# Reciprocal meaning in math explained

Learn and know what is the meaning of reciprocal in math. We often hear this word in mathematics. Multiplicative inverse is the other name for the word reciprocal. Both these names we need to remember so that we can answer the question on reciprocal easily.

Reciprocal, additive inverse, multiplicative inverse, additive identity and multiplicative identity, it is important to know all these five meanings as well as their definitions. These are the basic things that we will learn in rational numbers chapter in class 7 or 8. So now we will know reciprocal meaning with an example.

## Reciprocal meaning as follows:

The meaning of reciprocal is “If $\frac { x }{ y }$ is a rational number then $\frac { y }{ x }$ is called as a reciprocal of $\frac { x }{ y }$”. Let us consider a number “a”, now can you say “a” should be multiplied by what number such that its product gives result 1. We need to multiply with $\frac { 1 }{ a }$ so that product of “a” and “$\frac { 1 }{ a }$” gives 1. So, “$\frac { 1 }{ a }$” is called as a reciprocal of “a”

Example:

$\frac { 6 }{ 7 }$ is the reciprocal of $\frac { 7 }{ 6 }$.

$\frac { p }{ n }$ is reciprocal of the $\frac { n }{ p }$.

4 is reciprocal of the $\frac { 1 }{ 4 }$.

$\frac { 1 }{ 8 }$ is reciprocal of the 8.

53 is reciprocal of the $\frac { 1 }{ 53 }$.

$\frac { 4 }{ 99 }$ is reciprocal of the $\frac { 99 }{ 4 }$.

36 is reciprocal of the $\frac { 1 }{ 36 }$.

$\frac { 57 }{ 5 }$ is reciprocal of the $\frac { 5 }{ 57 }$.

$\frac { k }{ v }$ is reciprocal of the $\frac { v }{ k }$.

7 is reciprocal of the $\frac { 1 }{ 7 }$.

NOTE:

How to find reciprocal of natural number “1’. No need to find the number itself i.e. 1 is the answer. In the same manner reciprocal of “-1” is “-1”. For these two numbers the reciprocal will be the same number.

What about reciprocal of “0”. Reciprocal of “0” is does not exists because 0 is written as $\frac { 0 }{ 1 }$. So reciprocal of $\frac { 0 }{ 1 }$ is $\frac { 1 }{ 0 }$ which is not defined or does not exist.

Hope that you have understood reciprocal meaning in mathematics.