Question

What is the opposite and reciprocal of $ - 2.34$?

Answer 1

Hint: Here in this question, we need to find the opposite and reciprocal of the given number. Opposite number can be found by interchanging the sign of a given number and the reciprocal of a number is another word for its multiplicative inverse. To find the reciprocal of any number, simply take 1 and divide it by that number or it is also found by interchanging the numerator and denominator.

Complete step by step answer:
In Mathematics, the opposite of a number is also known as the additive inverse. It is the number on the other side of the 0 number line and the same distance from zero (0). The sum of a number and its opposite is zero.For any number ‘a’, the opposite number will be $ - a$. Reciprocal means an expression which when multiplied by another expression, gives unity (1) as a result. The reciprocal of any quantity is, one divided by that quantity, It is also called the multiplicative inverse.For any number ‘a’, the reciprocal will be $\dfrac{1}{a}$.

Consider the given question: we need to find the opposite and reciprocal of $ - 2.34$.The opposite number simply interchanges the sign in $ - 2.34$ i.e., $2.34$.Since,
$\left( { - 2.34} \right) + 2.34 = 2.34 + \left( { - 2.34} \right) = 0$.
Hence, the opposite of $ - 2.34$ is $2.34$. To find the reciprocal, simply take 1 and divide it by that number $ - 2.34$ i.e., $\dfrac{1}{{ - 2.34}}$.
Since, $\left( {\dfrac{1}{{ - 2.34}}} \right)\left( { - 2.34} \right) = 1$

Hence, the reciprocal of $ - 2.34$ is $\left( {\dfrac{1}{{ - 2.34}}} \right)$.

Note: As a side note for future or further reciprocal problems, you may want to remember that the number 0 does not have a reciprocal. This is because there isn't any number you can multiply by zero to get 1. Similarly, The only numbers that are their own reciprocals are 1 and −1.