Question

How do you find the reciprocal of -4?

Answer 1

Hint: The reciprocal of a number is also known as inverse of the number. To find the inverse of a number we replace the number from the numerator to the denominator. The number can be written in the form of fraction and then we have to inverse.

Complete step by step answer:
- When we multiply the given number to its inverse of a number the answer obtained by the product is 1. Here in this question, we have to find the reciprocal of a given number. The reciprocal of a number is also called an inverse of a number.
- To find the inverse of a number we write the given number in the form of fraction. If a number doesn’t have a fraction, we can write it in the fraction form where the denominator value is 1.
- Suppose if we have a number x and the inverse for this number is written as $\dfrac{1}{x}$. Here in this question the number is a negative number when we find the inverse of a number there is no change in the sign of the number.
- So here in this question the number is -4. This number can be formed from the fraction we have $\dfrac{{ - 4}}{1}$. If we have to find the inverse, we replace the denominator by the numerator. Therefore, the inverse of -4 is $\dfrac{{ - 1}}{4}$.

Note: Any number can be written in the form of fraction. If the number is not in the form fraction, we take the number to the numerator and the denominator will be 1. In general the number is x and the reciprocal of the number is $\dfrac{1}{x}$. Hence we can find the inverse of a number.