Question

What is the opposite and reciprocal of $1$?

Answer 1

Step 1. Determine the opposite of $1$.

The term opposite represents the additive inverse of a number. The sum of the number and its additive inverse is $0$.

The number which gives 0 on adding with $1$ is the negative of 1, that is the number $-1$.

Therefore, the opposite of $1$ is $-1$.

Step 2. Determine the reciprocal of $1$.

The term reciprocal represents the multiplicative inverse of a number. The sum of the number and its multiplicative inverse is $1$.

The number that gives $1$ on multiplication with $1$ is the number $1$ itself.

Hence, the reciprocal of the number $1$ is $1$.