Complex Variables 05-3, Exam 1 Solutions, 7/14/5

Question 1
Let a circle S in the plane be given, centered at (2, 3) and of radius 5 units.
• Find the complex equation of the circle.

The equation is:

|z − 2 − 3i| = 5,
(z − 2 − 3i)(z − 2 + 3i) = 25,
zz − (2 − 3i)z − (2 + 3i)z + 13 = 25,
0 = zz − (2 − 3i)z − (2 + 3i)z − 12.
• Find the image of the circle under the transformation z → z + 1 + i.
If w = z + 1 + i, then z = w − 1 − i.
Substituting in the equation of the circle, we get:
0 = (w − 1 − i)(w − 1 + i) − (2 − 3i)(w − 1 − i) − (2 + 3i)(w − 1 + i) − 12
= ww − (3 − 4i)w − (3 + 4i)w = (w − 3 − 4i)(w − 3 + 4i) − 25
= |w − 3 − 4i|2 − 52 .
So the image circle is centered at (3, 4) and has radius 5.
• Find the image of the circle under the transformation z → (1 + i)z.

If w = (1 + i)z, then z = (1−i)

2
w.
Substituting in the equation of the circle, we get:
(1 − i) (1 + i) 1 1
0= ww − (2 − 3i)(1 − i)w − (2 + 3i)(1 + i)w − 12
2 2 2 2
1 1 1
= ww − (2 − 3i)(1 − i)w − (2 + 3i)(1 + i)w − 12,
2 2 2
0 = ww − (2 − 3i)(1 − i)w − (2 + 3i)(1 + i)w − 24
= ww + (1 + 5i)w + (1 − 5i)w − 24
= (w + 1 − 5i)(w + 1 + 5i) − 50
√
= |w + 1 − 5i|2 − (5 2)2 .
√
So the image circle is centered at (−1, 5) and has radius 5 2.
• Find the image of the circle under the transformation z → z1 .

If w = z −1 , then z = w −1 .
Substituting in the equation of the circle, we get:
1 1 1 1
0= − (2 − 3i) − (2 + 3i) − 12,
ww w w
0 = 12ww + (2 + 3i)w + (2 − 3i)w − 1,
1 1 1
0 = ww + (2 + 3i)w + (2 − 3i)w −
12 12 12
1 1 25
= (w + (2 − 3i))(w + (2 + 3i)) −
12 12 144
1 i 2 5 2
= |w + − | − ( ) .
6 4 12
So the image circle is centered at (− 16 , 14 ) and has radius 5
12
.

• Also sketch the circle and its three images on the same complex plane.
Question 2
Compute the following limits, or explain why the limit in question does not
exist.
z2 + 1
• lim 2
z→−i z + 3iz − 2

We have:
z2 + 1 (z − i)(z + i) (z − i) −i − i
lim = lim = lim = = −2.
z→−i z 2 + 3iz − 2 z→−i (z + 2i)(z + i) z→−i (z + 2i) −i + 2i

z 2 − 2i
• lim
z→1+i z 2 − 2z + 2

We have:
z 2 − 2i z 2 − (1 + i)2
lim = lim
z→1+i z 2 − 2z + 2 z→1+i (z − 1)2 + 1

(z − 1 − i)(z + 1 + i) (z + 1 + i)
= lim = lim
z→1+i (z − 1 − i)(z − 1 + i) z→1+i (z − 1 + i)

1+i+1+i 2 + 2i
= = = 1 − i.
1+i−1+i 2i
=(z)
• lim .
z→0 z
Put z = x + iy with x and y real.
Then we need:
y
lim .
x+iy→0 x + iy

– Take x = 0 and approach the origin along the y-axis.

Then we get:
y
lim = −i.
y→0 iy

– Take y = 0 and approach the origin along the x-axis.

Then we get:
lim 0 = 0.
x→0

Since by two different approaches to the origin, we obtain two different

limits, the required limit does not exist.
Question 3
Show that z = 2i is a root of the polynomial f (z) = z 4 + 2z 3 + 6z 2 + 8z + 8.

Hence factor the polynomial f (z) and plot the roots of the polynomial on
the complex plane.
1
Also show that g(z) = f (z + 1) and h(z) = z 4 f ( ) are polynomials and
z
plot the roots of all three polynomials f , g and h on the same complex plane.

We have:
f (2i) = (2i)4 + 2(2i)3 + 6(2i)2 + 8(2i) + 8
= 16 − 8i − 24 + 16i + 8 = 0.
So z = 2i is a root of f (z).
Since the polynomial is real for each root, its complex conjugate is also a
root.
So z = −2i is a root of f (z).
So f (z) has a factor of (z − 2i)(z + 2i) = z 2 + 4.
We see that:

f (z) = z 4 + 2z 3 + 6z 2 + 8z + 8 = z 4 + 6z 2 + 8 + 2z 3 + 8z

= (z 2 + 4)(z 2 + 2) + 2z(z 2 + 4)
= (z 2 + 4)(z 2 + 2z + 2)
= (z 2 + 4)((z + 1)2 + 1)
= (z + 2i)(z − 2i)(z + 1 + i)(z + 1 − i).
So the roots of f (z) are −2i, 2i, −1 − i and −1 + i.
Then we have:

g(z) = f (z + 1) = (z + 1 + 2i)(z + 1 − 2i)(z + 2 + i)(z + 2 − i).

This is a product of polynomials so is a polynomial.

Explicitly, we have:

g(z) = ((z + 1)2 + 4)((z + 2)2 + 1)

= (z 2 + 2z + 5)(z 2 + 4z + 5)
 = z 4 + 6z 3 + 18z 2 + 30z + 25.
The roots of g(z) are −1 − 2i, −1 + 2i, −2 − i and −2 + i.

Next we have:
    
1 1 1 1 1
4
h(z) = z f ( ) = z 4 + 2i − 2i +1+i +1−i
z z z z z

= (1 + 2iz)(1 − 2iz)(1 + (1 + i)z)(1 + (1 − i)z).

This is a product of polynomials, so is itself a polynomial.
Explicitly, we have:
   4  3  2   !
4 1 1 1 1 1
h(z) = z f = z4 +2 +6 +8 +8
z z z z z

= 1 + 2z + 6z 2 + 8z + 8z 4 .
The roots of h(z) are the reciprocals of the roots of f (z), so the set of roots
is:
−1 1 1 1
{ , , , }
2i 2i −1 − i −1 + i
i i 1 1
= { , − , − (1 − i), − (1 + i)}.
2 2 2 2
Question 4
Give parametrizations for the boundaries of the following regions in the com-
plex plane and identify each region as open, closed, or neither and as con-
nected or disconnected.
Also sketch each region in the complex plane.

• R = {z ∈ C : |z − 3i| < 3}.

This is a standard open connected bounded disc centered at 3i and

of radius 3, so has the parameterization:

z = 3i + 3eit , 0 ≤ t ≤ 2π.

• S = {z ∈ C : (2 + i)z + (2 − i)z < 4}.

Clearly S is an open connected unbounded half-plane bounded by the

straight line (2 + i)z + (2 − i)z = 4.
A point of this line is z = 1.
Another point is z = −2i.
So the line is z = 1 + t(−2i − 1), where t varies over all of R.
This line passes below the origin, and the origin lies in S (since 0 < 4
is true), so S is the half-plane lying above the line.

• T = {z ∈ C : |z| > 3 and |z − 4| ≤ 5}.

This region is the region outside the closed disc of radius 3, center
the origin and inside the open disc centered at 4 of radius 5.
The region is bounded and connected, but is neither closed nor open.
Sketching, we see that the boundary consists of two arcs, one on the
circle |z| = 3 and the other on the circle |z − 4| = 5, meeting at ±3i.
Alternatively we may solve for the meeting points of the boundary
circles:

|z| = 3, |z − 4| = 5, zz = 9, (z − 4)(z − 4) = 25,

zz = 9, zz − 4z − 4z + 16 = 25,
x2 + y 2 = 9, z + z = 0,
x = 0, y 2 = 9, ,
(x, y) = (0, ±3), z = ±3i.
A parameterization for the boundary arcs is then:

– z = 3e−it , − π2 ≤ t ≤ π2 .
– z = 4 + 5eis , −a ≤ s ≤ a.
Here the endpoint parameter value a is given by:

4 + 5eia = 3i, 5eia = 3i − 4,

−4 + 3i
eia = = cos(a) + i sin(a),
5
4 3 3
cos(a) = − , sin(a) = , tan(a) = − ,
5 5 4
 
3
a = π−arctan = 2.498091545 radians = 143.1301024 degrees.
4
Question 5
Let u(x, y) = x3 + 4x2 + x(6 − 3y 2 ) − 4y 2 , defined for any real (x, y).
• Prove that u is harmonic.

Differentiating, we have:
u = x3 + 4x2 + x(6 − 3y 2 ) − 4y 2
ux = 3x2 + 8x + 6 − 3y 2 ,
uy = −6xy − 8y,
uxx = 6x + 8,
uyy = −6x − 8.
So uxx + uyy = 6x + 8 − 6x − 8 = 0 and u is harmonic, as required.
• Find the harmonic conjugate v of u.

We first need:
vy = ux = 3x2 + 8x + 6 − 3y 2 .
Integrating with respect to y, we get:
v = 3x2 y + 8xy + 6y − y 3 + g(x).
Finally we need:
0 = uy + vx = −6xy − 8y + 6xy + 8y + g 0 (x) = g 0 (x).
So g(x) = C, a constant and the harmonic conjugate of u is v =
3x2 y + 8xy + 6y − y 3 + C, with C an arbitrary real constant.
• If f (z) = u(x, y) + iv(x, y), where z = x + iy, explain why f (z) is ana-
lytic and write a formula for f 0 (z) in terms of the derivatives of u and v.

Since the derivatives ux , uy , vx and vy are everywhere defined and

continuous and since the Cauchy-Riemann equations hold everywhere,
by our basic theorem on differentiability, we know that f (z) is differ-
entiable everywhere, so is analytic (and entire).
Then we have, by the same theorem:
f 0 (z) = fx = ux + ivx = 3x2 + 8x + 6 − 3y 2 + i(6xy + 8y).
• Write f 0 (z) directly as a polynomial in z.

By the above, we have:

f 0 (z) = 3x2 + 8x + 6 − 3y 2 + i(6xy + 8y)

= 3(x2 − y 2 + 2ixy) + 8(x + iy) + 6

= 3(x + iy)2 + 8(x + iy) + 6
= 3z 2 + 8z + 6.

• By integrating your expression for f 0 (z), or otherwise, express f (z) as

a polynomial in the variable z.

We have 3z 2 + 8z + 6 = d
dz
(z 3 + 4z 2 + 6z), so we get:

f (z) = z 3 + 4z 2 + 6z + A, where A is constant.

Note that f (0) = A = u(0, 0) + iv(0, 0) = iC.

Check:
z 3 + 4z 2 + 6z + C
= (x + iy)3 + 4(x + iy)2 + 6(x + iy) + iC
= x3 − 3xy 2 + 4x2 − 4y 2 + 6x + i(3x2 y + 8xy + 6y + C)
= u(x, y) + iv(x, y).
Question 6
Consider the function, defined for all points z = x + iy in the complex plane,
where x and y are real:

f (x, y) = 2xy + i(x2 − 3y 2 ).

Find, with proof, all points where the function f is differentiable, giving its
derivative at each such point and find all such points at which the function
is analytic.

We note that the real and imaginary parts of f are polynomials, so are
everywhere continuous and differentiable, with continous derivatives.

Therefore by the main theorem on differentiability, f is differentiable at a

point iff it obeys the Cauchy-Riemann equations at that point and then the
value of the derivative is fx evaluated at that point, where fx is the partial
derivative of f with respect to x.

Computing the partial derivatives, we have:

fx = 2y + 2ix,

fy = 2x − 6iy.
The Cauchy-Riemann equations are then:

0 = fx + ify = 2y + 2ix + i(2x − 6iy) = 8y + 4ix.

So the Cauchy-Riemann equations hold only when y = 0 and x = 0.

So by our main theorem, f is differentiable only at the origin, where it has
derivative fx = [2y + 2ix]x=0,y=0 = 0.
Finally, since there is no open region on which f is differentiable, f is analytic
no-where.