4-16-16

Math 103A
Project 1

3.2.1.
Notation: D ε (z 0 ) := open disk of radius ε centered at z 0 .
We use the definition: f is continuous at a point a ⇐⇒

∀ε > 0 : ∃δ > 0 : |z − a| < δ =⇒ ¯ f (z) − f (a)¯ < ε.

¯ ¯

Note that this is the same as: ∀ε > 0 : ∃δ > 0 such that z ∈ D δ (a) =⇒ f (z) ∈ D ε ( f (a)).
8. Prove that©a function f : Ωª→ C is continuous throughout Ω ⇐⇒ whenever S ⊆ C is open, the
set f −1 (S) = z ∈ Ω : f (z) ∈ S is also open.
proof. (⇒) : Assume that f is continuous on Ω and let S ⊆ C be open. Take a point z 0 ∈ f −1 (S).
Then there is R > 0 such that D R ( f (z 0 )) ⊆ S. Now select any 0 < ε É R, since f is continuous, ∃δ
> 0 such that f (z) ∈ D ε ( f (z 0 )) whenever z ∈ D δ (z 0 ). Thus if z ∈ D δ (z 0 ) =⇒ f (z) ∈ D ε ( f (z 0 )) ⊆ S.
Since f (z) ∈ S, one has z ∈ f −1 (S). Hence D δ (z 0 ) ⊆ f −1 (S), implying that f −1 (S) is open.
(⇐) : Let f (z) ∈ C. Then the disk D ε ( f (z)) = D ⊆ C is open for all ε > 0. By assumption, f −1 (D) is
open as well. Since z ∈ f −1 (D), there is a δ > 0 such that D δ (z) ⊆ f −1 (D) = f −1 (D ε ( f (z))). Thus
∀ε > 0 : ∃δ > 0 such that z 0 ∈ D δ (z) =⇒ z 0 ∈ f −1 (D ε ( f (z)) =⇒ f (z 0 ) ∈ D ε ( f (z)). Since z ∈ Ω is
arbitrary, the function f is continuous on Ω. 2

9. An important property of continuous functions. Prove that if f (z 0 ) 6= 0, then there is open

subset (neighborhood) containing z 0 such that f (z) 6= 0 for any z in the open subset. In words,
if f (z 0 ) 6= 0, then f (z) 6= 0 for all z sufficiently close to z 0 .
proof. Assume that f : Ω → C is continuous and f (z 0 ) 6= 0. By definition, the disk D ε ( f (z 0 )) is
open, and since f is continuous, f −1¯(D ε ( f (z 0 ))) = X is open as well.
¯ Now take a z ∈ X . Then
f (z) ∈ D ε ( f (z 0 )) so that f (z) − f (z 0 ) < ε. If f (z) = 0, then one has − f (z 0 ) < ε, a contradiction.
¯ ¯
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
2

10a. Recall the meaning of a composite function f (g (ζ)), where w = f (z), z = g (ζ).
proof. If g : X → Y , ζ 7→ z = g (ζ) and f : Y → Z , z 7→ w = f (z), define the composite function:

f ◦ g : X → Z , ζ 7→ ( f ◦ g )(ζ) := f (g (ζ)) = f (z) = w.

2

b. Prove that if g is continuous at ζ0 and f is cont. at z 0 = g (ζ0 ), then f (g (ζ0 )) is cont. at ζ0 .

proof. We prove that if g : X → Y and f : Y → Z are continuous functions for any point in their
respective domains X and Y , then f ◦ g is continuous for any point from X . This is a broader
statement, but part b will immediately follow from it. Let U be an open subset of Z . We need to
show that ( f ◦ g )−1 (U ) = W is open in X . Let x ∈ W.¡Then ( f¢ ◦ g )(x) = f (g (x))¡ ∈ U . If ¢g (x) = y
and f (y) = z, then y ∈ f −1 (U ) and x ∈ g −1 (y) ⊂ g −1 f −1 (U ) . Now if x ∈ f −1 g −1 (U ) , then
f (g (x)) = ( f ◦ g )(x ) ∈ U , so that x ∈ W. We’ve just demonstrated that

( f ◦ g )−1 (U ) = g −1 f −1 (U ) ,
¡ ¢

1
so U being an open subset of Z implies that f −1 (U ) is an open subset of Y , and furthermore,
that g −1 f −1 (U )) is an open subset of X . Thus f ◦ g is continuous. 2
¡ ¢