MSO 202A: Complex Variables

August-September 2022
Assignment-4

Throughout CR will denote the circle of radius R around origin, oriented counterclockwise.
and C1 = C.

1. (T)Show that Z ∞
1
dx = π/2
−∞ (1 + x2 )2
1
Solution: Let R > 1. Let f (z) = (z2 +1) 2 and Γ be the closed curve consisting of

semicircular arc of radius R (CR ) on the upper half place union the segment [−R, R] (C1 )
on the x-axis.
Then
1/(z + i)2
Z Z
d
f= 2
dz = 2πi[ 1/(z + i)2 ]z=i = π/2.
CR +C1 CR +C1 (z − i) dz
R RR 1
R∞ 1
C1
f = 2
−R (1+x ) 2 dx → −∞ (1+x2 )2
dx as R → ∞.
1
R
| CR f | ≤ πR (R2 −1) 2 → 0 as R → ∞.

2. Suppose f (z) is defined by the integral

2ξ 2 + 7ξ + 1
Z
f (z) = dξ.
C3 ξ−z

Find f 0 (1 + i)
Solution:
Clearly, comparing with cauchy’s integral formula, we conclude that
f (z) = 2z 2 + 7z + 1 for |z| < 3. So f 0 (z) = 4z + 7. So f 0 (1 + i) = −12π + 26πi.

3. Compute C4 z2z+4 dz where C4 is the circe |z| = 4 oriented anticlockwise.

R

Solution:
z 1 1
R R R
2
C4 z +4
dz = 1/2[ C4 z+2i
dz + C4 z−2i
dz] = 1/2.[2πi + 2πi] = 2πi.

4. (T)Suppose that f = u + iv is an entire function and u is bounded (or v is bounded).

Show that f is constant.
Solution:
The function g = ef (z) = eu+ιv is entire and |g| = eu which is bounded. Thus g is
constant. Differentiating g 0 = f 0 ef = 0 implies f 0 = 0 on C implies f is constant.
(Remark: taking log to g is not correct way to show f is constant on C since log does
not have an analytic branch on C)
 5. Using Liouville’s theorem, conclude that sin z, cos z are not bounded functions.
Solution:
If they were bounded they should be constant by Liouville theorem.

6. (T)Suppose that f = u + iv is an entire function and |f (z)| < |z|n for some n ≥ 0 and
for all sufficiently large |z|. Show that f is a polynomial.
an z n
P
Solution: Any holomorphic function f can be written as a power series f =
(n)
where an = f n!(0) .
By the given condition, there exists integer n ≥ 0 and a real number R > 0 such that
|f (z)| < |z|n for all |z| ≥ R. Using Cauchy’s inequallities for any circle |z| = R1 > R,

n!||f ||CR1
|f n+1 (0))| ≤ < n!/R1 → 0, as R1 → ∞.
R1n+1

Similarly, f k (0) = 0 for all k > n. Hence f is a polynomial by the power series expansion
about origin.

7. Suppose that f = u + iv is an entire function and u(or v) is a polynomial. Then show

that f is a polynomial.
Solution: Suppose u is a polynomial in x, y. Then for large n, ∂ n∂ x u = ∂∂n y u = 0.
Then f (n) = ∂ n∂ x u + ι ∂ n∂ x u is analytic and takes only imaginary values. So f (n) must be
constant and so f (n+1) = 0. Hence in the ppwoer series expandion of f we must have
ak = 0 for k ≥ n + 1. Hence f is a polynomial.

8. Show that if u is a bounded harmonic function on C then u is constant.

Solution:
Since u is harmonic on a simply connected domain C, it admits a harmonic conjugate.
Thus f = u + ιv is analytic on C. By a previous exercise f is constant.

9. (T)Let τ be a complex number which is not real. Suppose that f is an entire function
such that f (z + 1) = f (z) and f (z + τ ) = f (z). Then show that f is a constant. (This
exercise says that a doubly periodic entire function is constant.)
Solution:
By the periodicity condition the image of f is determined by the image of f on a
parallelogram with sides z = 1 and z = τ . Paralleogram is compact. So the image of
the parallegogram is bounded. Hence f is bounded and so it is constant.

10. Let f be an entire function satisfying |f (z)| ≥ 1 for all z ∈ C. Show that f is constant.
Solution:
By the given condition f never vanishes. Thus g = 1/f is entire and |g| ≤ 1. Hence g is
constant and so is f .
11. (T)Suppose that f : D → C is anlytic on unit disc D = {z : |z| < 1}. Show that
|f 0 (0)| ≤ d/2, where d = sup |f (z) − f (w)| is the diameter of the image of f.
z,w∈D

Solution:
Let Cr be the circle of radius r < 1 with centre at the origin. By Cauchy’s integral
formula Z
0 f (ξ)
2πιf (0) = 2
dξ.
Cr ξ

Replacing ξ by −ξ this can also be written as

Z
0 f (−ξ)
2πιf (0) = − dξ.
Cr ξ

Adding this two, we get

f (ξ) − f (−ξ)
Z
0
4πιf (0) = dξ
Cr ξ2

Taking modulus and applying M L estimates, we get 4π|f 0 (0| ≤ 2πr.d.(1/r2 ). Thus
|f 0 (0)| ≤ 2r
d
| for all 0 < r < 1. Letting r → 1− we get |f 0 (0)| ≤ d/2.

12. (T)Let Ω be a bounded open subset of C and f : Ω → Ω is a holomorphic function.

Prove that if there exists a point a ∈ Ω such that f (a) = a and f 0 (a) = 1 then f is
linear.
Solution:
f 00 (a)
The power series of f around z = a is given by f (z) = f (a) + f 0 (a)(z − a) + 2!
(z −
a)2 + · · ·
By the given condition f (z) = z + a2 (z − a)2 + O((z − a)3 )
Since f : Ω → Ω, we have f 2 = f ◦ f : Ω → Ω. Simple calculation gives
f 2 = z + 2a2 (z − a)2 + O((z − a)3 ). Proceeding similarly,
f k = z + ka2 (z − a)2 + O((z − a)3 )
Therefore, taking Cr a circle of radius r around a inside Ω,

f k (ξ)
Z
k 00 1
ka2 = (1/2)(f ) (a) =
2πι Cr (ξ − a)2
1
k|a2 | ≤ 2π 2πrM (1/r2 ) = M/r where M = diameter of Ω < ∞.. This is true for all k.
Hence a2 = 0.
Thus f (z) = z +a3 (z −a)3 +O((z −a)4 ).Proceeding similarly we have a3 = 0. Continuing
the process, we have f (z) = z.
13. Show that successive derivatives of an analytic function f at a point z0 can never satisfy
the inequality |f (n) (z0 )| > nn n! for all n ∈ N.
Solution:
an (z − z0 )n where an = f (n) (z0 )/n!.
P
We know that f admits power series expansion
Pp
The radius of convergence is given by 1/R = lim sup n
|an | < ∞. If |f (n) (z0 )| > nn n!
p p
for all n imples that the n |an | > n for all n so n |an | diverge to infinity. This is a
contradiction.

14. Let f be anlytic on a region Ω and let C be a circle with interior containd in Ω. For any
a ∈ Ω not on C show that
f 0 (ξ)
Z Z
f (ξ)
dξ = 2
dξ
C (ξ − a) C (ξ − a)

Solution:
f 0 (ξ)
By Cauchy’s integral formula for f 0 we get = 2πιf 0 (a).
R
C (ξ−a)
dξ
f (ξ)
= 2πιf 0 (a).
R
By Cauchy’s integral formula for f we get C (ξ−a)2

15. (a) If f (z) is a holomorphic inside and on a circle C containng a prove that
f (z)n
Z
n 1
f (a) = dz.
2πi C (z − a)
Solution:
Apply Cauchy’s integral formula to the anytic function (f (z))n = f (z).f (z) · · · f (z).
(b) Use (a) to show that |f (a)|n ≤ LM n /(2πD) where D is the distance of a from C,
L is the length of C and M is the maximum value of |f (z)| on C.
Solution:
Apply M L-estimates to get this ineuqality.
(c) Use (b) to show that |f (a)| ≤ M . In other words, the maximum value of |f (z)| is
obtained on the boundary. This result is known as Maximum Modulus Principle.
Solution:
|f (z)| ≤ M (k)1/n . Taking limit as n → ∞, we get |f (z)| ≤ M.
(d) The maximum modulus value of f (z) = 1/z on unit circle is 1, yet |f (1/2)| = 2.
Expalin why this does not contradict (c).
Solution:
Since here f is not holomorphic inside the unit circle.

16. This exercise gives a generalization of Goursat’s and Cauchy’s theorem.

Let T be a triangle whose interior is contained in an open set Ω of C . Suppose that
f : Ω → C is a continuous function which is holomorphic on Ω in except possibly at a
point z0 . Prove that Z
f (z)dz = 0.
T
17. Let D be an open disc and f : D → C be a continuous function which is holomorphic on
D \ {z0 } for some fixed z0 ∈ D. Then prove that f has a primitive on D.
(Remark: Hence we conclude that: Let f : Ω → C is a continuous function on an open
set Ω and anlytic on Ω \ {z0 } where z0 ∈ Ω. Then show that f is analytic on Ω. )