what the hell is a reciprocal and how do you find it?

Question

Example. somehtign like... -3.4 or 4 + Pi, pleas help me, i have a test tomorrow, and i want to understand this stuff. my textbook isnt much help.

Answer 1

The reciprocal is also called an inverse, but I suspect that that isn't much help, either. The reciprocal is simply one divided by the number in question. Example: The reciprocal of -3.4 is 1 divided by -3.4, or 1/-3.4. Also, the reciprocal of 4 + pi is 1 / (4 + pi.). Be careful: it is not the same as 1/4 + pi or 1/4 + 1/pi. Example: The reciprocal of 3/2 equals 1 divided by 3/2, which equals 2/3. So any time you have a pure fraction, to get the reciprocal, you simply invert the top and bottom numbers

Answer 2

A reciprocal is just one over the number. For example, the reciprocal of 2 is 1/2 and the reciprocal of 1/2 is 2. The reciporcal of -3.4 is -1/3.4. Same idea with 4+pi --> 1/(4+pi).

Hope this helps.
Catherine

Answer 3

think in fractions. Even the number 4 can be 4/1. A reciprocal is just switching the bottom with the top. so the reciprocal of 4 (the same as 4/1) is 1/4. If your number is x+4, it is the same as x+4/1. So the reciprocal would be 1/x+4. Get it?

Answer 4

When you talk about a reciprocal, you are simply getting the opposite of the original number. Example: the opposite of 4 is just 1/4 (one forth - a fraction) because when you write 4 you are actually saying 4/1 (four over one - fraction) so the opposite of that is 1/4. Just flipping it.

Answer 5

the reciprocal of x is 1/x

so if you have -3.4, the reciprocal of that would be -1/3.4
then just get rid of the decimal in the denominator to clean it up a bit

Answer 6

There are four reciprocals as under
additive reciprocal of x = -- x
subtractive reciprocal of x = + x
multiplicative reciprocal of x = 1/x
divisive reciprocal of x = *x
be in the heaven (not in hell) now.

Answer 7

you just turn the fraction upside down

for example -3.4 would be -3.4/1 (fraction)
reciprocal would be 1/-3.4
(slash means fraction)
4+Pi reciprocal is

1/(4+Pi)

Answer 8

A reciprocal involves dividing fractions.To anwser the dividing fractions you flip the second number than multiply.That's

Answer 9

a reciprical is just turning a number over. 3 becomes 1/3

x + 1 becomes 1/(x + 1)

Answer 10

If you have a number such as 5

Then 1/5 or 0.2 is the reciprocal.

number is n

reciprocal is 1/n
.