Composing Two Complex Functions

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Homework Statement


Suppose we have the function ##f(z) = x + iy^2## and a contour given by ##z(t) = e^t + it## on ##a \le t \le b##.
Find ##x(t)##, ##y(t)##, and ##f(z(t))##.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


Well, ##x(t)## and ##y(t)## are rather simple to identity. However, I am having difficulty determining ##f(z(t))##, which I believe seems from some notational issues.

##f(z) = f(z(t)) = f(\underbrace{e^t + it}_?) = ...?##

I could write

##f(z) = x + iy^2 \iff##

##f\langle (x,y) \rangle = x + iy^2##.

I know that ##x(t) = e^t## and ##y(t) = t##.

##f\langle (x(t), y(t) ) \rangle = x(t) + i[y(t)]^2 \iff##

##f\langle (x(t), y(t) ) \rangle = e^t + it^2##.

I find this somewhat unsettling. Suppose that I have the function ##f(z) = f(x,y) = u(x,y) + iv(x,y)## (I am dropping the ##\langle \rangle## notation); and suppose that we have the contour described by the parametric function ##z(t) = x(t) + iy(t)##. In the general case, would the composition look like

##f(x(t),y(t)) = u(x(t),y(t)) + iv(x(t),y(t))##?
 
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Bashyboy said:

Homework Statement


Suppose we have the function ##f(z) = x + iy^2## and a contour given by ##z(t) = e^t + it## on ##a \le t \le b##.
Find ##x(t)##, ##y(t)##, and ##f(z(t))##.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


Well, ##x(t)## and ##y(t)## are rather simple to identity. However, I am having difficulty determining ##f(z(t))##, which I believe seems from some notational issues.

##f(z) = f(z(t)) = f(\underbrace{e^t + it}_?) = ...?##

I could write

##f(z) = x + iy^2 \iff##

##f\langle (x,y) \rangle = x + iy^2##.

I know that ##x(t) = e^t## and ##y(t) = t##.

##f\langle (x(t), y(t) ) \rangle = x(t) + i[y(t)]^2 \iff##

##f\langle (x(t), y(t) ) \rangle = e^t + it^2##.
Looks fine to me. f maps a complex number x + iy to x + iy2, so the same function maps et + it to et + it2, which is what you have.
Bashyboy said:
I find this somewhat unsettling. Suppose that I have the function ##f(z) = f(x,y) = u(x,y) + iv(x,y)## (I am dropping the ##\langle \rangle## notation); and suppose that we have the contour described by the parametric function ##z(t) = x(t) + iy(t)##. In the general case, would the composition look like

##f(x(t),y(t)) = u(x(t),y(t)) + iv(x(t),y(t))##?
 
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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...
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