inverse operation
nounUK /ˌɪnvɜːs ˌɒpəˈreɪʃən/
US /ˌɪnvɜːrs ˌɑːpəˈreɪʃən/
An inverse operation is an action that undoes another action.
Addition and subtraction are inverse operations, so adding 5 and then subtracting 5 brings you back to where you started.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. In mathematics, an operation that reverses the effect of another operation, such as squaring and taking a square root.
Taking the square root is the inverse operation of squaring a number.
3. In computing, a process that restores data or a system to a previous state.
The backup software performs an inverse operation to recover deleted files.
4. In logic, a transformation that negates or reverses a given statement or function.
The inverse operation of the logical NOT gate flips true to false and false to true.