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Use integral cellular homology. All three vertices become a single vertex, and all three oriented edges become one oriented circle, with generator $a$. The face goes round that circle three times in the same direction. Thus the quotient has a CW complex structure with one cell in each of dimensions zero, one and two, and cellular chain complexThe degree-two boundary is injective and its cokernel is $\mathbb{Z}/3$. ThereforeThe attaching word is $a^3$, so the Seifert-van Kampen theorem also gives ${\pi }_1(X)\cong \mathbb{Z}/3$. This is the degree-three circle-attachment model of a Moore space.

The direct-sum assertion fails in both degrees when the pieces overlap. Take genuine open covers, so the failure does not depend on any subtle choice of smooth structures on subsets.

For degree zero, let $M=\mathbb{R}$, $U=(-\infty ,1)$ and $V=(-1,\infty )$. By degree-zero de Rham cohomology, $H_{\mathrm{dR}}^0$ consists of locally constant functions. Each of $M,U,V$ is connected and nonempty, soThey are not isomorphic as real vector spaces. The restriction map is $c\mapsto (c,c)$; the overlap forces equality instead of allowing two independent constants.

For degree one, let $M=S^1$, and remove distinct points $a,b$ to form $U=S^1\setminus \{a\}$ and $V=S^1\setminus \{b\}$. Each is diffeomorphic to an open interval. Every one-form $f(t)dt$ on an interval has the smooth primitive ${\int }_{t_0}^{t}f(s)ds$, so both pieces have zero first de Rham cohomology. On the circle, the form $\eta =xdy-ydx$ is closed because all two-forms on a one-dimensional manifold vanish. The parameterization $(x,y)=(\cos t,\sin t)$ givesAn exact form has zero integral around this loop: the integral of $dF$ is the difference of the endpoint values of the periodic function $F$. Thus $[\eta ]\ne 0$, while the proposed right side is zero, disproving the isomorphism.

In fact $H_{\mathrm{dR}}^1(S^1)\cong \mathbb{R}$. For a periodic one-form $f(t)dt$, subtract $cdt$ where $c=(2\pi {)}^{-1}{\int }_0^{2\pi }f(t)dt$. The remainder has the periodic primitive ${\int }_0^t(f(s)-c)ds$, and hence is exact. This also explicitly identifies the nonzero class used above.

Take $\mathbf{n}$ to be the unit normal, so $P(v)=v-⟨v,\mathbf{n}⟩\mathbf{n}$ is orthogonal projection onto $TM$. With $D$ the Euclidean Levi-Civita connection, the proposed derivative isIt is a smooth tangent field, and independence of the extensions is given. Linearity follows from linearity of $D$ and $P$. Moreover, for $f\in C^{\infty }(M)$, take local extensions of $f,X,Y$ to obtainsince $PY=Y$. Thus it is an affine connection on $M$.

For tangent fields $Y,Z$, the normal component of $DY$ pairs to zero with $Z$. Differentiating the ambient inner product along $X$ givesHence it is a metric connection for the induced Riemannian metric. The ambient torsion vanishes, soHere the restriction of the ambient bracket is the intrinsic bracket and is tangent to $M$: derivations of functions restricted to $M$ give the same bracket, or this follows in submanifold coordinates. Thus the projected derivative is also a torsion-free connection. Uniqueness now provesThis is the projected ambient connection. The projection formula requires a unit normal. If a nonunit normal is used, its normal term must instead be $⟨DY,\mathbf{n}⟩\mathbf{n}/⟨\mathbf{n},\mathbf{n}⟩$. For example, on the unit circle, taking $\mathbf{n}=2p$ and differentiating its unit tangent along itself gives $DY=-p$; the unnormalized printed expression would be $3p$, which is not tangent. Normalizing the normal removes that ambiguity.

On the unit circle the two equations reduce to the same conditionsince $y^2=1-x^2$. Define $H(x,y)=x^2(f(x,y{)}^2+g(x,y{)}^2)-f(x,y{)}^2$. At either point $(\pm 1,0)$ it is strictly positive, and at either point $(0,\pm 1)$ it is strictly negative. On each of the four closed quarter-circle arcs, continuity and the intermediate value theorem give a zero in its interior. These four interiors are disjoint, so there are at least four distinct solutions, one in each open quadrant. No solution here lies on an axis because $f,g$ are strictly positive.

A deck transformation is a homeomorphism $h:X\to X$ satisfying $p\circ h=p$. A connected cover is regular when its deck group acts transitively on each fiber. In the usual connected, locally path-connected covering-space setting, this is equivalent to normality of $p_{\ast }{\pi }_1(X)$ in ${\pi }_1(Y)$.

A two-sheeted cover corresponds to an index-two subgroup, which is normal: its two left and right cosets are the subgroup and its complement. If ${\pi }_1(Y)$ is abelian, every subgroup is normal. These observations prove both regularity assertions.

For examples over the wedge of two circles, label their generators $a,b$ and use three sheets numbered $1,2,3$. A permutation describes the lift of each oriented base edge. For a regular cover take $a=(123)$ and $b=1$: the covering graph has an oriented three-cycle of $a$-edges and a $b$-loop at each vertex. Cyclic rotation of the vertices is a transitive deck group $C_3$. For a nonregular cover take $a=(123)$ and $b=(12)$: the same $a$-cycle is accompanied by a $b$-edge in each direction between 1 and 2, and a $b$-loop at 3. It is connected. A deck permutation must commute with both generators, whose image is all $S_3$; their centralizer is trivial. Thus its deck group is not transitive and the cover is nonregular. Each vertex has exactly one entering and one leaving edge of each label, verifying that these graphs really are three-sheeted covers.

In the upper-half-plane model, with metric $d{s}^2=(d{x}^2+d{y}^2)/y^2$, the hyperbolic geodesics are vertical lines and semicircles orthogonal to the real boundary. Two geodesics with disjoint endpoints and no intersection are ultraparallel and have a common perpendicular $h$. To construct it, send one geodesic to the imaginary axis by an isometry. The second then has endpoints $0<a<b$ after a possible reflection. The semicircle centered at zero with radius $\sqrt{ab}$ is perpendicular to the imaginary axis and to the second circle: its squared radius plus $((b-a)/2{)}^2$ equals $((a+b)/2{)}^2$, the orthogonality condition for the two circles.

Let the intersection points of $h$ with the given geodesics have signed arclength coordinates $s_1,s_2$ on $h$. Each hyperbolic reflection preserves $h$ and restricts there to $s\mapsto 2s_i-s$: the perpendicular intersection point is fixed and the tangent direction along $h$ is reversed. Thus their composition restricts toThe displacement is nonzero since the two perpendicular intersection points differ. Its $N$th iterate translates by $2N(s_1-s_2)$, which is never zero for $N>0$. The composite is a hyperbolic translation of infinite order. The assumption excluding a common endpoint ensures the common perpendicular used here exists.

The torus map acts on $H_1(T^2;\mathbb{Z})$ byIts determinant is one, so it is an orientation-preserving homeomorphism and acts as the identity on both $H_0(T^2)$ and $H_2(T^2)$.

To calculate the homology of its mapping torus, cover the time circle by two arcs. Each inverse image has the homotopy type of $T^2$, while their intersection has two components of that homotopy type. The map in the Mayer–Vietoris sequence can be writtenAdding the output coordinates and using the input coordinate $a+b$ separates an identity map from $f_{\ast }-I$. Canceling the identity summands gives the Wang sequence, and henceIn degree one,Its image and kernel are both generated by $(1,-1)$; its cokernel is $\mathbb{Z}$ since this image is primitive. Its Smith normal form is $\mathrm{diag}(1,0)$, so its torsion subgroup is zero. On the other two nonzero homology groups of the torus, $f_{\ast }-I=0$. The displayed short exact sequences split because their right-hand groups are free. ThereforeIn particular, the mapping torus contributes an additional degree-one class from the time circle, as well as the invariant degree-one class in the fiber.

Choose a generator $[S^n]$ of ${\tilde{H}}_n(S^n;\mathbb{Z})\cong \mathbb{Z}$. The mapping degree of a continuous map is the integer determined byFor $n\ge 1$ this is ordinary top-dimensional homology; using reduced homology also gives a convention for $n=0$. Domain and target use the same orientation, so reversing the chosen generator in both leaves the integer unchanged. Homotopy invariance of homology makes the mapping degree invariant under homotopy.

We interpret the manifold criterion for a suspension in the category of nonempty topological manifolds without boundary, and “sphere” as homeomorphic to the standard sphere. Let $X$ have dimension $d$. If $X\cong S^d$, an explicit homeomorphism from its suspension to $S^{d+1}$ isIt is a continuous map that is a bijection: the two collapsed ends become the poles, and every other point determines $t$ and $x$ uniquely. The compact-to-Hausdorff continuous bijection theorem makes it a homeomorphism.

Conversely suppose $SX$ is a topological manifold. Its open part $X\times (0,1)$ shows its dimension is $d+1$. At a suspension vertex $v$ there is an open cone neighbourhood $U$ on $X$. It is contractible, while $U\setminus \{v\}$ admits a deformation retraction onto $X$. The long exact sequence in relative homology and excision give the local homology from a link calculationA point of a $(d+1)$-dimensional topological manifold without boundary has local homology $\mathbb{Z}$ in degree $d+1$ and zero in all other degrees. ConsequentlyThus $X$ is an integral homology sphere. This conclusion alone does not identify its homeomorphism type.

If $d\ge 2$, it is also simply connected. Choose a cone neighbourhood $U$ of the vertex and an open coordinate ball $B$ around the vertex inside $U$. By compactness of $X$, sufficiently short entire cone neighbourhoods fit inside any neighbourhood of $v$: the inverse image of that neighbourhood contains $X\times \{0\}$, and a finite subcover supplies one uniform collar length. Choose such a shorter cone $V\subset B$. The inclusions of punctured neighbourhoods factor asThe composite induces an isomorphism of fundamental groups, since both cone punctures are products of $X$ with intervals and their inclusion is a homotopy equivalence. The middle punctured ball has the homotopy type of $S^d$ and is simply connected for $d\ge 2$. Hence the composite is also zero on the fundamental group, forcing ${\pi }_1(X)=0$. This uses the nested neighbourhoods, not an unsupported claim that an arbitrary punctured neighbourhood is a sphere.

The Hurewicz theorem, applied successively to the vanishing lower homology groups, now gives ${\pi }_j(X)=0$ for $j<d$ and ${\pi }_d(X)\cong H_d(X)\cong \mathbb{Z}$. A representative of its generator is a continuous map $S^d\to X$ inducing an isomorphism in every integral homology degree. Topological manifolds have the homotopy type of CW complexes, so the homological Whitehead theorem makes it a homotopy equivalence. We have proved that $X$ is a homotopy sphere.

At this point the topological classification theorem is essential: the topological generalized Poincare theorem says that a closed homotopy sphere is homeomorphic to the standard sphere. Applying it completes the converse for $d\ge 2$. For $d=1$, the local calculation makes $X$ a connected compact one-dimensional manifold without boundary, hence a circle. For $d=0$, a compact zero-dimensional manifold is a finite set, and ${\tilde{H}}_0(X)\cong \mathbb{Z}$ forces exactly two points. Thus it is $S^0$. Altogether,The last classification step is not a consequence of homology alone, and we make no assertion of diffeomorphism with a prescribed smooth structure. If the word manifold allows boundary on both sides, the printed assertion needs this correction: the suspension of the interval is a closed disk. For instance $[x,t]\mapsto ((2x-1)(1-|2t-1|),2t-1)$ identifies it with the filled diamond $|u|+|v|\le 1$, although the interval is not a sphere.

To construct sphere maps of arbitrary integer degree, first use $h_m:S^1\to S^1$, $h_m(z)=z^m$ for any integer $m$, including the constant map when $m=0$. Lifting its argument to the real line gives $\theta \mapsto m\theta$, so the fundamental one-cycle is sent to $m$ times itself. Therefore $\mathrm{deg}{h}_m=m$.

Two cone neighbourhoods cover a suspension; their intersection admits a deformation retraction onto the original space. The reduced Mayer–Vietoris theorem gives a natural suspension isomorphismNaturality means that the suspension of a continuous map induces the same integer multiplier. This proves degree under suspension. Using the standard identification $S(S^k)\cong S^{k+1}$, setThus every integer occurs in every positive sphere dimension, with negative degrees handled just as well as positive ones.

If “every $n$” includes zero, that final printed assertion is false. The generator of ${\tilde{H}}_0(S^0)$ is the difference of its two points. A map of a two-point set is the identity, the transposition, or one of two constant maps, giving preciselyThese degrees of maps of the zero-sphere are the explicit exception to the arbitrary-degree construction.

Use integral homology throughout. The singular chain group $C_k(X)$ is free on the continuous maps from the standard $k$-simplex to $X$. Since the boundary operator preserves chains lying in $A$, these form a chain subcomplex. The relative chain complex and its relative homology areThe short exact sequence of chain complexes gives the long exact sequence in relative homology.

A sufficient hypothesis for the quotient comparison is a nonempty good pair: $A$ is closed and has an open neighbourhood $U$ which admits a deformation retraction onto $A$ while fixing $A$ throughout. A CW pair is another standard sufficient setting. These hypotheses hold for a simple closed curve in the surface here, using its annular collar neighbourhood. The induced quotient map $q:X\to Y=X/A$ collapses $A$ to a point $a$.

Here is the proof of the collapsing a pair theorem. Put $V=U/A\subset Y$. The deformation retraction makes $H_{\ast }(U,A)=0$, so the long exact sequence of the triple gives $H_{\ast }(X,A)\cong H_{\ast }(X,U)$. It also contracts $V$ onto $a$, giving $H_{\ast }(Y,\{a\})\cong H_{\ast }(Y,V)$. Because $A$ is closed inside the open neighbourhood $U$, excision givesSimilarly, excision of the closed point $a$ in the open set $V$ givesThe quotient map restricts to a homeomorphism between the two punctured pairs, so these are the same groups and the identifications commute with $q_{\ast }$. Finally $H_{\ast }(Y,\{a\})\cong {\tilde{H}}_{\ast }(Y)$, including degree zero. ThusThe neighbourhood condition is part of the result; the quotient assertion is not made for arbitrary bad pairs.

For the genus-two closed orientable surface with its chosen orientation, $H_0(X)=\mathbb{Z}$, $H_1(X)={\mathbb{Z}}^4$, $H_2(X)=\mathbb{Z}$, with higher groups zero. The curve has $H_0(A)=H_1(A)=\mathbb{Z}$. Its relevant long exact sequence in relative homology isThe final map is an isomorphism because both spaces are connected. Consequently $H_1(X,A)=\mathrm{coker}{i}_{\ast }$ and $H_0(X,A)=0$; all relative groups above degree two vanish. The quotient topological space is connected, so its unreduced $H_0$ is $\mathbb{Z}$.

In the separating case, the curve is the oriented boundary of one of the two subsurfaces. Its homology class in $X$ is therefore zero, so $i_{\ast }=0$. The exact sequence becomesThe first sequence splits since its quotient is a free abelian group. Hence the homology after collapsing a separating surface curve isGeometrically, collapsing the boundary of each once-punctured torus fills its puncture with a cone on the circle, which is a disk. The quotient is a wedge sum of two tori at the collapsed point. Their two independent fundamental classes explain the extra second-homology generator.

In the nonseparating case, join the two new boundary components of the cut surface by an arc. Upon regluing, this supplies a closed curve meeting $A$ once transversely. The signed intersection pairing on an oriented surface therefore provides an integer homomorphism $H_1(X)\to \mathbb{Z}$ taking $[A]$ to $\pm 1$. Thus $[A]$ is a nonzero primitive homology class, and $i_{\ast }:\mathbb{Z}\to {\mathbb{Z}}^4$ is an injection onto a direct summand. Its kernel is zero and its cokernel is ${\mathbb{Z}}^3$. The same exact sequence gives $H_2(X,A)\cong H_2(X)\cong \mathbb{Z}$. Therefore the homology after collapsing a nonseparating surface curve isAnother description starts from the genus-one surface with two boundary circles. Collapse those two circles separately to obtain a closed torus with two marked points, then identify the two points. Identifying two distinct points in a connected CW complex adds a loop up to homotopy, so this quotient has the homotopy type of $T^2\vee S^1$. The preceding relative homology calculation proves the groups without requiring that homotopy description.

The multiplicative norm first rules out zero divisors: if $xy=0$ and $x\ne 0$, then $0=|x||y|$ forces $y=0$. If the dimension is zero the claimed bound already holds, so suppose it is positive.

It is worth checking that the printed description of a ring with an underlying real vector space really permits differentiation of multiplication. This follows from the norm identity even if compatibility with real scalars is not separately stated. For fixed $x$, the map $L_x(y)=xy$ is additive by distributivity, andIt is therefore continuous. Additivity gives rational linearity. Approximating a real number by rationals and using continuity proves $L_x(ty)=t{L}_x(y)$ for every real $t$. The same argument holds in the other variable. This is automatic real bilinearity from a multiplicative norm, so multiplication is a bilinear map between finite-dimensional vector spaces, and hence is smooth.

Let $S=\{x\in A:|x|=1\}$ be the unit sphere of the given positive-definite bilinear form. It is a copy of $S^{n-1}$. The squaring mapis well defined because $|x^2|=|x{|}^2=1$, and is smooth. Commutativity gives its derivativeFor $x\in S$ and $v\ne 0$, the norm identity gives $|D{Q}_x(v)|=2|v|$, so the derivative is injective, including on the tangent space $T_{x}S=x^{\perp }$. It takes tangent vectors into $T_{x^2}S$ since $Q$ maps the sphere to itself. Alternatively, polarization of $|xy{|}^2=|x{|}^2|y{|}^2$ gives $⟨xy,xz⟩=|x{|}^2⟨y,z⟩$, so $⟨x^2,2xv⟩=2⟨x,v⟩=0$ directly.

The only identifications under squaring are antipodal:The factorization uses commutativity, and the last implication uses the absence of zero divisors. Conversely $Q(-x)=Q(x)$. It follows that $Q$ induces an injective smooth mapThe antipodal quotient map is a local diffeomorphism, so the injectivity of $DQ$ implies injectivity of $Dq$. Since Real projective space is compact, the stated compact injective immersion is an embedding theorem makes $q$ a closed embedding.

For $n\ge 2$ its source and target have the same dimension $n-1$. The inverse function theorem makes its image open as well as closed in the connected sphere $S^{n-1}$. It is nonempty, so the image is the whole sphere; consequently $q$ is a diffeomorphism. But for $n\ge 3$ this is impossible:Indeed, the antipodal two-sheeted covering map $S^{n-1}\to {\mathbb{RP}}^{n-1}$ has simply connected total space in this range, and is its universal cover, with deck group $\mathbb{Z}/2$. A sphere of dimension at least two is simply connected. These fundamental groups cannot be those of homeomorphic spaces.

We have obtained the dimension bound for a commutative Euclidean normed algebra:The real numbers and complex numbers with their usual products and Euclidean norms attain dimensions one and two. In dimension two, the induced map ${\mathbb{RP}}^1\to S^1$ is entirely compatible with the argument: the circle squaring map identifies exactly the two antipodal preimages. We neither assume a multiplicative identity nor use a classification of real division algebras; the squaring argument proves the bound from the supplied hypotheses.

The topological degree measures an oriented net number of sheets of a map. Its simplest integer-valued setting is a map $f:M\to N$ between connected oriented closed manifolds of the same positive dimension $n$. The hypotheses matter: an integer sign count needs orientations; compactness prevents preimages from escaping; and the same dimension makes a regular fiber discrete. A fundamental class gives the definition for continuous maps:Here $H_n(M;\mathbb{Z})$ and $H_n(N;\mathbb{Z})$ are generated by their chosen fundamental classes. Reversing either orientation changes the sign of the degree of a map between oriented manifolds. Disconnected sources contribute a sum over components; disconnected targets require a degree for each target component rather than one universal integer.

For a smooth map, choose a regular value $y$. The Sard theorem guarantees plentiful choices. Each point of $f^{-1}(y)$ has an invertible derivative, so the inverse function theorem makes it an isolated point. The fiber is finite by compactness of $M$. An oriented coordinate chart defines $\mathrm{sgn}\det d{f}_x$, and the degree as a sum of local degrees becomesAn empty fiber contributes zero. The sign is independent of the chosen oriented charts. Thus the mapping degree counts sheets with signs, not simply the number of preimages: orientation-preserving and orientation-reversing sheets cancel.

A differential-form argument both proves that this count is independent of $y$ and relates it to the topological definition. Around a regular value, take a small neighborhood $V$ whose full preimage is a disjoint union of neighborhoods mapped diffeomorphically onto $V$. Compactness rules out additional preimages approaching $V$ from elsewhere. Choose a smooth top-degree form $\eta$ supported in $V$, with ${\int }_N\eta =1$. The change of variables formula givesAlthough $\eta$ need not be everywhere positive, it represents the same normalized top cohomology class as any normalized volume form. The top de Rham cohomology of a compact connected oriented manifold says that two top forms with equal integrals differ by $d\beta$. Their pullback integrals agree, because the Generalized Stokes theorem gives ${\int }_{M}d(f^{\ast }\beta )=0$. Therefore the degree by integration of a pullback volume form isfor every smooth top form $\eta$. Pairing de Rham cohomology with fundamental classes identifies this integer with the homological definition. This proof also shows that every regular value gives the same signed sum.

The homotopy invariance of mapping degree makes it stable under continuous deformation. Homologically this follows from homotopic maps inducing the same map on homology. For a smooth homotopy $F:M\times [0,1]\to N$, a direct proof uses $d\eta =0$ and the Generalized Stokes theorem on the cylinder to getwith the cylinder orientation chosen to give the indicated boundary signs. Smooth approximation extends the geometric description to continuous maps, while the fundamental class definition already applies without differentiability. The multiplicativity of mapping degree follows from functoriality and givesA constant map has degree zero when $n>0$. If the mapping degree is nonzero, the map is onto: a point outside its image is a regular value with empty preimage. An orientation-preserving diffeomorphism has degree $1$, and an orientation-reversing one has degree $-1$. An orientation-preserving $k$-sheeted covering map has degree $k$; the signs of sheets must be included for other orientation conventions.

Examples show both the strength and the limits of the invariant. On the circle, $e^{i\theta }\mapsto e^{ik\theta }$ has degree $k$, including negative integers and zero; it is the winding number. On the sphere $S^n$, an ambient reflection has degree $-1$, and the antipodal map has degree $(-1{)}^{n+1}$, because the determinant of $-I$ on the ambient ${\mathbb{R}}^{n+1}$ is $(-1{)}^{n+1}$. On the torus, an integer matrix $A$ induces a map of degree $\det A$, obtained by pulling back the constant top form. However, degree does not classify general manifold maps: the identity and an integer shear on the two-torus both have degree one but induce different maps on $H_1$, so are not homotopic.

The mapping degree gives useful obstruction and existence arguments. There is no retraction of a closed ball onto its boundary sphere: such a retraction would make the degree-one identity of the boundary null-homotopic, since it would extend across a contractible ball, contradicting homotopy invariance and the degree-zero constant map. This is the degree obstruction underlying the Brouwer fixed-point theorem. Also an everywhere nonzero tangent vector field on an even-dimensional sphere would, after normalization, produce the homotopy $\cos (\pi t)x+\sin (\pi t)v(x)$ from the identity to the antipodal map. Orthogonality makes every value a unit vector, but the endpoint degrees are $1$ and $-1$, impossible. This proves the corresponding Hairy ball theorem obstruction.

There are appropriate extensions rather than an unrestricted integer degree for every pair of manifolds. For a proper map between connected oriented manifolds without boundary of equal dimension, the regular-value count remains finite and is invariant; compactly supported top forms or locally finite homology replace the compact fundamental-class description. Without orientations, degree modulo two counts preimages modulo two and uses mod-two fundamental classes. For manifolds with boundary one uses relative mapping degree for maps of pairs, keeping the boundary away from the chosen target value. Maps of unequal dimensions, or nonproper maps where preimages can escape to infinity, do not in general admit this same signed sheet-count invariant. The central principle is an integer signed count stable under homotopy, with its hypotheses explicitly preserved.

First normalize the two circles by translation and rotation so their centres are $0,d$ and radii $a,b$. If $d=0$ nothing further is needed. Otherwise choose real $s,t$ satisfyingThe discriminant of this quadratic issince two disjoint circle boundaries are either externally separated or strictly nested. Thus $s\ne t$, and $M(z)=(z-s)/(z-t)$ is a Möbius transformation. Direct expansion shows that on the first circle $|M(z){|}^2=s/t$, and on the second $|M(z){|}^2=(s-d)/(t-d)$. Both constants are positive; the pole is on neither circle. Their images are distinct concentric circles. This proves the concentric normalization of disjoint circles.

For a construction with $n\ge 3$, use inner radius $\rho =1$, outer radiusand small circles of radius $r$ centred at $d{e}^{2\pi ij/n}$. Each touches the two boundaries, and adjacent centre distances are $2d\sin (\pi /n)=2r$. All other distances are at least $2r$, so there are no unwanted intersections. These are Steiner chains. For the literal $n=2$ requirement, take $\rho =1$, $R=3$, and two radius-one circles centred at $2e^{\pm i\pi /6}$. Their centre distance is $2$, so this gives two distinct mutually tangent circles touching both boundaries. Existence holds for every $n\ge 2$, but the two-circle case has only one tangency between neighbours, repeated by the cyclic indexing.

For an annular circle touching radii $\rho ,R$, its radius and centre distance are $r=(R-\rho )/2$ and $d=(R+\rho )/2$. Two neighbouring such circles have angular separation $\delta =2\arcsin (r/d)$; their tangency point is the midpoint of their centres. Its distance from the common centre isThus the tangency locus in concentric coordinates is a circle of radius $\sqrt{R\rho }$. For $n\ge 3$, disjointness forces the constellation to use these annular circles. Indeed, the other family of circles touching both boundaries has radius $d$ and centre distance $r$, enclosing the inner boundary. Two members of that larger family intersect. One such circle can be disjoint from an annular circle only at the two opposite centre directions where their boundaries are tangent; those two annular circles cannot be tangent to each other. Hence this family cannot occur in a constellation of three or more circles.

Under the inverse Möbius transformation, the tangency locus is a generalized circle, which can be an ordinary circle or a straight line. The printed claim that it is always an ordinary circle is false without this qualification. For an explicit counterexample, use the above $n=3$ construction, put $L=\sqrt{R}$, and apply $w=1/(z-L)$. Its pole lies on the tangency locus but on none of the original boundary or chain circles. Consequently all the transformed individual circles remain ordinary circles. The three distinct tangency points transform to three points on the line $\mathrm{Re}w=-1/(2L)$, so they cannot lie on an ordinary circle.

The usual closure assertion is Steiner's porism, with two essential conventions: stay in the annular family and always choose the next tangent circle in the same angular direction. For a disjoint closed chain with $n\ge 3$, distinctness prevents reversing direction: a reversed step would return immediately to the preceding circle. Thus every step has the same sign and closure gives $n\delta =2\pi m$ for an integer $m\ge 1$. If $m>1$, the $n$ distinct centres have some angular gap $2\pi /n<\delta$, making two circles intersect. Hence $m=1$ and $\delta =2\pi /n$. Starting at any new angle ${\theta }_0$ produces centres $d{e}^{i({\theta }_0+j\delta )}$, a rotation of the original chain, soMapping back proves the same porism on the corresponding branch of circles for the original pair.

The literal final request, with arbitrary tangent choices and $n=2$ included, is stronger and false. In the two-circle example above, the forward angular step is $\pi /3$. Starting at angle $0$, a next circle at $\pi /3$ and then one at $2\pi /3$ satisfy every inductive tangency requirement, but $Y_2\ne Y_0$. Even for $n\ge 3$, allowing backtracking lets the construction reverse instead of completing the chain. Thus the genuine geometric conclusion is the qualified porism, not unrestricted closure under the printed induction.