Math 411: Honours Complex Variables - University of Alberta
Math 411: Honours Complex Variables - University of Alberta
Math 411: Honours Complex Variables - University of Alberta
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Chapter 4<br />
<strong>Complex</strong> Line Integrals<br />
We call a function f : [a,b] → C integrable if Ref,Imf : [a,b] → R are integrable in<br />
the sense <strong>of</strong> real variables. (The Riemann integral will do.) In this case, we define<br />
� b � b<br />
f(t)dt :=<br />
a<br />
a<br />
� b<br />
Ref(t)dt+i Imf(t)dt.<br />
a<br />
Definition. A curve (or path) in C is a continuous map γ: [a,b] → C. We call<br />
• γ(a) the initial point <strong>of</strong> γ,<br />
• γ(b) the endpoint (or terminal point) <strong>of</strong> γ, and<br />
• {γ} := γ([a,b]) the trajectory <strong>of</strong> γ.<br />
Collectively, we call γ(a) and γ(b) the endpoints <strong>of</strong> γ.<br />
Examples.<br />
1. Let z,w ∈ C. Then<br />
γ: [0,1] → C, t ↦→ z0 +t(z −z0)<br />
has the initial point z0 and the endpoint z, and {γ} is the line segment connecting<br />
z0 with z.<br />
2. For k ∈ Z, let<br />
γk: [0,2π] → C, θ ↦→ e ikθ .<br />
Then γk(0) = 1 = γk(2π) holds, and for k �= 0, we have {γk} = {z ∈ C : |z|= 1}.<br />
Definition. A curve γ: [a,b] → C is called piecewise smoothif there exists a partition<br />
a = a0 < a1 < ··· < an = b such that γ|[aj−1,aj] is continuously differentiable for<br />
j = 1,...,n.<br />
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