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MH2801 Complex Methods for the Sciences

Flipped Tutorial 1 Solutions Tutorial Groups 1 & 2

(5 Sep 2013)
1. Consider the function

z f (z) = . z2 + z + 1

(a) (b) (c) (d)

On an Argand diagram, sketch the branch point(s) of f (z). On the same Argand diagram, indicate the branch cut(s) that you chose. How many branches does f (z) have? For the principal branch of your choice, evaluate the discontinuity along your branch cut(s).

Solution. (a) & (b) First, let us factorize the quadratic polynomial z2 + z + 1 inside the square root in the denominator. This quadratic polynomial has roots

z =
With these, we can write

14 3 1 = i . 2 2 2

z f (z ) = , z z+ z z

which we realize has two branch points, one at z = z+ , and another at z = z , as shown in the Argand diagram below.

Im z

1 3 !! = + i ! 2 2

0
1 3 !! = i ! 2 2

Re z

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MH2801 Complex Methods for the Sciences

We also chose the branch cuts terminating at z = z+ and z = z as shown.

(c) Since z z+ and z z each has two branches, i.e., z z+ = w+ and z z = w for some w+ and w that we will soon calculate, we can have the combinations

z (+w+ )(+w ) z (+, ) = (+w+ )(w ) z (, +) = (w+ )(+w ) z (, ) = (w+ )(w ) (+, +) =

z , w+ w z = , w+ w z , = w+ w z =+ . w+ w =+

As we can see, even though there are four possible combinations (+, +), (+, ), (, +), and (, ), there are only two possible function values + w+zw and w+zw , i.e. f (z) has only two branches. (d) Consider two points z1 and z2 , one slightly to the right of the branch cut coming out from 3 1 z+ = 2 + i 2 , and the other slightly to the left of the branch cut, as shown below.

Im z !! ! !!
1 3 !! = + i ! 2 2 3! + !! 2 ! !! 2

!! !

0
1 3 !! = i ! 2 2

Re z

3 i( 2 ) and z2 z+ = r ei( 2 + ) , and thus arg(z z+ ) < + 2 . Therefore, we write z1 z+ = r e z+ + r ei( 2 )

With the choice of branch cut at z = z+ , we are limiting the argument of z z+ to 32

f (z1 ) = z+ + f (z2 ) =

,
r ei( 2

r ei( 2

) z

) .

3 z+ + r ei( 2 + ) 3 z+ + r ei( 2 + ) z 3 r ei( 2 + )

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We see that as we take the limit

MH2801 Complex Methods for the Sciences

0,

lim f (z1 ) =
0

z+ + r ei 2

i 3 + ir ei 2 r ei 2 z + + ir = i 3 + ir r ei 4 i z+ + r ei 2
3

z+ + ir , 3+r r

lim f (z2 ) =
0

3 3 i 3 + r ei 2 r ei 2 z + + ir z+ + ir = = i 3 4 i 3 + ir r e i 3 + ir r ( i) i

z + + ir . 3+r r

Therefore, the discontinuity at this branch cut is

lim f (z1 ) f (z2 ) =

0

2(z+ + ir) . i 3+r r

Similarly, we choose two points z3 and z4 , one slightly to the right of the branch cut coming 3 1 out from z = 2 2 , and the other slightly to the left, as shown below.

Im z

1 3 !! = + i ! 2 2

0
3! !! 2 1 3 !! = i ! 2 2 ! + !! 2

Re z

!! !! ! !! !

3 we write z3 z = r ei( 2 + ) and z4 z = r ei( 2 ) , and thus z + r ei( 2 + ) r ei( 2 +

3 The choice of branch cut limits the argument of z z to 2 arg(z z ) < + 2 . Therefore,

f (z3 ) =

z +

r ei( 2 +

, ) z+ ,

f (z4 ) =

3 z + r ei( 2 ) 3 r ei( 2 ) 3 z + r ei( 2 ) z+

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we see that as we take the limit

MH2801 Complex Methods for the Sciences

0,

z + r ei 2 lim f (z3 ) = 0 r ei 2 i 3 + r ei 2 z ir z ir = = , i r e 4 i 3 ir i r 3+r z + r ei 2 lim f (z4 ) = 0 3 3 r ei 2 i 3 + r ei( 2 ) z ir z ir = = . i 3 r e 4 i 3 ir i r 3+r

Thus, the discontinuity at this branch cut is
3

lim f (z3 ) f (z4 ) =

0

2(z ir) . i r 3+r

. . . /SAC 4