I notice my calculator has a 1/x key function. What use is it?

Question

I have graphed f(x)=1/x and it is like, Okay, so what?
Now what?
Does anyone know what use the function 1/x is?

Answer 1

1/x is a very handy way to take reciprocals. It's much faster, for instance, to type "2" "1/x" than to type "1" "÷" "2".

It's especially handy when you want to take a root. Most calculators have square root keys, and a few have cube root keys, but if you want to take the 29th root of 1000, you won't have a key for that. So, instead, you raise 1000 to the 1/29th power: [1000 ^ 29 1/x]. (Your calculator's power button might say "y^x" instead of just "^".) Without that 1/x button, you'd have to use parentheses: [1000 ^ ( 1 ÷ 29 ) ].

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

It's called the reciprical.
if x=2, 1/x=1/2 etc.

If you have calculated the denominator of an expression & want to divide the numerator by it, use the 1/x key. EX:

find 20/(6+4)
use your calculater to find 6+4 (you should get 10)
use the 1/x key to find 1/(6+4) (you should get .1)
multiply this times 20 (you should get 2).

Answer 3

Friend,
The calculator key in question i.e. 1/x will simply give you the value as one divided by the number you keyed in your calculator.
for example: you pressed 3 . Now by pressing 1/x button, you will get 0.33333333...... and so on.
If you pressed 4. Now by pressing 1/x key, you will get 0.25.

See you .
Bye.

Answer 4

Have you ever used the +/- key? It's good if you have a number in the stack and you realize you want to subtract it from the next number you enter. Just hit the +/- key, then add the new number. It's easier than typing the new number, then the minus key, then typing the old number.

The 1/x key serves the same purpose, but for multiplication and division.

Answer 5

Here you go.

It puts what ever is on the calculator in a fraction.
The top of the fraction will be 1.
The bottom of the fraction will be what ever is on the calcuator.

type in any number. Hit the 1/x key. The answer is:
(1) / (whatever number you typed in.)

Answer 6

for example: if you type in 3/4 and press 1/x key, it will become 4/3

Answer 7

f(x) = (1/x)

this is the same as saying

f(x) = x^(-1)

basically this take the fraction of the value of x.

for a graph, go to
www.calculator.com/calcs/GCalc.html

when you type it in, leave out the f(x) part

by the way, there's a .html at the end of the website.

Answer 8

Wow, Thank you! just what I was looking for. I looked for the answers on other websites but I couldn't find them.

Answer 9

RECIPROCAL !