Primitive e^z/z Gamma: Finding the Integral

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the integral $\int_{\gamma}\frac{e^z}{z}dz$, where $\gamma$ is the unit circle oriented counterclockwise. Participants explore various methods to evaluate this integral, including the search for a primitive or antiderivative, while expressing a desire to avoid established techniques such as the Cauchy Integral Formula or power series expansions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that the primitive/antiderivative of $\frac{e^z}{z}$ is not elementary and that it is not analytic at $z=0$, which complicates the application of the fundamental theorem of calculus for analytic functions.
  • There is a suggestion to use residue theory to evaluate the integral, although some express uncertainty about its applicability given their current coursework.
  • One participant attempts to re-write the integral in terms of a parametrization involving $z=e^{it}$, leading to an expression that still lacks an elementary antiderivative.
  • Another participant explores the possibility of using integration by parts and various substitutions, but finds that these attempts do not yield a valid parametrization or lead to a solvable integral.
  • One participant provides a series expansion approach, integrating termwise, and notes that the first integral evaluates to $2\pi i$, while all other integrals evaluate to zero.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the integral cannot be solved using elementary methods or the fundamental theorem of calculus due to the non-analytic nature of the integrand at $z=0$. However, multiple competing views on how to approach the problem remain, with no consensus on a single method for evaluation.

Contextual Notes

Participants express limitations in their current understanding and the methods they are allowed to use, indicating a desire to explore the integral without relying on established techniques like the Cauchy Integral Formula or power series.

Dustinsfl
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Gamma is the unit circle oriented counterclockwise.

$\int_{\gamma}\frac{e^z}{z}dz$

Instead of finding the power series to solve the integral, I am trying to do it b use of the primitive.
However, I seem to not be good at finding the primitives. How can I find the primitive for this?
 
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The primitive/antiderivative is not elementary. But regardless, $\frac{e^{z}}{z}$ is not analytic at $z=0$, so the fundamental theorem of calculus for analytic functions does not apply.
 
Random Variable said:
The primitive/antiderivative is not elementary. But regardless, $\frac{e^{z}}{z}$ is not analytic at $z=0$, so the fundamental theorem of calculus for analytic functions does not apply.

How can I solve this integral without the use of Cauchy Integral Formula or by a power series?
 
dwsmith said:
How can I solve this integral without the use of Cauchy Integral Formula or by a power series?

If you know residue theory, you could apply that.
 
Ackbach said:
If you know residue theory, you could apply that.

If we re-write the integral as,

$$
i\int_0^{2\pi}e^{e^{it}}dt
$$

we would have the above integral. I am not sure if that makes it any easier.
 
dwsmith said:
If we re-write the integral as,

$$
i\int_0^{2\pi}e^{e^{it}}dt
$$

we would have the above integral. I am not sure if that makes it any easier.

Hmm. Just trying to reproduce that expression. If you let $z=e^{it}$, then $dz=ie^{it}\,dt$, and the integral becomes
$$\int_{0}^{2\pi}\frac{e^{e^{it}}}{e^{it}}\,ie^{it}\,dt=i\int_{0}^{2\pi}e^{e^{it}}\,dt,$$
as you say. However, that integral has no elementary antiderivative.

I would probably use residues to compute this integral, but, if you aren't to that point in your course yet, you're back to something like the Cauchy Integral Formula, which I know you said you didn't want to use. Is that because you're not allowed to use it, or because you don't want to use it?
 
Ackbach said:
Hmm. Just trying to reproduce that expression. If you let $z=e^{it}$, then $dz=ie^{it}\,dt$, and the integral becomes
$$\int_{0}^{2\pi}\frac{e^{e^{it}}}{e^{it}}\,ie^{it}\,dt=i\int_{0}^{2\pi}e^{e^{it}}\,dt,$$
as you say. However, that integral has no elementary antiderivative.

I would probably use residues to compute this integral, but, if you aren't to that point in your course yet, you're back to something like the Cauchy Integral Formula, which I know you said you didn't want to use. Is that because you're not allowed to use it, or because you don't want to use it?

We have learned it but we are supposed to try this without those methods so we will have more appreciation for them.
 
dwsmith said:
We have learned it but we are supposed to try this without those methods so we will have more appreciation for them.

Well, what methods are you allowed to use? As RV said above, the Fundamental Theorem is inapplicable here. I suppose you could try to fiddle around with other parametrizations, and see if you can dream up one that has an antiderivative. What if you tried something like

$$z=e^{if(t)}\implies dz=i f'(t) e^{if(t)}\,dt.$$
Then you'd get
$$\int_{\gamma}\frac{e^{z}}{z}\,dz=\int_{a}^{b} \frac{ e^{e^{if(t)}}}{e^{if(t)}}\,i f'(t) e^{if(t)}\,dt=\int_{a}^{b} e^{e^{if(t)}}\,i f'(t) \,dt=i\int_{a}^{b} e^{e^{if(t)}}\,f'(t) \,dt.$$
Now, what we would like is for
$$\frac{d}{dt}e^{if(t)}=if'(t),$$
because then we could use the chain rule. Can we solve this DE? Well, we compute the LHS thus:
$$i f'(t)e^{if(t)}=if'(t).$$
If $f'(t)=0$, then we get $f(t)=\text{const}$, which will not produce a valid parametrization. So, if we cancel we get $e^{if(t)}=0$. This equation has no solutions.

Therefore, this kind of parametrization will not yield an integral that will succumb to a substitution.

What about by-parts? With the previous substitution, we arrived at
$$i\int_{a}^{b} e^{e^{if(t)}}\,f'(t) \,dt.$$
By-parts yields
$$i\left[\int_{a}^{b} \underbrace{e^{e^{if(t)}}}_{u}\,\underbrace{f'(t) \,dt}_{dv}\right]=i\left[e^{e^{if(t)}}f(t)\Big|_{a}^{b}-\int_{a}^{b} e^{e^{if(t)}}e^{if(t)}if'(t)\,f(t) \,dt\right].$$
Now let's try again for a substitution. We would like
$$\frac{d}{dt}(e^{if(t)}+if(t))=if'(t)f(t).$$
Performing the indicated differentiation yields
$$e^{if(t)}if'(t)+if'(t)=if'(t)f(t).$$
The option $f'(t)=0$ isn't a good option, again, so we cancel:
$$e^{if(t)}+1=f(t).$$
You can solve for $f(t)$ in terms of the product log function, but the result is a constant again.

Gotta go. Maybe these failed attempts will suggest something to you.
 
I think I might have done this in a previous post, but I'll do it again.

$\displaystyle \int_{\gamma} \frac{e^{z}}{z} \ dz = i \int_{0}^{2 \pi} e^{e^{it}} \ dt $

$ = \displaystyle i \int_{0}^{2 \pi} \left(1 + e^{it} + \frac{e^{2it}}{2!} + \ldots \right) $

$= \displaystyle i \int_{0}^{2 \pi} \left(1+ \cos(t) + i \sin(t) + \frac{\cos(2t)}{2!} + i \frac{\sin(2t)}{2!} + \ldots \right)$

Now integrate termwise.

The first integral integral evaluates to $ 2 \pi i$. All other integrals evaluate to zero.
 

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