How to find the additive inverse of a number?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking how to determine the additive inverse of a given number, which is the value that, when added to the original number, results in zero.
Answer
The additive inverse of the number $x$ is $-x$.
Answer for screen readers
The additive inverse of the number $x$ is $-x$.
Steps to Solve
- Identify the given number
First, you need to identify the number for which you want to find the additive inverse. Let's say the number is $x$.
- Apply the definition of an additive inverse
The additive inverse of a number is defined as the number you need to add to $x$ to get zero. Therefore, the additive inverse can be represented mathematically as $-x$.
- Set up the equation
To verify that $-x$ is indeed the additive inverse, you can set up the following equation: $$ x + (-x) = 0 $$
This equation shows that when you add $x$ and its additive inverse $-x$, the result is zero.
- Conclusion
The additive inverse of the number $x$ is $-x$.
The additive inverse of the number $x$ is $-x$.
More Information
Understanding the additive inverse is essential in mathematics because it helps in solving equations and understanding the concept of opposites in numbers. For example, the additive inverse of 5 is -5, and the additive inverse of -3 is 3.
Tips
- A common mistake is to misunderstand the term "additive inverse" and confuse it with the multiplicative inverse. The additive inverse is what you add to get zero, while the multiplicative inverse is what you multiply by to get one.
