers we tagged: JEE Advanced (34 questions).
Other Mathematics chapters
- Sets, Relations and Functions PYQs
- Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations PYQs
- Permutations and Combinations PYQs
- Binomial Theorem PYQs
- Sequences and Series PYQs
- Limits, Continuity and Differentiability PYQs
- Integral Calculus PYQs
- Differential Equations PYQs
- Coordinate Geometry PYQs
- Three-Dimensional Geometry PYQs
- Vector Algebra PYQs
- Statistics and Probability PYQs
- Trigonometry PYQs
FAQ
How many Matrices and Determinants questions come in JEE Main?
In the official papers we tagged: 17 in 2026 (9 papers), 2 in 2017 (1 paper) and 2 in 2016 (1 paper). That is 21 questions in all, about 7% of Mathematics.
Which Matrices and Determinants topics repeat in JEE Main?
Asked in the most papers: System of Linear Equations, Adjoint of Matrix, Determinants. The concept table lists every one with its count.
Are these official JEE Main questions?
Yes. Every question is from an official JEE Main paper hosted on our year pages. The one-line summaries are ours; open the PDF linked beside each question for the full text.