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How many numbers

are reciprocal of themselves?

User Joe K
by
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1 Answer

5 votes

Answer:

two: +1 and -1

Explanation:

If a number is equal to its own reciprocal, it will satisfy the equation ...

x = 1/x

Multiplying by x and subtracting 1 gives ...

x^2 -1 = 0

This factors as ...

(x -1)(x +1) = 0

By the zero product rule, the solutions are those values of x that make one or more factors zero:

x = 1

x = -1

There are two self-reciprocals.

User Gondim
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