Ph 203: Mathematical Physics

Chapter 4
Complex Variables

Professor Dr M Mahbubur Rahman

Department of Physics
Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342
Email: M.Rahman@Juniv.edu 1
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables

Reference Book
Complex Variables

Schaum’s Outlines Series

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 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Once upon a time…

That means,

1  no real solution
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Complex Numbers

The concept of imaginary numbers was first

introduced by mathematician “Euler”. He was
the one who introduced i (read as „iota‟) to
represent √-1. He also defined i2 = -1.
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Complex Numbers
Z=a + ib
real imaginary
The complex numbers consist of a sum in the form
a + ib, where a and b are real numbers and i is the
imaginary unit. The real part is a, and the imaginary
part is ib.
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
The Complex Conjugate

The conjugate of a + ib is a – ib

The conjugate of a – ib is a + ib
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
In the set of real numbers, negative numbers do
not have square roots.

Imaginary numbers were invented so that negative

numbers would have square roots and certain equations
would have solutions.

These numbers were devised using an imaginary

unit named i.

i  1
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
The imaginary numbers consist of all numbers bi,
where b is a real number and i is the imaginary unit,
with the property that i² = -1.

Remember that the first four powers of i establish

an important pattern.

Powers of i
i i
1
i  1
2
i  i
3
i 1
4
Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Powers of i
i  1
2

i  i  i  i
3 2

i  i  i  1   1  1
4 2 2

i  i  i  1 i  i
5 4

...
Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Powers of i
1.) Find i23  i
2.) Find i2006  1
3.) Find i37 i
4.) Find i828 1
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Express these numbers in terms of i.
5)
1.) 5  1*5  1 5  i 5

6)  7   1* 7   1 7  i 7
2.)

3.)
7) 99  1* 99  1 99
 i 3  3  11
 3i 11
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Class Practice…You Try

8) 7 ?

9)  36 ?
10) 160  ?
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables

Consider 16  49

It is tempting to combine them
16  49  16  49  4  7  28

The multiplicative property of radicals only works

for positive values under the radical sign.

Instead use imaginary numbers.

 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Complex Divisions
Multiply numerator and denominator by the
conjugate of the denominator

3i 3i 5  2i
 
5  2i 5  2i 5  2i
15i  6i 2

25  4i 2
6  15i 6 15
   i
29 29 29
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Functions of a Complex Variable

If w = u + iv, and z = x + iy, are two

complex numbers then w is said to be the
function of z and is written as w = f(z), if
to every value of z in a certain domain D,
there corresponds one or more values of
w.
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Single Valued and Multi-valued Functions
If w takes only one value for each value of z
in the domain D, then w is said to be
uniform or single-valued function of z.
However, if w takes more than one values of
each z in the domain D, then w is said to be
many-valued or multi-valued function of z.
Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Analytic Functions
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Properties of Analytic Functions
Existence of f   z 

Cauchy-Riemann
 f  z  dz  0 conditions
C

Analyticity

Path Existence of derivatives

independence of all orders

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 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Derivatives of Complex Variables

Notes to be given ………………….

 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Derivatives of Complex Variables
If f(z) is single-valued in some region/domain D,
then the derivative of f(z) is defined as,
df f ( z  z )  f ( z ) f ( z )
f ' ( z)   lim  lim
dz z 0 z z 0 z

Provided that the limit exists independent of the

manner in which In such case we say
that f(z) is differentiable in z.
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
In order to let f (z) be differentiable, f '(z) must be the same
in any direction of z. Particularly, it is necessary that
u  iv u v
For z  x, f ' ( z )  lim  i .
x 0 x x x
u  iv u v
For z  iy, f ' ( z )  lim  i  .
y 0 iy y y
Equating them we have
u v u v
 , 
x y y x
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Cauchy-Riemann Equations
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Harmonic Functions
Harmonic functions occur quite often (very regularly) and
play an significant role in mathematics, physics, and
engineering. In complex variables, harmonic functions are,
in fact, the solutions of the Laplace equation. Every
harmonic function is the real part of a analytic function in an
associated domain.

A function u(x, y) is known to be a harmonic function if it is

continuous, twice differentiable, and satisfies the Laplace
equation of the following form:
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Properties of Harmonic Functions
1. If f(z) = u(x, y) + iv(x, y) is analytic on a region R then both u
and v are harmonic functions on R.

2. If u(x, y) is harmonic on a connected region R, then u is the real

part of an analytic function f(z) = u(x, y) + iv(x, y).

3. If u and v are the real and imaginary parts of an analytic

function, then we say u and v are harmonic conjugates.

4. The sum of two harmonic functions is a harmonic function.

5. An arbitrary pair of harmonic functions „u’ and „v‟ need not be

conjugated unless u + iv is an analytic function.
Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Home Work

P. 87 (Schaum’s Outlines Series)

 Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Home Work

Polar form of Cauchy-Riemann Equations

p. 295 Rajput
Chapter 4: Complex
Variables
Problem # 1
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