In a relationship, as one variable increases, the other variable decreases, and vice versa.

Definition: An inverse relationship is identified between two variables, which are interrelated but the change of one causes the opposite change to the other.

What Does Inverse Relationship Mean?

What is the definition of inverse relationship? The inverse relationship is also known as negative correlation in regression analysis; this means that when one variable increases, the other variable decreases, and vice versa. A typical example of this type of relationship is between interest rates and consumer spending.

When the interest rates increase, consumers are less willing to spend and more willing to save. Also, when unemployment increases, consumer spending decreases because people have less disposable income.

Let’s look at an example.

There are many real-life examples of inverse relationships. The speed of travel relative to travel time (the faster one travels from point to point B, the less travel time is required to arrive at point B from point A); current and resistance (the higher the resistance, the lower the current); savings and disposable income (the less the disposable income, the more the savings); government spending and unemployment rate (the higher the government spending, the lower the unemployment rate); unemployment rate and inflation (known as the Phillips Curve).

The Philips Curve is the most common example of a negative relationship. In fact, when the government spending increases, the unemployment rate decreases because more jobs are created. Following the higher government spending, employees are better compensated, which means that they have more money to spend. On the other hand, firms face higher compensation costs, which are passed to consumers through inflation. Hence, the lower the unemployment rate, the higher the inflation.

The negative relationship is portrayed as a downward sloping curve. The mathematical explanation is that if f(x) = x + 2 and y (x) = x -2, the relationship is inverse.

Also, f(x) = -x and f(x) = 1/x to eliminate a zero value.

Summary Definition

Define Inverse Relationship: Inversely related means two measurements move in the opposite direction when one changes.


In a relationship, as one variable increases, the other variable decreases, and vice versa.

What is a negative correlation mean?

A negative correlation highlights the similarity of opposites. In a negative correlation, as the value of variable a increases, the value of variable b decreases. It can work the other way too, as the value of a decreases, the value of b increases. A negative correlation is also routinely referred to as an inverse. For instance, every time a person goes to jail, there is one less person in the work force. Therefore, incarceration rates, and work force numbers have an inverse relationship.

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When an increase in one variable results in a decrease in another variable and vice versa What is it called?

Negative correlation is a relationship between two variables in which one variable increases as the other decreases, and vice versa.

When one variable increases the other variable also increases and vice versa?

A positive correlation is a relationship between two variables that tend to move in the same direction. A positive correlation exists when one variable tends to decrease as the other variable decreases, or one variable tends to increase when the other increases.

What happens to one variable when the other variable increases?

If the correlation coefficient has a positive value (above 0) it indicates a positive relationship between the variables meaning that both variables move in tandem, i.e. as one variable decreases the other also decreases, or when one variable increases the other also increases.

Is a relationship between two variables where if one variable increases the other one decreases?

Many pairs of variables vary either directly or inversely. If variables vary directly, their quotient is constant; if variables vary inversely, their product is constant. In direct variation, as one variable increases, so too does the other; in inverse variation, as one variable increases, the other decreases.