JEE Mains Maths · Teaching notes

Heights and Distances — JEE Mains Mathematics

Height & Distance has 15 past-year questions, all from 2021 to 2023 and all multiple choice. Each one turns angles of elevation or depression into right triangles and solves them with tangents. Six sight one object from two points, five measure the angle that part of a tower subtends, and four spread the observers over level ground.

Every subtopic, worked example, formula and trap in one printable document — answers shown, ready to share.

All 15 past questions JEE Mains Maths strategy JEE Mains home

Subtopic notes

Heights and Distances
15 PYQs
Finding heights and distances from angles of elevation and depression, using right triangles and the tangent of each angle.

Formula & revision sheet

3 formulas · 3 gotchas across all subtopics — the exam-eve cheat-sheet

Heights and Distances

Formulas (3)

Two angles of elevation · Height from a sighting $h=d\tan\theta$
The angle subtended by part of a tower · Difference of elevations $\tan(\beta-\alpha)=\frac{\tan\beta-\tan\alpha}{1+\tan\beta\tan\alpha}$
Observers spread over the ground · Pythagoras on the ground $d_{12}=\sqrt{(h\cot\theta_1)^2+(h\cot\theta_2)^2}$

Watch out for (3)

Depression is measured from the horizontal
→ Two angles of elevation
Subtended is not elevation
→ The angle subtended by part of a tower
Draw the ground view
→ Observers spread over the ground

PYQ weightage by concept

3 concepts · 15 PYQs — where the marks actually sit, so you know what to drill first

Heights and Distances15 PYQs · 100%

Concept	PYQs	Share
Two angles of elevation	6	40%
The angle subtended by part of a tower	5	33%
Observers spread over the ground	4	27%

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