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z f (z) = . z2 + z + 1
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
(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
f (z1 ) = z+ + f (z2 ) =
,
r ei( 2
r ei( 2
) z
) .
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
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 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 ) =
. . . /SAC 4