In the direct variation, as one number increases, so does the other. It is also called a direct proportion. Some examples of direct variation problems in real life: The number of hours you work and the amount of your paycheck. The amount of weight on a spring and the distance the spring will stretch. The speed of a car and the distance travelled in a certain amount of time.
In an inverse variation, it's precisely the opposite: as one number increases, the other decreases. It is also called the inverse proportion. The inverse function is defined as two variables which are inversely proportional to each other. In other words, the increase in the value of one variable causes a decrease in the value of others. Examples of such variation are, a motor vehicle with speed 'x' covers a particular distance in time 'y'.