Complex Variables

Preview
 For real variables, theorems are typically
stated for functions defined on intervals
(open, closed)
 We will introduce the corresponding
concepts in the complex plane
 Mostly the same as defined in R2
Definition 1 Open Disk/
(Circular) Neighborhood
Given z0  C, r  R and r  0
D  z z-z0  r
is called an open disk/ neighborhood of z0
r
z0
Interior Point
 Definition. A point z 0  S is called an
interior point of S if and only if there exists at
least one neighborhood of z0 which is
completely contained in S.
z0

S
Example 1

D  z z  1
is called an open unit disk
Definition 2 Interior Points
z0  S  C is called an interior point of S if
 nhood D of z0 s.t. D  S

z0
Example 2

S  z Re( z )  1
2  i is an interior point of S
Definition 3 Open Sets
S  C is an open set if
every point of S is an interior point of S
 Open Set. Closed Set.
 Definition. If every point of a set S is an interior
point of S, we say that S is an open set.
 Definition. If B(S)  S, i.e., if S contains all of its
boundary points, then it is called a closed set.
 Sets may be neither open nor closed.

Neither
Open Closed
Example 3
For r1 , r2  R and r1 , r2  0,
A  z r1  z  r2 
is an open set
Example 4

S  z z  3  2
is an open set
Example 5
S  z z  3  2
is NOT an open set
Definition 4
Connected Open Sets
An open set S  C is connected if
every pair of points in S can be joined
by a polygonal path that lies entirely in S

S
 Connected
 An open set S is said to be connected if every
pair of points z1 and z2 in S can be joined by a
polygonal line that lies entirely in S. Roughly
speaking, this means that S consists of a “single
piece”, although it may contain holes.

z1 z
2
Example 6
S  z 1  z  3  2
is connected
 Example 7

S   z Re(z )  1 or Re(z )  1
is NOT connected
Definition 5 Domain
An open connected set is called a domain
Domain
 Many results in real and complex
analysis are true only in domains. Below
is an example in calculus (real analysis).
We will take a look at why the
connectedness is important.
Definition 6 Boundary Points
z0 is a boundary point of S if
every nhood of z0 conatins at least
one point of S and one point not in S

S
z0
Definition 7 Boundary
The sets of boundary points of S
is called the boundary of S
S  Boundary of S
S
Example 8
S1  z z  3  2
S 2  z z  3  2
z  5 is a boundary point of both S1 and S 2
 Example 8

B  z z  3  2 is the boundary of both S1 and S 2

Definition 8 Closed Sets
S  C is a closed set if
S contains all of its boundary points

S
Example 9

S1  z z  3  2
S1 is closed
Example 10
A  z 1  z  3  2
is neither open nor closed
Example 10
A  z 1  z  3  2

Not open:

1 3 5
Not closed:
Definition 9 Region
A region is a domain together with
some, none, or all of its boundary points
Definition 9 Region
A region is a domain tog ether with
some, none, or all of its boundary points

T or F: If D is a domain, then it is a region.

Definition 9 Region
A region is a domain tog ether with
some, none, or all of its boundary points

T or F: If D is a domain, then it is a region.

T or F: If D is a region, then it is a domain.

Definition 10 Bounded Sets
S  C is bounded if
r  R, r  0 s.t. z  r z  S

r S
Review: Real Functions of
Real Variables
 Definition. Let   . A function f is a rule
which assigns to each element a   one
and only one element b  ,   . We
write f:  , or in the specific case b = f(a),
and call b “the image of a under f.”
We call  “the domain of definition of f ” or
simply “the domain of f ”. We call  “the
range of f.”
We call the set of all the images of ,
denoted f (), the image of the function f . We
alternately call f a mapping from  to .
 Real Function
 In effect, a function of a real variable maps
from one real line to another.

 
 Complex Function
 Definition. Complex function of a complex
variable. Let   C. A function f defined on
 is a rule which assigns to each z   a
complex number w. The number w is called
a value of f at z and is denoted by f(z), i.e.,
w = f(z).
The set  is called the domain of definition
of f.
 Properties of a real-valued function of a real
variable are often exhibited by the graph of
the function. But when w = f(z), where z and
w are complex, no such convenient graphical
representation is available because each of
the numbers z and w is located in a plane
rather than a line.

 We can display some information about the

function by indicating pairs of corresponding
points z = (x,y) and w = (u,v). To do this, it is
usually easiest to draw the z and w planes
separately.
Graph of Complex Function

y v
w = f(z)

x u

domain of range
definition
z- w-
plane plane
Describe the range of the function f(z) = x2 + 2i, defined on (the
domain is) the unit disk |z| 1.
Example 1

y v
f(z) range
x u
domain
Example 2
Describe the function f(z) = z3 for z in the
semidisk given by |z| 2, Im z  0.
.
 y w = z3 v
8

-2 2 x -8 8 u

-8
Limit of a Function

 We say that the complex number w0 is the

limit of the function f(z) as z approaches z0 if
f(z) stays close to w0 whenever z is
sufficiently near z0 . Formally, we state:
 Definition. Limit of a Complex Sequence. Let
f(z) be a function defined in some
neighborhood of z0 except with the possible
exception of the point z0 is the number w0 if
for any real number  > 0 there exists a
positive real number  > 0 such that
 |f(z) – w0|<  whenever 0<|z - z0|< .
Limits: Interpretation
We can interpret this to mean that if we observe
points z within a radius  of z0, we can find a
corresponding disk about w0 such that all the
points in the disk about z0 are mapped into it. That
is, any neighborhood of w0 contains all the values
assumed by f in some full neighborhood of z0,
except possibly f(z0). v
y
w = f(z) 
 z w
0

0
x u
z-plane w-plane
Properties of Limits

If as z  z0, lim f(z)  A and lim g(z) 

B, then
 lim [ f(z)  g(z) ] = A  B
 lim f(z)g(z) = AB, and

 lim f(z)/g(z) = A/B. if B  0.

Continuity
 Definition. Let f(z) be a function such that
f: C C. We call f(z) continuous at z0 iff:
• F is defined in a neighborhood of z0,
• The limit exists, and
 A function f is said to be continuous on a
set S if it is continuous at each point of S.
If a function is not continuous at a point,
then it is said to be singular at the point.
Note on Continuity
 One can show that f(z) approaches a
limit precisely when its real and
imaginary parts approach limits, and the
continuity of f(z) is equivalent to the
continuity of its real and imaginary parts.