answersLogoWhite

0

What does reciprocal mean in math?

Updated: 4/28/2022
User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

Best Answer

A reciprocal is 1 divided by a number.

So, the reciprocal of x is 1/x.

For example:

The reciprocal of 2 is 1/2 is 0.5

The reciprocal of 9 is 1/9 is 0.111111111111

The reciprocal of 0.5 is 1/0.5 is 2.

To divide one by a number is called 'taking the reciprocal.'

If you have a fraction, taking the reciprocal is fairly easy: simply 'flip' it. I.e., put the numerator in the denominator, and the denominator in the numerator.

For example:

The reciprocal of 2/3 is 3/2

The reciprocal of 7/8 is 8/7

The reciprocal of 1/4 is 4 (/1).

The technical mathematical definition of the reciprocal of x is: "The number which, when multiplied by x, gives one."

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What does reciprocal mean in math?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

What does reciprocal mean in math terms?

What does reciprocal mean in fractions


What does 1over a mean in math?

1/a is the reciprocal of a


What does flip mean in math?

Flip is the technical term for a reciprocal. (The reciprocal of 3/4 is 4/3)


What does inveres mean in math problems?

Usually the same as reciprocal. The inverse of 3/4 is 4/3


What is a sentence for reciprocal?

-My teacher likes for us to use math terms, such as reciprocal, in class.


What is the math term for reciprocal?

The multiplicative inverSe


Why is it useful to know what a reciprocal is in math?

A reciprocal is useful to know in math because to divide fractions, you must multiply by the second fraction's reciprocal. For example: 2/3 divided by 4/7 is the same as 2/3 times 7/4.


Another word for flip in math?

Reflect.


What does the math term 'flip' mean?

Either it is an expression yelled by a teacher when something goes wrong, or it is an alternative term for "to find the reciprocal of". For example, the reciprocal of 3/4 is equal to 4/3 - you have "flipped" the fraction around.


What is the definition of receprocal in a math term?

The reciprocal is the "multiplicative inverse". This means 1 divided by the number. The reciprocal of 2 is 1/2, the reciprocal of 5 is 1/5, etc.


What is receprocal in math?

The reciprocal of a number is: 1 divided by the number. Example: the reciprocal of 2 is 1/2 and 5 is 1/5..


What does reciprocal math term mean?

The reciprocal of any non-zero number is one divided by that number. The reciprocal of 0 is not defined. For example, if R(x) represents the reciprocal of x, then R(6) = 1/6 R(5/7) = 1 / (5/7) = 1*(7/5) = 7/5 R(x) = 1/x