1. The statement "y varies inversely as x means that when x increases, y decreases by the same factor. In other words, the expression xy is constant: xy = k.
2. increase
3. One type of variation is inverse variation, and two variables are said to vary inversely if when one increases the other decreases and vice versa. The formula we use to indicate that a variable, y, varies inversely with a variable, x, is y=kx y = k x , where k is a constant called the constant of variation.
