UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

(all rights reserved)

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS
SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES
1st SEMESTER, 2019/2020 ACADEMIC YEAR
COURSE SYLLABUS
MATH 447, Complex Analysis
3 Credits

Class: M 7:30 – 9:30, Th 11:30 – 1:30 in Room 05 (We may have to change the room to make way
for a bigger class).
Number of lectures per week: Two lectures per week including tutorials.
Office hours: TBA
Assessment: Continuous assessment contributes 30 percent and is made up of 10 percent for
exercises and random quizzes and 20 percent for two class tests to be held approximately week 5
or 6 and week 10 or 11. The end of the semester examination contributes 70 percent. You are
expected to participate in all assessments.
Description: Complex analysis is a branch of mathematics that involves functions of complex
numbers. It provides an extremely powerful tool with unexpectedly large number of applications:
number theory, applied mathematics, physics, hydrodynamics, thermodynamics, electrical engi-
neering, and others. The objective of this course is to introduce students to complex numbers and
functions of a complex variable. We introduce the notions of differentiability (and analyticity) and
integrability for a function defined on the complex plane. We also look at ways in which one can
integrate complex-valued functions.
Topics: Elementary topology of the complex plane, complex functions and mappings, derivatives,
differentiability and analyticity. Harmonic functions; Integrals; Maximum modulus’ and Cauchy
theorems; Taylor and Laurent series; Zeros and poles of a complex function; Residue theorem and
applications; Conformal mapping, analytic continuation.
Course Outline:
1) Week 1: We briefly review the algebra of complex numbers, representation of a complex
number in the plane, the modulus and the conjugate of a complex number. We review the
polar representation of a complex number, complex powers and roots of a complex number.
2) Week 1–2: We introduce some elementary ideas from analysis: neighborhood of point, open
set and closed balls, open set and connected set. We introduce the notion of the limit of a
sequence of complex numbers. We introduce function of a complex variable, complex functions
as mappings. Special power functions and the reciprocal function will be studied. Limit and
continuity will be studied.
3) Week 3–4: We define the derivative of a complex-valued function. We study analyticity and
derive the Cauchy-Riemann equations. A sufficient condition for a complex-valued function
to be analytic is given. We study harmonic functions.
4) Week 5: Among the elementary complex functions to be considered are the complex-valued
exponential, trigonometric and hyperbolic functions and the logarithmic function.
5) Week 6–8: We begin the study of the integration of complex functions along contours in the
complex plane. We consider the idea of a complex line integral and study various important
theorems which arise, such as the Cauchy-Goursat and Cauchy theorems, Cauchy’s integral
formulae and the maximum modulus theorem. We study some consequences of these theorems.

1
 6) Week 9–11: We consider sequences and series involving complex variables, complex-valued
power series, Taylor series and radius of convergence, Laurent series of a rational complex-
valued function. We examine zeros and poles of a complex function. In this section, we also
consider the residue of a complex function at a singular point and the residue theorem. We
also see how to use the residue theorem to calculate some important integrals.
7) Week 12: To complete the course, we return to examine conformal mappings.
Learning outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to
recognize an open set, to compute the limit and the derivative of a complex function at a given point,
state and solve Cauchy-Riemann equations, prove that a complex-valued function is harmonic or
not, recognize an analytic function, be able to state the different Cauchy theorems and apply them
to various questions, be able to state and apply the maximum modulus theorem, state and apply
convergence criteria for complex-valued series, compute the radius of convergence of a complex-
valued series. The student should also be able to determine poles and zeros of a complex function,
state and apply the residue theorem. He or she should also be able to determine the image of a
given set of complex numbers by a given transformations.
Books:
• A First Course in Complex Analysis, D. G. Zill and Shanaban, (2003) Jones and Bartlett
publishers (ebook).
• Complex Variables and Applications, J.W. Brown and R.V. Churchill (1996) McGraw-Hill.
• Complex Analysis for Mathematics and Engineering, J.H. Matthews and R. Howell (1999)
Jones and Bartlett.
• Theory and Applications of Complex Analysis, M. R. Spiegel, Schaum’s outline series, McGraw-
Hill.
• Complex Analysis, I.N. Stewart and D.O. Tall (1983) Cambridge University Press, 1983.
• Complex Analysis, L.V. Ahlfors (1979) McGraw-Hill.
N.B: You are advised to attend all the lectures and all the tutorials.