Given a map
between sets
and , the map is called a right inverse to provided that , that is, composing with from the right gives the identity on . Often is a map of a specific type, such as a linear map between
vector spaces, or a continuous map between topological spaces, and in each such case,
one often requires a right inverse to be of the same type as that of .
If has a right inverse, then is surjective. Conversely,
if is surjective
and the axiom of choice is assumed, then has a right inverse, at least as a set mapping.