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In approximate arithmetic, such as floating-point arithmetic, the distributive property of multiplication (and division) over addition may fail because of the limitations of arithmetic precision. For example, the identity 1 / 3 + 1 / 3 + 1 / 3 = ( 1 + 1 + 1 ) / 3 {\displaystyle 1/3+1/3+1/3=(1+1+1)/3} fails in decimal arithmetic , regardless of ...
are solved using cross-multiplication, since the missing b term is implicitly equal to 1: =. Any equation containing fractions or rational expressions can be simplified by multiplying both sides by the least common denominator. This step is called clearing fractions.
In modular arithmetic, unit fractions can be converted into equivalent whole numbers, allowing modular division to be transformed into multiplication. Every rational number can be represented as a sum of distinct unit fractions; these representations are called Egyptian fractions based on their use in ancient Egyptian mathematics. Many infinite ...
The inverse operation of multiplication is division. For example, since 4 multiplied by 3 equals 12, 12 divided by 3 equals 4. Indeed, multiplication by 3, followed by division by 3, yields the original number. The division of a number other than 0 by itself equals 1. Several mathematical concepts expand upon the fundamental idea of multiplication.
Calculators generally perform operations with the same precedence from left to right, [1] but some programming languages and calculators adopt different conventions. For example, multiplication is granted a higher precedence than addition, and it has been this way since the introduction of modern algebraic notation.
Plain text, programming languages, and calculators also use a single asterisk to represent the multiplication symbol, [6] and it must be explicitly used; for example, 3x is written as 3 * x. Rather than using the ambiguous division sign (÷), [a] division is usually represented with a vinculum, a horizontal line, as in 3 / x + 1 .
Multiplying by a number is the same as dividing by its reciprocal and vice versa. For example, multiplication by 4/5 (or 0.8) will give the same result as division by 5/4 (or 1.25). Therefore, multiplication by a number followed by multiplication by its reciprocal yields the original number (since the product of the number and its reciprocal is 1).
The field of fractions of an integral domain is sometimes denoted by or (), and the construction is sometimes also called the fraction field, field of quotients, or quotient field of . All four are in common usage, but are not to be confused with the quotient of a ring by an ideal , which is a quite different concept.