What is the multiplicative inverse of 2 1/2?

Question

zepdrix · Answer

Hey Audie :)
The inverse of multiplication is division.

Example: The inverse of $\large\rm \times5$ multiplying something by 5 is $\large\rm \div5$ dividing by 5.

Division is the same thing as `multiplying by the reciprocal`.
That's the way we would prefer to think of it.
So we would say that the multiplicative inverse of $\large\rm 5$ is $\large\rm \frac{1}{5}$.

zepdrix · Answer

So to find the multiplicative inverse, I had to "flip" the fraction.
Oh I guess we would have to think of 5 as $\large\rm \frac{5}{1}$ in order to flip it.

For your specific problem, you'll need to write your mixed number as an improper fraction before you can flip it.

zepdrix · Answer

$$\large\rm 2\frac{1}{2}=\frac{5}{2}$$And then flip it, ya?

Any confusion there? :O