Solutions for Math 311 Assignment #4 1

(1) Show that if f (z) is continuous at z0 , then

(a) f (z) is continuous at z0 ;
(b) f (z) is continuous at z 0 ;
(c) f (z) is continuous at z 0 .

Proof. Let g(z) = z.

Since g(z) is continuous everywhere and f (z) is continuous
at z0 , f (z) = g(f (z)) is continuous at z0 .
Since g(z) is continuous everywhere and f (z) is continuous
at z0 = g(z 0 ), f (z) = f (g(z)) is continuous at z 0 .
Since g(z) is continuous everywhere and f (z) is continuous
at z0 = g(z 0 ), f (z) = g(f (g(z))) is continuous at z 0 . 

(2) Show that if f (z) is differentiable at z0 and f 0 (z0 ) 6= 0, then

(a) f (z) is NOT differentiable at z0 ;
(b) f (z) is NOT differentiable at z 0 ;
(c) f (z) is differentiable at z 0 .

Proof. Let g(z) = z. Then g(z) is nowhere differentiable since

Cauchy-Riemann equations fail everywhere for g(z).
Since
g(f (z)) − g(f (z0 ))
(g ◦ f )0 (z0 ) = lim
z→z0 z − z0
  
g(f (z)) − g(f (z0 )) g(z) − g(z0 )
= lim
z→z0 g(z) − g(z0 ) z − z0
! 
f (z) − f (z0 ) g(z) − g(z0 )
= lim
z→z0 z − z0 z − z0
  
f (z) − f (z0 ) g(z) − g(z0 )
= lim and
z→z0 z − z0 z − z0
 
f (z) − f (z0 ) f (z) − f (z0 )
lim = lim = f 0 (z0 ) 6= 0,
z→z0 z − z0 z→z0 z − z0
we conclude that
g(z) − g(z0 ) (g ◦ f )0 (z0 )
lim = .
z→z0 z − z0 f 0 (z0 )
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And since g(z) = z is nowhere differentiable,

g(z) − g(z0 )
lim
z→z0 z − z0
does not exist and hence f (z) = g(f (z)) is not differentiable at
z0 .
Since
f (g(z)) − f (g(z 0 ))
(f ◦ g)0 (z 0 ) = lim
z→z 0 z − z0
  
f (g(z)) − f (g(z 0 )) g(z) − g(z 0 )
= lim and
z→z 0 g(z) − g(z 0 ) z − z0
f (g(z)) − f (g(z 0 ))
lim = f 0 (g(z 0 )) = f 0 (z0 ) 6= 0,
z→z 0 g(z) − g(z 0 )
we conclude that
g(z) − g(z 0 ) (f ◦ g)0 (z 0 )
lim = .
z→z 0 z − z0 f 0 (z0 )
And since g(z) = z is nowhere differentiable,
g(z) − g(z 0 )
lim
z→z 0 z − z0
does not exist and f (z) = f (g(z)) is not differentiable at z 0 .
Since
g(f (g(z)) − g(f (g(z 0 )))
(g ◦ f ◦ g)0 (z 0 ) = lim
z→z 0 z − z0
f (g(z)) − f (g(z 0 ))
= lim
z→z 0 z − z0
f (g(z)) − f (g(z 0 ))
= lim
z→z 0 z − z0
f (g(z)) − f (g(z 0 ))
= lim
z→z 0 g(z) − g(z 0 )
= f 0 (g(z 0 ) = f 0 (z0 ),
f (z) = g(f (g(z))) is differentiable at z 0 . 

(3) Use the definition of complex derivatives to find f 0 (z) for

az + b
f (z) =
cz + d
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where a, b, c, d ∈ C and ad − bc 6= 0. Show that f 0 (z) 6= 0 for

all z satisfying cz + d 6= 0.

Proof. By definition,
f (z + h) − f (z)
f 0 (z) = lim
 h
h→0

1 a(z + h) + b az + b
= lim −
h→0 h c(z + h) + d cz + d
 
1 ah(cz + d) − ch(az + b)
= lim
h→0 h (c(z + h) + d)(cz + d)
ad − bc ad − bc
= lim = .
h→0 (c(z + h) + d)(cz + d) (cz + d)2
Since ad − bc 6= 0, f 0 (z) 6= 0 for all z. 

(4) Let (
z 2 /z if z 6= 0
f (z) =
0 if z = 0
Show that
(a) f (z) is continuous everywhere on C;
(b) the complex derivative f 0 (0) does not exist.

Proof. Since both z 2 and z are continuous on C∗ = C\{0} and

z 6= 0, f (z) = z 2 /z is continuous on C∗ .
At z = 0, we have
 2
z 
lim |f (z)| = lim   = lim |z| = 0
z→0 z→0 z z→0

and hence limz→0 f (z) = 0 = f (0). So f is also continuous at 0

and hence continuous everywhere on C.
The complex derivative f 0 (0), if exists, is given by
f (z) − f (0) z2
lim = lim 2 .
z→0 z−0 z→0 z

Let z = x + yi. If y = 0 and x → 0, then

z2 x2
lim = lim = 1.
z=x→0 z 2 x→0 x2

On the other hand, if x = y = t → 0, then

z2 t2 (1 − i)2
lim = lim = −1.
z=t(1+i)→0 z 2 t→0 t2 (1 + i)2
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So the limit limz→0 z 2 /z 2 does not exist and hence f (z) is not
differentiable at 0. 

(5) Show that f (z) in the previous problem is actually nowhere

differentiable, i.e., the complex derivative f 0 (z) does not exist
for any z ∈ C.

Proof. It suffices to show that Cauchy-Riemann equations fail

at every z 6= 0:
∂ z2
   
∂ ∂ ∂
+i f (z) = +i
∂x ∂y ∂x ∂y z
 2
∂ z2
 
∂ z
= +i
∂x z ∂y z
2
2iz iz 2
   
2z z
= − 2 +i − − 2
z z z z
4z
= 6= 0
z
for z 6= 0. 

(6) Find f 0 (z) when

(a) f (z) = zez − 4z + 2;
(b) f (z) = (1 − z 2 )2013 ;
(c) f (z) = z Log z;
(d) f (z) = exp(1/z 2 ).

Answer. (a) zez + ez − 4

(b) −4026z(1 − z 2 )2012
(c) Log z + 1
(d) −2 exp(1/z 2 )/z 3 

(7) Prove the following version of complex L’Hospital: Let f (z)

and g(z) be two complex functions defined on |z − z0 | < r for
some r > 0. Suppose that f (z0 ) = g(z0 ) = 0, f (z) and g(z) are
differentiable at z0 and g 0 (z0 ) 6= 0. Then
f (z) f 0 (z0 )
lim = 0
z→z0 g(z) g (z0 )
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Proof. Since f (z) and g(z) are differentiable at z0 , we have

f (z) − f (z0 )
lim = f 0 (z0 )
z→z0 z − z0
and
g(z) − g(z0 )
lim = g 0 (z0 ).
z→z0 z − z0
0
And since g (z0 ) 6= 0,
f (z) − f (z0 ) limz→z0 (f (z) − f (z0 ))/(z − z0 )
lim =
z→z0 g(z) − g(z0 ) limz→z0 (g(z) − g(z0 ))/(z − z0 )
f 0 (z0 )
= 0 .
g (z0 )
Finally, since f (z0 ) = g(z0 ) = 0,
f (z) f 0 (z0 )
lim = 0 .
z→z0 g(z) g (z0 )


(8) Show that if f (z) satisfies the Cauchy-Riemann (CR) equations

at z0 and f (z0 ) 6= 0, 1/f (z) also satisfies CR equations at z0 .

Proof. Since f (z) satisfies the Cauchy-Riemann equations at z0 ,

  
∂ ∂ 
+i f (z) = 0.
∂x ∂y z0

Let g(z) = 1/z. Since g(z) is holomorphic on C∗ ,

 
∂ ∂
+i g(z) = 0
∂x ∂y
for all z 6= 0.
Therefore,
  
∂ ∂ 1 
+i
∂x ∂y f (z) z0
  
∂ ∂ 
= +i g(f (z))
∂x ∂y z
  0 
∂ ∂
= g 0 (f (z))

+i f (z) = 0.
∂x ∂y z0

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(9) Let f : G → C be a complex function on an open set G ⊂ C.

For every u ∈ C∗ and z0 ∈ G, we define
f (z0 + tu) − f (z0 )
Du f (z0 ) = lim+ .
t→0 t
We call f a conformal map if Du f (z0 ) 6= 0 and
 
Du f (z0 ) u
arg = arg
Dv f (z0 ) v
for all u, v ∈ C∗ and z0 ∈ G. Show that if f (z) is holomorphic
on G and f 0 (z) 6= 0 for all z ∈ G, then f is a conformal map.

Proof. For every z0 ∈ G, f 0 (z0 ) exists and hence

f (z0 + h) − f (z0 )
lim = f 0 (z0 ).
h→0 h
Therefore,
f (z0 + tu) − f (z0 )
Du f (z0 ) = lim+
t→0 t
f (z0 + tu) − f (z0 )
= u lim+ = uf 0 (z0 ).
t→0 tu
Since f 0 (z0 ) 6= 0, Du f (z0 ) 6= 0 and
uf 0 (z0 )
 
Du f (z0 ) u Du f (z0 ) u
= = ⇒ arg = arg .
Dv f (z0 ) vf 0 (z0 ) v Dv f (z0 ) v


(10) Where are the following functions differentiable? Where are

they holomorphic? Determine their derivatives at points where
they are differentiable. You must justify your answer. Here
z = x + yi with x = Re(z) and y = Im(z).
(a) f (z) = e−x e−iy
(b) f (z) = x2 + iy 2
(c) f (z) = z Im(z)
(d) f (z) = 4xy − i(z)2

Solution. (a) Since f (z) = e−x−iy = e−z , f (z) is differentiable

and holomorphic everywhere on C.
(b) Since
 
∂ ∂
+i (x2 + iy 2 ) = 2x − 2y
∂x ∂y
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and ∂f /∂x and ∂f /∂y are continuous everywhere, f (z) is only

differentiable along {x − y = 0} and nowhere holomorphic on
C.
(c) Since
∂f ∂ iz
=z y=
∂z ∂z 2
and ∂f /∂x and ∂f /∂y are continuous everywhere, f (z) is only
differentiable at 0 and nowhere holomorphic on C.
(d) Since
  
z+z z−z
f (z) = 4 − i(z)2 = −iz 2 ,
2 2i
f (z) is differentiable and holomorphic everywhere on C.