Best reference books for CBSE class 10 Mathematics

Best reference books for CBSE class 10 Mathematics - Class 10th board is the stepping stone of a student’s academic life, being the first biggest exam they attempt. Candidates have to attempt six papers in the CBSE class 10th exam; including Mathematics which is one of the core subjects. Marks in class 10th mathematics goes a long way in deciding the stream a candidate is offered in class 11th. If a student is aiming for the science stream, a good score in Mathematics is imperative. Thus, the preparation for the same must be prioritised. Teachers and exam experts suggest completing the NCERT textbook for Mathematics before attempting any reference books for CBSE class 10 Mathematics. 

Mathematics has a total score of 100 marks, of which the exam is for 80 marks and internal assessment is for 20 marks. Mathematics question paper can be attempted within 3 hours. The paper has topics such as Number System, Algebra, Geometry, Coordinate Geometry etc. Candidates are advised to divide their preparation according to the exam pattern and weightage of CBSE class 10 Maths exam. The highest weightage is given to Algebra (20 marks) and the second highest weightage is given to Geometry (15 marks).

Points to consider before buying a reference book for mathematics

Before getting to the best reference books for CBSE class 10 mathematics, it is imperative that students understand what defines a book as a ‘good’ reference book as the matter is very subjective. Here are some qualities of best reference books for CBSE class 10 Mathematics:

Easy to understand: It is important for a book to be as easy to understand as possible. The language of a book plays a pivotal role in how much of a topic a student understands. It is also important that the examples and problems given in a book are relatable so as to pique curiosity in students.

Articulate and concise: Another important thing to consider before wondering about best reference book for CBSE class 10 mathematics is that it should be articulate and concise. There are many axioms, formulas and concepts which are introduced to students in class 10th. To ensure that students understand them completely, the books must be concise and articulate.

Engaging and informative diagrams: A good book must have plenty of informative illustrations like graphs, diagrams and tables as they are more fluent for a student to understand. Students can look at graphs and diagrams as they help them to understand a problem or a concept better.

CBSE Class 10 Mathematics Syllabus

Before delving into the best reference books for CBSE class 10 Mathematics, aspirants must know the complete CBSE syllabus for class 10. This will help them in selecting the best mathematics reference books for CBSE class 10. Check the table below to read the complete syllabus:

CBSE class 10 Mathematics syllabus

Best Reference Books for CBSE class 10 Mathematics

After checking the syllabus, students can look at the list of CBSE class 10 Mathematics - best reference books. The list is divided into segments like books prescribed by CBSE, books used by previous year toppers, books prescribed by leading coaching institutes and such. Read the list down for best reference books for CBSE class 10 Mathematics:

Books prescribed by CBSE for class 10th Board exam

Central Board of Secondary Education(CBSE) conducts the CBSE boards for class 10th and recommends the students to be taught and tested in questions based on the following books. NCERT books are helpful in building the basic concepts of students and it is important to solve the complete NCERT textbook along with the examples and then progress towards reference books. After solving Mathematics - Textbook for class X by NCERT, the students should move on to solve Mathematics Exemplar Problems for class 10 by NCERT. The questions in Mathematics Exemplar Problems are more advanced and conceptual. Here’s the complete list of books prescribed by CBSE Board: 

CBSE prescribed books for 10th Board

Best reference books for CBSE class 10 Mathematics used by toppers

The following books have been tried and tested by many exam experts and are trusted by toppers who prepared using these books. Check out the complete table given below:

Toppers’ prescribed best reference books for CBSE class 10 Mathematics

Preparation tips for CBSE class 10 Mathematics

Mathematics requires practice and your attitude towards it can dramatically change depending on your practice. Coaching institutes analyse students who attend their centres and compile preparation tricks, which are helpful for students. Thus, there are a few preparation tips and strategies they suggest all the students. Here are a few preparation tips for CBSE class 10 Maths Board exam:

Go through the exam pattern -  When we talk about best reference books for CBSE class 10 Mathematics, exam pattern of Mathematics exam comes to the mind. Students should be aware of the exam pattern as it will give them an insight into the typology of questions and the distribution of marks. Exam pattern also helps you to understand what type of questions and topics will be asked from a particular unit/chapter. The CBSE Exam Pattern for class 10th Maths board is given below:

• Mathematics exams are divided into two papers, internals, for 20 marks and the Board exam paper for 80 marks. 

• Internals will include a periodic test of 10 marks, notebook submission of 5 marks and subject enrichment activities of 5 marks. 

• Mathematics exam for 80 marks will include Very Short Answer Type Questions (VSA), Short Answer Type Questions I & II (SA) and Long Answer Type Questions (LA). This paper will evaluate the knowledge, understanding, application and analysis of students’ Maths knowledge. 

• To clear the paper, students will have to score at least 30% in each paper (internals & board exam).
  
  

Solve the complete NCERT textbook - NCERT textbook is the primary book for class X Boards and it is very important to solve this book as many students have reported that questions are conceptually based on NCERT textbook exercises and textbook. Thus, before moving to the best reference books for CBSE class 10 Mathematics, remember to solve questions from NCERT.

Work on your basics and concept - Focus and clear your fundamental concepts before moving on towards the more advanced topics. This will give you a concrete ground on which you can build your knowledge on further studies and help you in understanding the concepts better during your 11th, 12th and even competition level Mathematics.

Make flashcards for theorems, derivations and formulas - Mathematics is full of theorems, derivations and formulas. From the derivation of Pythagoras Theorem to formulas of Trigonometry, everything is important to learn to make the fundamentals strong for further studies. However, many students struggle with remembering all these theorems and formulas and tend to forget them. Instead of going through the trouble of opening the textbook or notebook and going through it again and again, make flashcards and notes so that all of these are more accessible. 

Focus on learning how to solve a problem along with accuracy - Where competition exams focus on accuracy, CBSE uses the step-wise method to check copies. This means for questions ranging from 2-4 marks, the examiner will focus more on the method you use to solve a problem than if your answer is correct or not, thus you should focus on how to solve the problem along with accuracy. Also, remember to do your rough work at the side of the paper by making a margin so that it looks more authentic.