Lesson 24: Show that multiplying a fraction by its

reciprocal is equal to 1

Explore and Discover!

Janice shared the pizza she made among her 5 friends.

1
Each one received of the pizza. Nothing was left for her.
5
How much pizza did she make?

1
Find: 5 x
5
Solution:
1 5 1 5
5x = x = =1
5 1 5 5
Answer: Janice made 1 whole pizza divided
1 4among
1 her4 five friends.
4x = x =
Study some more examples: 4 1 4 4
=1

2 3 5 3
1 x = x =
3 5 3 5
15
=1
15

 Two numbers whose product is 1 are reciprocals of each other.

 To find the reciprocal of a fraction make the numerator of the
fraction the denominator of the reciprocal and the denominator of
the fraction the numerator of the reciprocal.
 Mixed fractions must first be converted to improper fractions
before the method can be applied.
 Write the reciprocal of a whole number as fraction.
 Get Moving!
Give the reciprocal of each number.
7 12
1. 51 6. 6 11. 2
12 13
3 1
2. 3 7. 12. 35
6 7
12 5 11
3. 8. 10 13. 5
18 6 12
2 3 4
4. 7 9. 9 14. 12
9 13 5
7 13
5. 24 10.5 15.
8 14

Keep Moving!
Write the missing factor.

7 ❑ 1
1. x =1 6. x =1
12 7 18

❑ 25 1
2. x =1 7. x =1
25 8 45

❑ 9 1 1 =1
3. x =1 8. 5 x
9 5 15 ❑

❑ =1 7
4. 15 x 9. x =1
❑ 26

12 27 54
5. x =1 10. x =1
27 ❑ 8

Apply Your Skills!

3
1. The reciprocal of a number is , and their product is 1. What is the number?
56
2. Two numbers are reciprocals of each other. One number is 36 times as large as the other. What
are the numbers?
X =1

3. What is the reciprocal of a number whose numerator is 8 times as great as 3 and the
denominator is half the numerator?