Complex Variables 3.

4 The Logarithmic Function

Real logarithm:

e log x x; x 0

Complex logarithm
But:

e log z z

e log z ik 2 e log z z; k 0,1,2,......

The logarithm of a number, even a positive real number, is multivalued. And for a
real positive only one value is real.
DEFINITION:

log z Log z i arg z, z 0

In polar variables:

Indeed:

log z Log r i , r 0
r z ; arg z

e log z e Logr i e Logr cos i sin rcos i sin z

The principal value of the logarithm z (Log z) the principal argument of z

Log z Log r i p

r z , p arg z, p

Complex Variables
All values of log z come from:

k 0,1,2,.....

log z Log r i p2

p 0,1,2,.....

log z Log r i p k 2

Because p l 2

EXAMPLE 1 Find Log(-1 - i) and find all values of log(-1 -i).

Solution. The complex number (-1 i):

Which gives:

2, p

3
4

So:

and

Complex Variables
EXAMPLE 2 Find Log(-10) and all values of log(-10).
Solution. The principal argument is +.

So:

Log(10) Log10 i 2.303 i

log( 10)
e Log10i k 2 e Log10 cos 2k i sin 2k 10
Check: e
sign

Identity

logx1 x2 log x1 log x2

logz1 z2 log z1 log z2

We always obtain one the possible log(z1z2) value:

log z1 Log r1 i 1 2n1
log z1 log z 2 Log r1 Log r2 i1 2 2n1 n2

log
z

Log
r

2
n

2
2
2
2

log z1 log z 2 Logr1r2 i1 2 2n1 n2

EXAMPLE:

z1 i; log z1 i 2
3
log z1 log z 2 i

2
z 2 1; log z 2 i
z1 z 2 i logz1 z 2 i 2
BUT :

i 2 2 i

Complex Variables
In addition:
logz1 z2 log z1 log z2 log z1 log z2 Logr1 r2 i1 2 2 n1 n2

Now:

log z n n log z ,
log z n m

In general:

n
log z
m

log e z ik 2
z

n any integer
m0
k 0,1,2,...

e z e x cos y i sin y ;
arg( e z ) y 2k ,

k 0,1,2...

EXAMPLE 3 Let z = 1 + 3ni. Find all values of log ez and state which one is the
same as z.

Solution.

e z e1i 3 ecos 3 i sin 3 e

log e1i 3 log e Log e i 2k

log e1i 3 1 i 2k k 1 log e1i 3 1 i3

4