Math 6350 Homework #5 Solutions

1. Ahlfors pg. 108 #2: Compute

Z
x dz
|z|=r

for the positive sense of the circle, in two ways: first, by use of an explicit parameterization of the circle, and second, by observing that


r2
1
1
z+
.
x = (z + z) =
2
2
z
Solution: For the first method, use z = reit for t [0, 2]. We get x = r cos t and
dz = ireit dt, so that
Z
Z 2
x dz =
ir2 cos teit dt
|z|=r

= ir

cos2 t + i sin t cos t dt

= ir2 ( + 0)
= ir2 .
For the second method, we note that

Z
Z 
1
r2
x dz =
z+
dz
2 C
z
C
Z
dz
r2
=
2 C z
r2
= (2i)
2
= ir2 ,
R
using the fact that z is analytic while C dz/z = 2i whenever C contains the origin.
2. Ahlfors pg. 108R #7: If P (z) is a polynomial and C denotes the circle |z a| = R, what
is the value of C P (z) dz? Answer: 2iR2 P 0 (a). Hint: adapt the trick from problem
#2.
Solution: On the given circle we have (za)(za) = R2 , so that (za)dz+(za)dz =
0. Hence we have
za
R2
dz =
dz =
dz.
za
(z a)2
We therefore see that

Z
P (z) dz = R
C

Z
C

P (z)
dz.
(z a)2

We may express P (z) = P (a) + P 0 (a)(z a) + N (z)(z a)2 where N (z) is some
lower-order polynomial, and we therefore have

Z 
Z
P (a)
P 0 (a)
2
+ N (z) dz = 2iR2 P 0 (a)
P (z) dz = R
+
2
(z a)
za
C
C
since the integral of 1/(z a)2 and the analytic function N (z) are both zero around
the circle.
R
3. Evaluate the integral f (z) dz where f (z) = z|z|2 and is the closed upper unit
semicircle traversed counterclockwise (that is, rightward along the real axis from 1
to 1, then around the unit circle back to 1).
Solution: Write = 1 + 2 where 1 is the real axis segment parametrized by z = t
on t [1, 1] and 2 is the semicircle parametrized by z = eit for t [0, ].
We have

t4 1
1 1
t dt =
= = 0,
f (z) dz =
1
4
4 4
1
1

while

f (z) dz =
2

Hence coincidentally we have

t=
eit (ieit ) dt = 2i e2it t=0 = 0.

f (z) dz = 0 although f is not analytic.

4. Prove Greens Theorem for a rectangle R = [a, b] [c, d]:


Z
ZZ 
p
q
p dx + q dy =

dx dy.
x y
R
R
Do not use Stokes theorem: do the calculation directly using the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Since we will not be using this result at the moment, you may assume
that p and q are as smooth as needed to interchange order of integration.
Solution: Its easier to work with the right side. We have



Z b Z d
Z d Z b
ZZ 
p
p
q
q

(x, y) dx dy
(x, y) dy dx
dx dy =
x y
c
a x
a
c y
R
Z d
Z b




=
q(b, y) q(a, y) dy
p(x, d) p(x, c) dx.
c

R
We now check that this is 1 +2 3 4 p dx + q dy, where R = 1 + 2 3 4 , for
1 the bottom side, 2 the right side, 3 the top side (traversed negatively), and 4 the
left side (also traversed negatively). For 1 we have x = t for t [a, b] and y = c, so
that dx = dt and dy = 0; we obtain
Z
Z b
Z b
Z b
p dx + q dy =
p(t, c) dt +
q(t, c) 0 dt =
p(t, c) dt.
1

For 3 we have x = t for t [a, b] and y = d, so that dx = dt and dy = 0 again, and

Z

p(t, d) dt.

p dx + q dy =
a

The vertical paths

RR are similar; we see that the signs work out in exactly the same way
as they do in R (qx py ) dx dy.