[Math] What Mobius transformation maps the circles $|z-\frac{1}{4}| = \frac{1}{4}$ and $|z|=1$ onto two concentric circles centered at $w=0$

complex-analysis

Question:

What Mobius transformation maps the circles $|z-\frac{1}{4}| = \frac{1}{4}$ and $|z|=1$ onto two concentric circles centered at $w=0$?

As I understand, a Mobius transformation would map a circle that intersects the origin into a line that does not intersect the origin. Since $|z-\frac{1}{4}| = \frac{1}{4}$ is a circle that intersects the origin, doesn't any Mobius transformation have to map it to a line?

Best Answer

The real axis is a line of symmetry. So I expect that, to centre the new circles on the origin, we need $f(1/2)=-f(0)$ and $f(-1)=-f(1)$. So $$(a+2b)/(c+2d)=-b/d\\(a+b)/(c+d)=-(a-b)/(c-d)$$
Pick almost any values for $a$ and $c$, and solve for $b$ and $d$

for example, $a=c=1$, then $$(1+2b)d=-b(1+2d),(1+b)(1-d)=-(1-b)(1+d)\\ b+d+4bd=0,2-2bd=0\\ b+d=-4,bd=1\\ b^2+4b+1=0$$