Why does this Möbius transformation and complex ratio equality result in a different permutation than expected?

185 Views Asked by At

Assume that $z_1$, $z_2$, $z_3$, and $z_4$ are all distinct complex numbers and $f(z)=\frac{az+b}{cz+d}$ is defined to be a Möbius transformation. If $f(z_1)=0$, $f(z_2)=1$ and $f(z_3)=∞$, then show that $f(z_4)=(z_1,z_2;z_3,z_4)$.

I have tried using two different $S_4$ permutations of cross ratios: $(z_1,z_2;z_3,z_4)=\frac{(z_1-z_3)(z_2-z_4)}{(z_1-z_4)(z_2-z_3)} \rightarrow f(z_4)=\frac{1}{1-\lambda}$, $(z_1,z_2;z_3,z_4)=\frac{(z_1-z_2)(z_3-z_4)}{(z_1-z_4)(z_3-z_2)} \rightarrow f(z_4)=\frac{1}{λ}$,

where $\lambda = (z_1,z_2;z_3,z_4)$.

Why is $f(z_4)$ not equal to $\lambda$?

Also, there seems to be more than one definition of $\lambda$ on the web, one for the reals and another for the complex, which I don't know why BTW.

I'm starting to think that maybe there's something wrong with the question itself, as appeared in exercise 2.10. Treisman 2009. A typo maybe? Or am I missing something subtle here?

1

There are 1 best solutions below

1
On BEST ANSWER

Consult the Wikipedia page, for instance. "Möbius transformation - Wikipedia" https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B6bius_transformation

That cross-ratios are invariant under Mobius transformations doesn't imply that $f(z_4)=\lambda$.

Furthermore, the definition of cross-ratio that I found there was the first one.