JAMB Mathematics Past Questions 2020-2024 (With Answers)
PassVerse Team
20 January 2025
JAMB Mathematics is one of the four compulsory subjects in the UTME, and your performance in it can make or break your aggregate score. Whether you are a science, commercial, or arts student, you must sit Mathematics — which means mastering it is non-negotiable if you want to score 300 and above.
Practising past questions is the single most effective strategy for JAMB Mathematics. JAMB has a well-known pattern: the same topic areas repeat every year, with slight variations in the numbers or framing. Students who have worked through five or more years of past questions enter the exam hall with a massive advantage.
Topic Breakdown: What JAMB Mathematics Covers
Understanding the weight each topic carries helps you allocate your study time wisely.
| Topic Area | Approximate % of Exam | |---|---| | Algebra (equations, sequences, polynomials) | 30% | | Numbers and Numeration (indices, surds, logarithms) | 20% | | Trigonometry (sine rule, identities, bearings) | 15% | | Statistics and Probability | 15% | | Geometry and Mensuration | 12% | | Calculus (differentiation, integration) | 8% |
Algebra and Numbers dominate — together they account for 50% of the exam. Never walk into JAMB without mastering quadratic equations, simultaneous equations, and logarithm rules.
10 Sample JAMB-Style Questions with Full Solutions
Question 1
Simplify: log₁₀ 25 + log₁₀ 4
Answer: 2
Solution: Using the log product rule: log₁₀(25 × 4) = log₁₀(100) = log₁₀(10²) = 2
Question 2
Find the value of x if 2^(x+1) = 32
Answer: x = 4
Solution: 32 = 2⁵, so 2^(x+1) = 2⁵, which means x+1 = 5, therefore x = 4
Question 3
The sum of the first n terms of an AP is 3n² + 5n. Find the common difference.
Answer: 6
Solution: The nth term Tₙ = Sₙ – S(n–1) = (3n²+5n) – [3(n–1)²+5(n–1)] = 6n + 2. The common difference d = Tₙ – T(n–1) = 6.
Question 4
Solve for x: 3x² – 7x + 2 = 0
Answer: x = 2 or x = 1/3
Solution: Factorising: (3x – 1)(x – 2) = 0, so x = 1/3 or x = 2
Question 5
A bearing of 240° is equivalent to what compass direction?
Answer: S60°W
Solution: 240° is in the third quadrant (SW). It is 240° – 180° = 60° past South towards West, so the compass notation is S60°W.
Question 6
Evaluate the integral of (3x² + 2x) from 0 to 2.
Answer: 12
Solution: Integrating: [x³ + x²] from 0 to 2 = (8 + 4) – (0 + 0) = 12
Question 7
The mean of five numbers is 6. Four of the numbers are 4, 8, 3, and 7. Find the fifth number.
Answer: 8
Solution: Sum = 5 × 6 = 30. Known sum = 4+8+3+7 = 22. Fifth number = 30 – 22 = 8.
Question 8
Simplify √3 ÷ (√3 – 1), rationalising the denominator.
Answer: (3 + √3) ÷ 2
Solution: Multiply numerator and denominator by (√3 + 1): [√3(√3 + 1)] ÷ [(√3)² – 1²] = (3 + √3) ÷ 2
Question 9
In how many ways can the letters of the word JAMB be arranged?
Answer: 24
Solution: JAMB has 4 distinct letters. Arrangements = 4! = 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 24
Question 10
A die is thrown twice. What is the probability that the sum of the two outcomes is 9?
Answer: 1/9
Solution: Favourable outcomes: (3,6), (4,5), (5,4), (6,3) — 4 outcomes. Total outcomes = 6 × 6 = 36. Probability = 4/36 = 1/9
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Study Tips Specific to JAMB Mathematics
1. Start with Algebra. It has the highest weighting. Master factorisation, quadratic equations, and logarithm laws before anything else.
2. Know your calculator shortcuts. JAMB CBT has a built-in calculator. Practice using it efficiently so you are not wasting time on arithmetic during the exam.
3. Time yourself. JAMB gives you 40 minutes for 40 Mathematics questions — exactly 1 minute per question. Train under that constraint from day one.
4. Do not skip Statistics. Mean, median, mode, probability — these are reliably easy marks. Never leave them out of your revision.
5. Sketch geometry problems. A quick hand-drawn diagram before calculating saves you from picking the wrong answer option.
6. Check with substitution. For multiple-choice algebra questions, substitute the answer options back into the equation. It is often faster than solving from scratch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is JAMB Mathematics the same every year?
A: The exact questions differ but the topic areas and difficulty level remain consistent. JAMB publishes syllabus topics — everything tested comes from there.
Q: How many Mathematics questions are in JAMB?
A: There are 40 Mathematics questions in the UTME. You have 40 minutes to answer them, along with your other three subjects.
Q: Can I use a calculator in JAMB CBT?
A: Yes. The JAMB CBT interface includes a basic on-screen calculator. You cannot bring a physical calculator into the exam hall.
Conclusion
JAMB Mathematics is very scoreable once you understand its patterns. Work through past questions from 2020 to 2024, focus your energy on Algebra and Numbers first, and practice timed sessions regularly.
Download the PassVerse app to access all JAMB Mathematics past questions with detailed solutions — completely free. The more questions you practice, the less the exam can surprise you.