Question

what does inverse mean

Answer 1

Inverse just means taking whatever it is you're starting with, and flipping it over so it's the bottom part of a fraction. For example, the inverse of 4 would be 1/4.

Answer 2

@ko-ki is correct if you want the inverse of a number. For functions: You give me an \(x\) I give you a \(y\). The inverse process is, you give me a \(y\) then I give you the associated \(x\) that started the process in the first place.

So if f(x) is your function, g(f(x)=x, gives you x right back. Here g is the inverse function of f.