It is obvious that this approach i.e.

z  z0 can be
made in an infinite number of ways from
different directions.

z0

Disclaimer: The above figure has been taken here from Engg. Math –III by Dr C. Sankaraiah for only make the students understand the concept of path
while evaluating the limit and continuity
  2z 
Ex:1 Prove that lim   does not exist.
z 0
 z 
Sol: We have

 2z   2( x  iy ) 
lim    lim  
z 0
 z  z 0
 x  iy 
Let us take paths y  mx, m  R
 2z   2( x  imx) 
lim    lim  
z 0
 z  x 0
 x  imx 
 2(1  im)  2(1  im)
 lim    .
x0
 1  im  1  im
Clearly, the given limit depnds on 'm '.Therefore, limit is
not unique and, hence, limit doesn't exist.
 lim
Ex:2 Show that z 23i z 2
 5  12i.

z2  4z  3
Ex:3 Prove that lim  4  i.
z 1i z 1
z2 1
Ex:4 Prove that lim  2.
z 1 z  1
 Continuity

Ex:1 Show that f ( z )  z 2 is continuous at z  2.

We have to prove that

lim f ( z )  f (2) i.e. lim z 2  f (2).

z 2 z 2
 Here,
f (2)  22  4.
and
lim z 2  22  4.
z 2
→
Since,
lim z 2  f (2).
z 2

Therefore, function f ( z )  z 2 is continuous at z  2.

Ex:2 Show that
 z3 , z  i
f ( z)  
0 , z  i
is discontinuous at the point z  i.
Ex:3 Show that the function
 x 3 (1  i )  y 3 (1  i )
 , z0
f ( z)   x y
2 2

0 , z0

is continuous at the origin.
Sol: Here, z  0
Given that f (0)  0,  f (0) exists.
Now,
x 3 (1  i )  y 3 (1  i )
lim f ( z )  lim
z 0 z 0 x2  y 2
(a). If z  0, i.e., z approaches towards 0 along the
path y  mx,
x 3 (1  i )  y 3 (1  i )
 lim f ( z )  lim
z 0 y 0
x 0
x 2
 y 2

x 3 (1  i )  m3 x 3 (1  i )
 lim
x 0 x 2  m2 x 2
x{(1  i )  m3 (1  i )}
 lim 0
x 0 1 m 2

hence, limit exists and independent of path y  mx.

(b).If z  0, i.e., z approaches towards 0 along the
path y  x 2 ,
x 3 (1  i )  y 3 (1  i )
 lim f ( z )  lim
z 0 y 0
x 0
x 2
 y 2

x 3 (1  i )  x 6 (1  i )
 lim
x 0 x2  x4
x{(1  i )  x 3 (1  i )}
 lim  0,
x 0 1 x 2

hence, limit exists and independent of path y  x 2 .

Similarily, we can take other paths also. The limit
will be same for all paths.
 lim f ( z ) exists.
z 0
 Also, lim f ( z )  f (0)  0.
z 0

All the conditions for continuity are satsfied.

So, the function f ( z ) is continuous at the origin.

Ex:4 Show that the following functions are not

continuous at the point z  0.

 Re  z 2   Im  z 2 
 , z0  , z0
(i ). f ( z )   z 2
(ii ). f ( z )   z 2

 
0 , z0 0 , z0
Thank You!