Difference between revisions of "Find the Reciprocal"
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== Steps == | == Steps == | ||
===Finding the Reciprocal of a Fraction or Whole Number=== | ===Finding the Reciprocal of a Fraction or Whole Number=== | ||
| − | #Find the reciprocal of a fraction by flipping it. The definition of "reciprocal" is simple. To find the reciprocal of any number, just calculate "1 ÷ (that number)." For a fraction, the reciprocal is just a different fraction, with the numbers "flipped" upside down (inverted).<ref>http://www.mathsisfun.com/reciprocal.html</ref> | + | #Find the reciprocal of a fraction by flipping it. The definition of "reciprocal" is simple. To find the reciprocal of any number, just calculate "1 ÷ (that number)." For a fraction, the reciprocal is just a different fraction, with the numbers "flipped" upside down (inverted).<ref name="rf1">http://www.mathsisfun.com/reciprocal.html</ref> |
#*For instance, the reciprocal of <sup>3</sup>/<sub>4</sub> is '''<sup>4</sup>/<sub>3</sub>'''. | #*For instance, the reciprocal of <sup>3</sup>/<sub>4</sub> is '''<sup>4</sup>/<sub>3</sub>'''. | ||
#Write the reciprocal of a whole number as a fraction. Again, the reciprocal of a number is always 1 ÷ (that number). For a whole number, write that as a fraction; there's no point in calculating it out to a decimal. | #Write the reciprocal of a whole number as a fraction. Again, the reciprocal of a number is always 1 ÷ (that number). For a whole number, write that as a fraction; there's no point in calculating it out to a decimal. | ||
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== Tips == | == Tips == | ||
| − | *A numbers negative reciprocal is the same as the regular reciprocal, multiplied by negative one.<ref>http://www.mathwarehouse.com/negative-reciprocals/</ref> For instance, the negative reciprocal of <sup>3</sup>/<sub>4</sub> is -<sup>4</sup>/<sub>3</sub>. | + | *A numbers negative reciprocal is the same as the regular reciprocal, multiplied by negative one.<ref name="rf2">http://www.mathwarehouse.com/negative-reciprocals/</ref> For instance, the negative reciprocal of <sup>3</sup>/<sub>4</sub> is -<sup>4</sup>/<sub>3</sub>. |
| − | *The reciprocal is sometimes called the "multiplicative inverse."<ref>http://www.cliffsnotes.com/cliffsnotes/math/in-math-what-does--i-reciprocal-i-mean</ref> | + | *The reciprocal is sometimes called the "multiplicative inverse."<ref name="rf3">http://www.cliffsnotes.com/cliffsnotes/math/in-math-what-does--i-reciprocal-i-mean</ref> |
*The number 1 is its own reciprocal, since 1 ÷ 1 = 1. | *The number 1 is its own reciprocal, since 1 ÷ 1 = 1. | ||
| − | *The number 0 does not have a reciprocal, since 1 ÷ 0 is undefined.<ref | + | *The number 0 does not have a reciprocal, since 1 ÷ 0 is undefined.<ref name="rf1" /> |
== Related Articles == | == Related Articles == | ||
