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Find the reciprocal of the number. $$-\frac{3}{4}$$

Short Answer

Expert verified
The reciprocal of \(-\frac{3}{4}\) is \(-\frac{4}{3}\).

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the premise

The number provided here is \(-\frac{3}{4}\). The task requires finding the reciprocal of this number.
02

Formulating the reciprocal

The reciprocal of a number is simply 1 divided by that number. Therefore, the reciprocal of \(-\frac{3}{4}\) would simply be \(\frac{1}{-\frac{3}{4}}\).
03

Calculating the reciprocal

To resolve the equation, one would need to simplify \(\frac{1}{-\frac{3}{4}}\) to \(-\frac{4}{3}\). This is achieved by multiplying the top and bottom of the fraction by -4.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Negative Fractions
When dealing with fractions, you might come across negative fractions like \(-\frac{3}{4}\). A negative fraction has either the numerator or the denominator as a negative number. In \(-\frac{3}{4}\), the negative sign is in front, indicating the entire fraction is negative.

Key points about negative fractions:
  • The negative sign can be attached to the numerator, the denominator, or in front of the fraction itself.
  • All three representations are equivalent, but typically, the negative sign is displayed at the front.
  • Converting between them does not change the value of the fraction.
For example, \(-\frac{3}{4}\), \(\frac{-3}{4}\), and \(\frac{3}{-4}\) are the same.

This understanding is crucial when finding reciprocals of negative fractions, as the negative sign remains unaffected.
Rational Numbers
Rational numbers are numbers that can be expressed as a fraction where both the numerator and the denominator are integers.

The denominator must not be zero. These numbers include positive fractions, negative fractions, whole numbers, and zero itself.
  • Whole numbers: These can be written as a fraction, e.g., \(5\) as \(\frac{5}{1}\).
  • Negative fractions: These fall into the category of rational numbers. \(-\frac{3}{4}\) is an example of a rational number.
  • Zero: Although it is a rational number, it cannot be in the denominator of a fraction.
Understanding rational numbers helps in identifying when a number is suitable for operations like finding reciprocals.

Always remember that any rational number, except zero, has a reciprocal.
Fraction Simplification
Simplifying fractions involves reducing them to their simplest form, ensuring the numerator and the denominator share no common factors other than 1.

While finding the reciprocal of a fraction such as \(-\frac{3}{4}\), simplification can be vital, though \(-\frac{3}{4}\) is already in its simplest form.

Steps to simplify a fraction:
  • Identify the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the numerator and the denominator.
  • Divide both by this GCD.
In our case, finding the reciprocal \(-\frac{4}{3}\) doesn’t require additional simplification as this result is already simplified. This rule holds true for any fraction derived from operations like reciprocals.

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