Complementary means with respect to a nonsymmetric invariant mean (Q2118152)

Let \(K\colon I^2\to I\) be a continuous mean on an interval \(I\subset\mathbb{R}\), increasing in the first variable and strictly increasing in the second one. Suppose that \(K\) satisfies the condition \[ x<y\ \Rightarrow\ K(x,y)\geq K(y,x),\qquad x,y\in I. \] Then for every mean \(M\colon I^2\to I\) there exists a unique mean \(N\colon I^2\to I\) such that \[ K(M(x,y),N(x,y))=K(x,y),\quad x,y\in I \] (i.e., such that \(K\) is \((M,N)\)-invariant). Moreover, it is proved that \(N\) shares some properties of \(M\). A similar result is obtained under the condition \[ x<y\ \Rightarrow\ K(x,y)\leq K(y,x),\qquad x,y\in I. \] These new results generalize the ones from the author's earlier paper [Aequationes Math. 57, 687--107 (1999; Zbl 0930.26014)] where commutativity of \(K\) was assumed. Some applications of the newly established theorems are also given.