Section 5: Complex Integration II

Examples and Problems

Example 1
[integration in the complex plane]
Evaluate the following integrals - mention whether the path of integration can be any arbitrary
contour between the points represented by the limits, or whether there are any restrictions on the
path:
j/2

(a)

dz

j
2j

(b)

2 j

1
dz
z3

Solution
(a)
The function f ( z ) ez is analytic everywhere so the path of integration can be any in the
complex plane. We have
j/2

e
j

dz

j/2

j / 2

e j

cos( / 2) j sin( / 2) cos( ) j sin( ) (1 j ) /

(b)
The function f ( z ) 1 / z 3 is analytic everywhere except at the point z 0 , and the integral of
1 / z 3 , 3 / z 2 , is also analytic everywhere except at z 0 . Thus we can choose as our path of
integration any path which does not pass through the origin. We have
2j
2j
1
1
3
1 3
dz

2
2
2 j z 3
z 2 2 j
(
2
j
)
(

2
j
)

Example 2
[Cauchy's Integral Formula]
Integrate the function

z3
C 2 z j dz
around the circle z 1 .

Complex Variables Section 5 Examples & Problems - 1

Solution
The integrand has a singular point at z j / 2 . This point lies within the closed contour C, so the
integrand z 3 /( 2 z j ) is not analytic on or inside the closed contour C (so we can't use Cauchy's
Integral Theorem). We rewrite the integral in the form
1
z3
dz
2 C z j / 2
which is the form of Cauchy's Integral Formula. We let f ( z ) z 3 , which is analytic on and
inside C, and z 0 j / 2 , so that f ( z 0 ) ( j / 2) 3 j / 8 . Thus

1
z3
1
dz 2j j / 8 / 8

2C z j/2
2

Example 3
[Cauchy's Integral Formula]
Integrate the function

dz
1

around the circle z 1 1 .

Solution
The integrand has singular points at z 1 . We have
dz
C ( z 1)( z 1)
Only the singular point z 1 lies within the closed contour of integration, so we let z 0 1
and f ( z) 1 /( z 1) :
dz
f ( z)
C z 2 1 C z 1 dz
Now f ( z 0 ) 1 /(1 1) 1 / 2 . Thus

f ( z )dz
dz 2j 1 / 2 j
z 1

Example 4
[Formulas for derivatives of an analytic function]
Integrate the function
z3
dz
3

C ( z 1)
where C is any closed contour enclosing the point z 1 .

Complex Variables Section 5 Examples & Problems - 2

Solution
We can write this in the form

f ( z)

(z z

)3

dz

where

f ( z ) z 3 , z 0 1
The function f (z ) is analytic on and inside the contour C so we can apply the formula
f ( z)

z z

n 1

dz

2j d n f
n! dz n

Setting n 2 puts the formula in the form we require:

f ( z)
2j d 2 f
dz

2! dz 2
C z z 0

z0

z0

Now
d2 3
d2 f
(
z
)

6
z

dz 2
dz 2

so that
f ( z)

z z

6
z0 1

dz 6j

Complex Variables Section 5 Examples & Problems - 3

Problem 1
[Integration in the Complex Plane]
(i)
Use Cauchy's Integral Theorem to show that, if f (z ) is analytic in a simply connected
domain D, and z 0 and z1 are any two points in D, the integral
z1

f ( z )dz

z0

(ii)

is independent of the path taken (so long as it remains in D).

Evaluate the following integrals
2 j

cos( z / 2)dz

(a)

[ANSWER: e 1 / e ]

0
3

(b)

( z 2)

[ANSWER: 0 ]

dz

1
3j

(c)

2z

[ANSWER: 0 ]

dz

Problem 2
[Cauchy's Integral Formula]
(i)
Under what conditions is Cauchy's Integral Formula valid?
cos z
dz where C is z 1 [ANSWER: j ]
(ii)
Evaluate the integral
2
z
C
(iii)

Evaluate the integral

tan z

z j dz

counterclockwise around the triangle with vertices

(iv)

z 1 , z 2 j and z 1 . Draw the triangle in the complex plane and show clearly the
positions of the singular point(s) of the integrand. [ANSWER: 2 tanh(1) 4.785 ]
2z 1
dz where C is
Evaluate the integral 2
C z z

(a) z
(v)

1
,
4

(b) z

Evaluate the integral

1 1
,
2 4

(c) z 2 [ANSWER: (a) 2j , (b) 0, (c) 4j ]

ez
2 dz where C is z 2 [ANSWER: 5.287 j]
C z 1

Problem 3
[Formulas for derivatives of an analytic function]
cos z
z4
dz , 2 dz , and
Show that the three integrals
2
C ( z 3 j)
C z
are all zero.

ez
3 dz , where C is the unit circle,
C z

Complex Variables Section 5 Examples & Problems - 4