College Math CLEP Prep Practice Exam

Which of the following is the definition of the multiplicative inverse?

1. A number times its inverse equals 1

2. The inverse of a number divided by the number itself

3. The opposite of the number

4. The inverse of a number times itself

The correct answer is: A number times its inverse equals 1

The multiplicative inverse of a number is a number that, when multiplied by the original number, gives a product of 1. This means that the reciprocal of the original number is its multiplicative inverse. Option A correctly identifies the definition of a multiplicative inverse. Option B is incorrect as it states the inverse of a number divided by itself instead of the number times its inverse. Option C is incorrect as it simply states the opposite of a number, which is not the same as its multiplicative inverse. Option D is incorrect as it states the inverse of a number times itself, which would just be the number itself, not its multiplicative inverse.