What is the inverse function of $\ x^2+x$? I think the title says it all; I'm looking for the inverse function of $\ x^2+x$, and I have no idea how to do it. I thought maybe you could use the quadratic equation or something. I would be interesting to know.

If you want to invert $x^2 + x$ on the interval $x \ge -1/2$, write $y = x^2 + x$, so $x^2 + x -y = 0$.
Use the quadratic equation with $a=1$, $b=1$, and $c=-y$ to find $$ x= \frac{-1 + \sqrt{1+4y}}{2}.$$
(The choice of whether to use $+\sqrt{4ac}$ rather than $-\sqrt{4ac}$ is because we are finding the inverse of the right side of the parabola.  If you want to invert the left side, you would use the other sign.) 
