Cauchy Integral with absolute value in simple curve

Bacat
Messages
149
Reaction score
1

Homework Statement



Integrate using Cauchy Formula or Cauchy Theorem:

I=\oint_{|z+1|=2}\frac{z^2}{4-z^2} dz

(From Complex Variables, Stephen Fisher (2nd Edition), Exercise 2.3.3)

Homework Equations



\frac{1}{2\pi i}\oint_{\gamma} \frac{f(s)}{s-z} ds= \left\{ \begin{array}{lr}f(z) & : z \in \gamma\\0 & : z \notin \gamma \end{array} where \gamma is defined as the interior of the simple closed curve described by the line integral.

The Attempt at a Solution



I = \oint_{|z+1| = 2} \frac{\left(\frac{z^2}{z-2}\right)}{z+2}} dz = 2\pi i (f(z)) = 2 \pi i

Correct solution is 2\pi i

Question

I understand that f(z)=1 for this problem, but I don't know why. I tried drawing a graph of the function but I'm confused about the |z+1|=2 part. This says that z=1 or z=-3, but this doesn't seem to be a simple closed curve anymore.

I have singularities at z=\pm2 but I'm not sure which singularity is included in the line integral because I don't know how to draw the graph.

Can someone help?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Bacat said:
I'm confused about the |z+1|=2 part. This says that z=1 or z=-3, but this doesn't seem to be a simple closed curve anymore.

|z+1|=2, means that it is a circle with center at (-1,0) and radius = 2 in the Argand plane.
 
Bacat said:

Homework Statement



Integrate using Cauchy Formula or Cauchy Theorem:

I=\oint_{|z+1|=2}\frac{z^2}{4-z^2} dz

(From Complex Variables, Stephen Fisher (2nd Edition), Exercise 2.3.3)

Homework Equations



\frac{1}{2\pi i}\oint_{\gamma} \frac{f(s)}{s-z} ds= \left\{ \begin{array}{lr}f(z) & : z \in \gamma\\0 & : z \notin \gamma \end{array} where \gamma is defined as the interior of the simple closed curve described by the line integral.

The Attempt at a Solution



I = \oint_{|z+1| = 2} \frac{\left(\frac{z^2}{z-2}\right)}{z+2}} dz = 2\pi i (f(z)) = 2 \pi i

Correct solution is 2\pi i

Question

I understand that f(z)=1 for this problem, but I don't know why. I tried drawing a graph of the function but I'm confused about the |z+1|=2 part. This says that z=1 or z=-3, but this doesn't seem to be a simple closed curve anymore.
On the real line, |z+1|= 2 is true for z= 1 and z= -3 but the complex plane is a plane including points both above and below the real line. Geometrically |z- a| can be interpreted as distance from z to a in the complex plane and so the set of points, z, satisfying |z-a|= r is the set of points that have distance r from a: a circle with radius r and center a. The set of points, z, satisfying |z+1|= |z- (-1)|= 2 is the circle with center at -1 and radius 2. The real line is a diameter of that circle and z= 1 and z= -3 are the endpoints of that diameter.

I have singularities at z=\pm2 but I'm not sure which singularity is included in the line integral because I don't know how to draw the graph.

Can someone help?
If z= 2, then |z+ 1|= |2+ 1|= 3 which is outside the circle. If z= -2, then |z+ 1|= |-2+1|= 1 which in inside the circle.
 
Thank you! I understand now.
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
Back
Top