What is the inverse operation of addition?

The inverse operation of addition is subtraction. This means that if you take a number and add another number to it, you can reverse that action by subtracting the same number from the sum. For example, if you have 5 and you add 3 to it, you get 8. To return to the original number (5), you can subtract 3 from 8.

Understanding inverse operations is crucial in mathematics because they allow us to solve equations and understand the relationship between numbers. For instance, if you have an equation where you need to isolate a variable, knowing that subtraction is the counteraction to addition is fundamental.

Looking at the other options, multiplication does not inversely relate to addition; rather, it relates to division. Division is also an inverse to multiplication, and exponentiation does not relate to either addition or subtraction. Hence, the answer clearly reflects the operational relationship in arithmetic.