1. Given the quadratic equation $$x^2 + p x + 4 = 0$$ with roots $$\alpha$$ and $$\beta$$. 2. We know from Vieta's formulas: - $$\alpha + \beta = -p$$ - $$\alpha \beta = 4$$ 3. We need to find the value of $$\frac{1}{\alpha} + \frac{1}{\beta}$$. 4. Write the expression over a common denominator: $$\frac{1}{\alpha} + \frac{1}{\beta} = \frac{\beta + \alpha}{\alpha \beta}$$ 5. Substitute the sums and products from Vieta's formulas: $$\frac{1}{\alpha} + \frac{1}{\beta} = \frac{-p}{4}$$ 6. Thus, $$\frac{1}{\alpha} + \frac{1}{\beta} = \frac{-p}{4}$$ is the required expression in terms of $$p$$.