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Re:What is the inverse of a circle? by ww520 on Monday January 31, 2022 @03:54AM (#30145952)
As long as, C*Cinv = I, where C is the circle, Cinv is the inverse of circle, and I the identity. You're right. C, I, and * are entirely up in the air.
Re:What is the inverse of a circle? by drran on Monday January 31, 2022 @07:08AM (#30147086)
In general for inversion, we have object A (argument) and object I (identity) and a function F of two arguments, so we have equations: `F(A, X) == I, F(A, I) == I, F(X, I) == I, A != I, A != X`, where A, I, and X are objects in the same category, i.e. they must be circles `(x² + y² == r²)`.

If F is defined as `ra•rx`, then `ri == 1`, and inverse will be `rx = 1/ra`.

If F is defined as `ra + rx`, then `ri == 0`, and inverse will be `rx = 0 - ra`, where negative radius means hole.

If F is defined as `ra²•rx²`, then `ri == 1²`, and inverse will be `rx = sqrt(1/ra²)`.

If F is defined as `ra² + rx²`, then `ri == 0²`, and inverse will be `rx = sqrt(0 - ra²)`.

And so on.

Re:What is the inverse of a circle? by drran on Monday January 31, 2022 @10:22AM (#30148879)
Correction: `F(A, I) == A, F(X, I) == X`.
Re:What is the inverse of a circle? by da_chicken on Monday January 31, 2022 @08:51AM (#30147838)
An inverse is pretty easy to generalize, and it need not rely on multiplication or the identity.

Basically: Given a function `f`, then the function `g` is the inverse of `f` if `g(f(x)) = x`.

Re:What is the inverse of a circle? by topaz0 on Monday January 31, 2022 @09:17AM (#30148105)
It is easy to generalize, but it is not being generalized here.