reciprocal

views updated Jun 08 2018

re·cip·ro·cal / riˈsiprəkəl/ • adj. 1. given, felt, or done in return: she was hoping for some reciprocal comment or gesture.2. (of an agreement or obligation) bearing on or binding each of two parties equally: the treaty is a bilateral commitment with reciprocal rights and duties. ∎  Gram. (of a pronoun or verb) expressing mutual action or relationship.3. (of a course or bearing) differing from a given course or bearing by 180 degrees.4. Math. (of a quantity or function) related to another so that their product is one.• n. 1. technical a mathematical expression or function so related to another that their product is one; the quantity obtained by dividing the number one by a given quantity.2. Gram. a pronoun or verb expressing mutual action or relationship, e.g., each other, fight.DERIVATIVES: re·cip·ro·cal·i·ty / riˌsiprəˈkalətē/ n.re·cip·ro·cal·ly / -ək(ə)lē/ adv.

Reciprocal

views updated May 23 2018

Reciprocal

In mathematics, reciprocal, or the multiplicative inverse, is a number or term that is related to another number or term be the relationship that when both are multiplied together, the product is one. Thus, 1/3 and 3 are reciprocals of each other because 1/3× 3 = 1. Similarly, the reciprocal of a number (n) is 1 divided by the number (n); the reciprocal of n is 1/n. Thus, the reciprocal of 3 is 1/3; of 3/2 is 1÷ (3/2)= 2/3, and of a/b is b/a.

If a number a is the reciprocal of the number b,then b is the reciprocal of a. The product of a number and its reciprocal is 1. Thus, 3× 1/3 = 1, (3/2)× (2/3) = 1, and (a/b)× (b/a)=1.

Reciprocals are used frequently throughout the many fields of mathematics. For example, they are used to make division easier when dividing by fractions. For example, 8 divided by 3 is the same thing as the operation 8 times 1/3.

reciprocal

views updated May 21 2018

reciprocal done in return; inversely related XVI; corresponding to each other; (gram.) reflexive XVII. f. L. reciprocus moving backwards and forwards, alternating:- *recoprocos, f. *recos + *procos, f. (respectively) RE- and PRO-1; see -AL1.
So reciprocate (-ATE3) XVII. f. pp. stem of L. reciprocāre. reciprocation XVI. — F. or L. reciprocity XVIII. — F.

Reciprocal

views updated May 29 2018

RECIPROCAL

Bilateral; two-sided; mutual; interchanged.

Reciprocal obligations are duties owed by one individual to another and vice versa. A reciprocal contract is one in which the parties enter into mutual agreements.

Reciprocal laws are statutes of one state that give rights and privileges to the citizens of another state if that state extends similar privileges to the citizens of the first state. A common example is the Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act, which is a uniform law adopted in a majority of jurisdictions, by which a tribunal in the state where a wife or mother resides is able to commence proceedings for child support against a husband or father who resides in another state.

Reciprocal

views updated May 09 2018

Reciprocal

The reciprocal of a number is 1 divided by the number. Thus the reciprocal of 3 is 1/3; of 3/2 is 1 ÷ (3/2)= 2/3, of a/b is b/a. If a number a is the reciprocal of the number b, then b is the reciprocal of a. The product of a number and its reciprocal is 1. Thus, 3 × 1/3 = 1, (3/2) × (2/3) = 1, and (a/b) × (b/a) = 1.

reciprocal

views updated May 18 2018

reciprocal Quantity equal to the number 1 divided by a specified number. The reciprocal of 2 is 1/2, and the reciprocal of 1/2 is 2.

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