Evaluating Integral on Circular Contour C: Quick Question on Residues

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SUMMARY

The integral I_a=\int_C\frac{z^2-1}{(2z-1)(z^2-4)^2}dz is evaluated using the residue theorem, with the contour C being a circular path of radius greater than 2 centered at the origin. The poles identified are at z=1/2 (simple pole) and z=2, z=-2 (double poles). The correct residue at z=1/2 is -6/225, which simplifies to -2/75. The residue at z=2 requires the use of the multipole formula, and corrections were made during the discussion regarding the calculation methods for both residues.

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Homework Statement


Evaluate the following integral, given that C is the circular contour of radius greater than 2 centered at the origin.

I_a=\int_C\frac{z^2-1}{(2z-1)(z^2-4)^2}dz

The Attempt at a Solution



I has a simple pole at z=1/2 and two double poles, at z=2 and z=-2...all of which are enclosed by the contour C. By the residue theorem,

I_a=2 \pi i \left[ Res[f(1/2)]+Res[f(2)]+Res[f(-2)] \right]

My problem is just that the answers I am getting for the residues are strange...

Res[f(1/2)]=\lim_{z \rightarrow 1/2} (2z-1) \frac{z^2-1}{(2z-1)(z^2-4)^2}=\lim_{z \rightarrow 1/2} \frac{z^2-1}{(z^2-4)^2}= \frac{-3/4}{225/16}=-\frac{12}{225}

Is this answer correct? When I compute the residue for z=2 I get an even weirder answer (10/192) and these strange answers are making me question whether what I'm doing is correct (note that I used the multipole formula for z=2)
 
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It's not quite correct. You need to multiply by (z-1/2), not (2z-1). But I don't see anything weird about those answers. I didn't get the same thing you did for z=2, though.
 
Dick said:
It's not quite correct. You need to multiply by (z-1/2), not (2z-1). But I don't see anything weird about those answers. I didn't get the same thing you did for z=2, though.

Hm, ok. So for the 1/2 residue the answer is -6/225, correct?

I found a mistake in the z=2, thanks.
 
kreil said:
Hm, ok. So for the 1/2 residue the answer is -6/225, correct?

I found a mistake in the z=2, thanks.

That's what I get. Or -2/75.
 

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