During this lesson you will learn:
 What a reciprocal is
 How to calculate reciprocals of whole numbers
 How to calculate reciprocals of fractions
 How to calculate reciprocals using a scientific calculator
You need to open the Beginner’s Guide to Reciprocals.
 You will find it at
www.morethanmaths.com/learn/number/reciprocals/
 You will use this the Beginner’s Guide to Reciprocals to help
you answer the questions on this sheet.
1. What is a reciprocal?
2. Work out the reciprocals of these numbers.
Use Marvo’s Marvellous Reciprocal Calculator to find the answers.
a. 2
f. 15
b. 5
g. 20
c. 6
h. 30
d. 10
i. 100
e. 12
j. 28
3. What did you notice about the answers in question 2?
Is there a quick way to work out the answers?
4. Work out the reciprocals of these fractions.
Use Marvo’s Marvellous Reciprocal Calculator (for fractions) to
find the answers.
a.
1
2
b.
1
5
c.
1
6
d.
1
10
e.
1
20
5. What did you notice about the answers in question 4?
Is there a quick way to work out the answers?
6. Work out the reciprocals of these fractions.
Use Marvo’s Marvellous Reciprocal Calculator (for fractions) to
find the answers.
a.
2
3
b.
2
5
c.
3
5
d.
9
10
e.
3
20
7. What did you notice about the answers in question 6?
Is there a quick way to work out the answers?
8. There is a button on a scientific calculator for calculating
reciprocals.
What does the button look like? Sketch it in the space below:
Can you find this button on your calculator?
Watch out – it might be a second function!
9. Use your calculator to find the reciprocals of these numbers.
10.
a. 4
f. 625
b. 25
g. 0.25
c. 200
h. 1.4
d. 0.2
i. 1.8
e. 0.5
j. 0.16
Use your calculator to find the reciprocals of these fractions.
a.
2
3
b.
2
5
c.
3
100
d.
4
5
e.
5
6
Can you get 60% correct on these questions for GCSE grade D?
30% correct is worth grade E.
1. Without using a calculator, write down the reciprocals of
these numbers.
a. 4
d. 37
b. 8
e. 6
c. 50
2. Without using a calculator, write down the reciprocals of
these fractions.
a.
1
3
b.
1
8
c.
1
9
d.
1
30
e.
1
100
3. Without using a calculator, write down the reciprocals of
these fractions.
f.
2
3
g.
2
5
h.
3
5
i.
9
10
j.
3
20
4. Use your calculator to find the reciprocals of these numbers.
a. 10
d. 0.72
b. 200
e. 0.9
c. 250