The operation that serves as the inverse of addition is subtraction.
To understand this better, let’s consider the basic principle of inverse operations. In mathematics, an inverse operation undoes the effect of another operation. When you add a number, you increase the total. For instance, if you add 5 to 3, you get 8. To revert back to the original number, you need to subtract 5 from 8, bringing you back to 3.
This relationship can be represented with the following equation: If A + B = C, then C – B = A. Here, A is the original number, B is the number added, and C is the result of the addition. By subtracting B from C, we arrive back at A.
Thus, subtraction is the operation that reverses the process of addition, confirming it as the inverse operation.