Inverse Operations
Maths: Year 3 & 4 National Curriculum, topic 1.2.4
Inverse Operations
Inverse means the opposite. Inverse operations are useful because they help us to check our answers using number relationships.
Operations
- In maths, an operation is what you do to solve a calculation (add, subtract, multiply or divide).
- Each operation has an inverse.
- Bar models can help us to see number relationships and inverse operations.
Addition and subtraction
- If we have 4 and add 3, we get 7.
- 4 + 3 = 7
- If we have 7 and subtract 3, we get 4.
- 7 - 3 = 4
- So subtracting 3 is the inverse operation of adding 3, as it takes us back to 4.
Multiplication and division
- If we have 5 and multiply it by 3, we get 15.
- 3 x 5 = 15
- If we have 15 and divide it by 3, we get 5.
- 15 ÷ 3 = 5
- So dividing by 3 is the inverse operation of multiplying by 3, as it takes us back to 5.
Test yourself on Inverse Operations
What is the inverse operation of addition?
What is the inverse operation of multiplication?
What is the inverse operation of division?
What is the inverse operation of subtraction?