Branch points of a complex function

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on identifying branch points of complex functions, specifically highlighting ##1## as a branch point of order 1 and ##i## as a branch point of order 2. Participants emphasize the necessity of proving that each branch of the function ##f## has a continuous inverse at points in the complex plane excluding these branch points. The conversation also touches on the relationship between branch points and monodromy groups, and the example of the function ##f(z)=\sqrt{z}## is used to illustrate the concept of continuity at branch points.

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Homework Statement
Consider the multifunction ##f(z) = \sqrt {z - 1} \sqrt[3] {z - i}##.
Where are the branch points and what are their orders?
Relevant Equations
##e^{i \frac \theta n} = e^{i \frac {\theta + 2 \pi n} n}##
My answer: one branch point is ##1## of the order 1, another is ##i## of the order 2.
My question is, how can I be sure that these are the only branch points?
 
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Prove by construction that, at an arbitrary point in the complex plane excluding 1 and ##i##, each branch of the function ##f## has a continuous inverse. At least one branch of a function does not have a continuous inverse at a branch point. So if every branch has a continuous inverse, it cannot be a branch point.
 
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andrewkirk said:
Prove by construction that, at an arbitrary point in the complex plane excluding 1 and ##i##, each branch of the function ##f## has a continuous inverse. At least one branch of a function does not have a continuous inverse at a branch point. So if every branch has a continuous inverse, it cannot be a branch point.
Yes, good point, branch point of product doesn't necessarily coincide with the intersection of the branch points. Could this be expressed in terms of the monodromy groups?
 
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andrewkirk said:
Prove by construction that, at an arbitrary point in the complex plane excluding 1 and ##i##, each branch of the function ##f## has a continuous inverse. At least one branch of a function does not have a continuous inverse at a branch point. So if every branch has a continuous inverse, it cannot be a branch point.
If I understand this test correctly:

Let's take a simpler function, ##f(z)=\sqrt z##. It has branch point at 0.
The inverse of this function is ##z(f)=f^2##.
Isn't ##z(f)## continuous everywhere, including the branch point ##f(0)=0##?
 

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