MATH 122A HW 3 SOLUTIONS

RAHUL SHAH

Problem 1. [§1.10.1(a)] Find the square roots of 2ı.

Solution. Since
h π i
2 exp ı + 2kπ
2
for k ∈ Z. Thus
1 √ h π i
(2ı) 2 = 2 exp ı + kπ .
4
Thus the two roots are c0 = 1 + ı and c1 = −(1 + ı). 

√ 1
Problem 2. [§1.10.2(b)] Find all the roots of (−8 − 8 3ı) 4 in rectangular coordinates. Exhibit them as vertices of
certain squares, and point out which is the principal root.

Solution. Recall that

√
  
2π
−8 − 8 3ı = 16 exp ı − + 2kπ
3
for k ∈ Z. The principal root is
h −ıπ i √
c0 = 2 exp = 3 − ı.
6
We find the other roots as
 −ıπ 
  √
c1 = 2 exp exp ı π2
6
= 1 + 3ı,
  √
c2 = 2 exp −ıπ6
exp [ıπ] = −( 3 − ı),
√
2 exp 6 exp ı 3π
 −ıπ   
c3 = 2
= −(1 + 3ı).

We plot the four roots in Figure 1. 

Problem 3. [§1.10.6] Find the four zeros of the polynomial z 4 + 4, one of them being

√ h πi
z0 = 2 exp ı = 1 + ı.
4

Then use those four factors to factor z 4 + 4 into two quadratics with real coefficients.

Solution. We find the four roots as

√  
c0 = 2 exp ı π4 = 1 + ı,
 
c1 = c0 exp ı π2 = −1 + ı,
c2 = c0 exp [ıπ] = −1 − ı,
c0 exp ı 3π
 
c3 = 2
= 1 − ı.
1
2 RAHUL SHAH

2
c1
c2 1

0
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5

-1
c0
-2
c3

-3

-4

-5

√
Figure 1. The four roots of −8 − 8 3ı.

Thus

z4 + 4 = (z − c0 )(z − c1 )(z − c2 )(z − c3 )

= (z + 1 − ı)(z + 1 + ı)(z − 1 − ı)(z − 1 + ı)

= [(z + 1)2 + 1][(z − 1)2 + 1]

= (z 2 + 2z + 2)(z 2 − 2z + 2).

Problem 4. [§1.10.7] Show that if c is any n-th root of unity other than unity itself, then

1 + c + c2 + . . . + cn−1 = 0.

Solution. Note that for c 6= 1,

1 − cn
1 + c + c2 + . . . + cn−1 = .
1−c
Since cn = 1, we find that

1 + c + c2 + . . . + cn−1 = 0.

Problem 5. [§1.12.1] For each of the following functions below, describe the domain of definition that is understood:

a.
1
f (z) = ;
z2 + 1
 MATH 122A HW 3 SOLUTIONS 3

b.
 
1
f (z) = Arg ;
z
c.
z
f (z) = ;
z + z̄
d.
1
f (z) = .
1 − |z|2

Solution.

a. Notice that the function is well-defined unless z 2 = −1 or z = ±i. Thus the domain is {z ∈ C | z 6= ±ı}.
b. The argument function is well-defined unless the input is 0 or undefined. Thus the given function is well-
defined unless z = 0. Thus the domain is {z ∈ C | z 6= 0}.
c. The denominator is non-zero unless z + z̄ = 0, which is equivalent to ℜz = 0. Thus the domain is {z ∈
C | ℜz 6= 0}.
d. The denominator is non-zero unless |z| = 1. Thus the domain is {z ∈ C | |z| 6= 1}.

Problem 6. [§1.12.2] Write the function f (z) = z 3 + z + 1 in the form f (z) = u(x, y) + ıv(x, y).

Solution. Notice that

f (x + ıy) = (x + ıy)3 + (x + ıy) + 1

= x3 + 3ıx2 y − 3xy 2 − ıy 3 + x + ıy + 1

= (x3 − 3xy 2 + x + 1) + ı(3x2 y − y 3 + y).

Problem 7. [§1.12.3] Suppose that f (z) = x2 − y 2 − 2y + ı(2x − 2xy), where z = x + ıy. Use the expressions
z + z̄ z − z̄
x= and y =
2 2ı
to write f (z) in terms of z, and simplify the result.

Solution. Notice that if z = x + ıy then z̄ 2 = x2 − y 2 − 2ıxy. Thus

f (z) = z̄ 2 + 2(ıx − y)

= z̄ 2 + 2ı(x + ıy)

= z̄ 2 + 2ız.

Problem 8. [§1.12.4] Write the function

1
f (z) = z + (z 6= 0)
z
in the form f (z) = u(r, θ) + ıv(r, θ).
4 RAHUL SHAH

Solution. Let z = r exp(ıθ) = r[cos(θ) + ı sin(θ)]. Then z −1 = r−1 exp(−ıθ) = r−1 [cos(θ) − sin(θ)]. Thus
1
f (z) = z+
z
= r[cos(θ) + ı sin(θ)] + r−1 [cos(θ) − sin(θ)]
   
1 1
= r+ cos(θ) + ı r − sin(θ).
r r