Question

What is the opposite and reciprocal of -4?

Answer 1

The opposite is the negation, `-(-4) = 4`.

The reciprocal is `1/(-4) = -1/4`

Answer 2

`4" and "-1/4`

Explanation:

`"the opposite of a number is the negative of the number"`

`rArr"opposite of "-4" is "-(-4)=4`

`"the reciprocal of any number n is "1/n`

`rArr"reciprocal of "-4" is "1/(-4)=-1/4`

Answer 3

The additive inverse of `-4` is `+4`

The reciprocal of `-4` is `-1/4`

Explanation:

There are two types of 'opposites':

Opposites for adding and opposites for multiplying.

Adding opposites are known as "Additive inverses".
Their sum is always `0`.

`(-3)+(+3) = 0`

`(+15)+(-15)=0`

They have the same value but opposite signs,

Multiplying opposites are known as "multiplicative inverses"
which are also known as "reciprocals'.

Their product is always `1`

`2/3 xx 3/2 = 1`

`-5/2 xx -2/5 = 1`

`a/b xxb/a = 1`

(The number is inverted to find its reciprocal)