Nanyang Technological University

MH2801 Complex Methods for the Sciences

Flipped Tutorial 1 Solutions Tutorial Groups 3 & 4

(4 Sep 2013)
1. Consider the function f (z) = zi . (a) By evaluating the modulus and argument of f (z), show that f (z) is multivalued.

(b) How many branches does f (z) have? On an Argand diagram, indicate the branch point(s) and branch cut(s) of f (z). (c) For the principal branch of your choice, evaluate the discontinuity along your branch cut(s).
Solution. (a) Write z = r ei(+2n) . Then

zi = r i ei
The modulus of f (z) is therefore

2 (+2n)

= ei ln r e e2n .

| f (z)| = |zi | = e(+2n) ,

while its argument is

arg f (z) = ln r.
As we can see, | f (z)| take on different values for different n, i.e. f (z) is multivalued. (b) Since | f (z)| is different for different n, f (z) has innitely many branches. At z = 0, all branches have the same value, i.e. z = 0 is the branch point. This is shown along with the chosen branch cut along the positive real axis in the Argand diagram below.

Im z

Re z

Nanyang Technological University

MH2801 Complex Methods for the Sciences

(c) Let us choose to work with the principal branch n = 0, and pick two points z1 and z2 , one slightly above the positive real axis, and one slightly below the positive real axis, as shown below.

Im z

r 0

! ! z1 z2 2! ! !

Re z

Writing z1 = r ei and z2 = r ei(2 ) , we then have

f (z1 ) = e ei ln r , f (z2 ) = e(2 ) ei ln r .

Taking the limit of

0, we then nd the discontinuity across the branch cut to be lim f (z1 ) f (z2 ) = (1 e2 ) ei ln r .
0

. . . /SAC 2