Complex analysis - removable singular points

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of removable singular points in complex analysis, focusing on the implications of integrals around such points and the definitions of functions at those points. Participants explore the relationship between analyticity and removable singularities, as well as the convergence of series related to these functions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the integral being zero does not necessarily imply that the function is analytic, as it can also be zero for functions with removable singularities.
  • Others argue that there is no distinction in integrating an analytic function versus a function with a removable singularity, noting that a function could have a pole of higher order that results in a zero integral.
  • One participant questions whether the function (z-sinz)/z^3 can be considered analytic if it is undefined at z=0, raising concerns about the definitions of singular points.
  • Another participant clarifies that a removable singularity indicates a poor definition of a function that could otherwise be analytic at that point.
  • There is a discussion about the convergence of the function f(z) = (z-sinz)/z^3, with some suggesting that it converges only if f(0) is defined, while others assert that convergence can occur independently of the behavior at exactly z=0.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of integrals being zero in relation to analyticity and the nature of removable singularities. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the definitions and implications of convergence and analyticity at singular points.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the importance of definitions and the behavior of functions at singular points, but there are unresolved assumptions regarding the nature of convergence and analyticity in the context of removable singularities.

dyn
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Hi. I have 2 questions regarding removable singular points.
1 - the residue at a removable singularity is always zero so by the residue theorem the integral around a closed simple contour is zero. Cauchy's theorem states the integral around a simple closed contour for an analytic function is zero so am I right in thinking that the integral being zero does not imply the function is analytic ? As it is also zero for functions with a removable singularity.

2 - I have seen the following example in a book where it is shown that (z-sinz)/z3 has a removable singularity at z=0 but then it states that the series converges for all values of z but surely the function is undefined at z=0 ?
Thanks
 
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1. there is no difference in integrating an analytic function versus a function with a removable singularity. more interesting is the case of a function which does not have a removable singularity but still has integral zero due to there being a pole there of higher order and residue zero. i.e. integral = 0 just means the term 1/z has coefficient zero, but therte could still be terms of order 1/z^2 or 1/z^3 etc with non zero coefficients but the integral will not detect that.

2. in this example sin has only odd degree terms of positive degree, and the linear term equals z, so subtracting off z reduces it to beginning in degree 3. thus dividing by z^3 gives an analytic function (i.e. one with a removable singularity). do not obsess over whether a function has or has not yet been stated as defined at a point when it is perfectly capable of being well defined there. all functions with removable singularities should have them removed, before studying the function.
 
Thanks for your reply.
1- so if an integral around a closed loop is zero ; that doesn't tell me if the function is analytic or not ?
2- You say that (z-sinz)/z3 is an analytic function ie. one with a removable singularity. Aren't they 2 different things ? A singular point is a point where a function is not analytic.
 
A removable singularity just means you chose a poor way to define a function that could be analytic at that point. Like ##f(z)=\frac{z^2+z}{z}##. It has a removable singularity at z=0. You could have defined f(z)=z+1 and you wouldn't have had that issue.
 
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Thanks. So for the function f(z) = (z-sinz)/z3 ; it only converges if f(0) is defined and so it is analytic ? If f(0) is not defined it does not converge and is not analytic ?
 
f(z) converges for z->0 which is independent of what happens at exactly 0.

##f(z)=\frac 1 6 - \frac{z^2}{120} + \frac{z^4}{5040}\pm ...##
 

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