When do i use the reciprocal

Inverse is just another word for opposite , and additive refers to the fact that when you add these opposite numbers together, they always equal 0.

In fact, any number you can come up with has an additive inverse. No matter how large or small a number is, adding it and its inverse will equal 0 every time. If you've never worked with positive and negative numbers, you might want to review our lesson on negative numbers.

The main time you'll use the additive inverse in algebra is when you cancel out numbers in an expression. If you're not familiar with cancelling out, check out our lesson on simplifying expressions. When you cancel out a number, you're eliminating it from one side of an equation by performing an inverse action on that number on both sides of the equation. In this expression, we're cancelling out -8 by adding its opposite: 8.

Using the additive inverse works for cancelling out because a number added to its inverse always equals 0. The second type of opposite number has to do with multiplication and division. It's called the multiplicative inverse , but it's more commonly called a reciprocal. To understand the reciprocal, you must first understand that every whole number can be written as a fraction equal to that number divided by 1.

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Reciprocal of a Negative Number 4. Reciprocal of a Decimal Number 5. Reciprocal of a Fraction 6. Reciprocal of a Mixed Number 6. Reciprocal of a Negative Number For any negative number -n, reciprocal will be its inverse with a minus sign with it. Reciprocal of a Decimal Number It's even easier to find the reciprocal of a decimal number. Reciprocal of a Fraction All fractions consist of a numerator and a denominator.

Reciprocal of a Mixed Number A mixed fraction or a mixed number is a mixture of a whole number and a proper fraction. Important Topics. Whole Numbers. Natural Numbers. Multiplicative Inverse. Additive Inverse. Additive Inverse Calculator. Improper Fractions. Reciprocal Functions. Solved Examples on Reciprocal Example 1: A pizza is sliced into 8 pieces.