2. (Bot.) Inverted; having a position or mode of attachment
the reverse of that which is usual.
3. (Math.) Opposite in nature and effect; -- said with
reference to any two operations, which, when both are
performed in succession upon any quantity, reproduce that
quantity; as, multiplication is the inverse operation to
division. The symbol of an inverse operation is the symbol
of the direct operation with -1 as an index. Thus sin-1 x
means the arc whose sine is x.
{Inverse figures} (Geom.), two figures, such that each point
of either figure is inverse to a corresponding point in
the order figure.
{Inverse points} (Geom.), two points lying on a line drawn
from the center of a fixed circle or sphere, and so
related that the product of their distances from the
center of the circle or sphere is equal to the square of
the radius.
{Inverse}, or {Reciprocal}, {ratio} (Math.), the ratio of the
reciprocals of two quantities.
{Inverse}, or {Reciprocal, {proportion}, an equality between
a direct ratio and a reciprocal ratio; thus, 4 : 2 : : 1/3
: 1/6, or 4 : 2 : : 3 : 6, inversely.
Thus the course of human study is the inverse of the
course of things in nature. --Tatham.