Practice Inverse Quantity in Math

Use these practice problems to test your method after reviewing the concept explanation and worked examples.

Quick Recap

The reciprocal or multiplicative inverse of a quantity, where multiplying a number by its inverse yields one. Inverse quantities appear whenever two measurements are inversely related, so that doubling one halves the other.

More workers = less time to finish. Double the workers, halve the time.

Showing a random 20 of 50 problems.

Example 1

easy
If 44 workers take 1212 days, do 88 workers take more or fewer days?

Example 2

challenge
yy varies inversely with x\sqrt{x}. When x=16x = 16, y=5y = 5. Find yy when x=100x = 100.

Example 3

medium
yโˆ1xy \propto \dfrac{1}{x} and y=9y = 9 when x=4x = 4. Find yy when x=12x = 12.

Example 4

challenge
Show that if yy varies inversely with xx, then yy varies directly with 1x\frac{1}{x}.

Example 5

easy
What is the reciprocal of 11?

Example 6

hard
Pipe A fills a tank in 66 hours; pipe B in 99 hours. Working together, how long to fill the tank?

Example 7

medium
The reciprocal of xx added to itself: if 1x=0.25\frac{1}{x} = 0.25, find xx.

Example 8

easy
If speed doubles for a fixed distance, what happens to travel time?

Example 9

challenge
Two workers together finish a job in 44 hours. Alone, the first takes 66 hours. How long does the second take alone?

Example 10

easy
Find the reciprocal of โˆ’3-3.

Example 11

challenge
If y=12xy = \frac{12}{x}, by what factor must xx change to make yy five times larger?

Example 12

medium
If xx is multiplied by 23\dfrac{2}{3} in the relation xy=kxy = k, by what factor does yy change?

Example 13

medium
A tank fills in 66 hours with 22 pumps. How long with 33 pumps (same rate each)?

Example 14

medium
Divide 35รท910\dfrac{3}{5} \div \dfrac{9}{10} using multiplication by the reciprocal.

Example 15

medium
At constant temperature, PV=60PV = 60. If VV is reduced from 55 L to 33 L, what is the new pressure?

Example 16

medium
66 identical machines complete a batch in 1010 hours. How long would 44 machines take?

Example 17

hard
At constant temperature a gas obeys PV=240PV = 240. Sketch (describe) the graph of PP vs VV and state its shape.

Example 18

easy
What is the reciprocal of 34\frac{3}{4}?

Example 19

hard
A reciprocal pair: a number plus its reciprocal equals 52\dfrac{5}{2}. Find both possible values of the number.

Example 20

easy
If xy=24xy = 24 (inverse variation) and x=6x = 6, find yy.