ERRATA AND ADDITIONS:

SECOND EDITION
September 2013
COMPLEX VARIABLES,
INTRODUCTION AND APPLICATIONS
M.J. Ablowitz and A.S Fokas
Cambridge University Press, 2003
Corrections and small additions
p. 4 line 8 from top: after ..by arg z. add We take the standard convention, counterclockwise is the positive direction.
p.7 Problem 2c, replace: cos(z) = (eiz + eiz )/(2) by cos z = (eiz + eiz )/2
p.8 Problem 4. Spelling: change: Estabilish to Establish
p.19 First two lines should read: Use these results to deduce where the power series for
sin2 z and sechz can be expected to converge.
p.26 Section 1.3.1 should be titled 1.4 to be consistent with Table of Contents.
p.33 16 lines from top: eliminate exist and; now reads: ...must be differentiable..
p.34: line 4 from top: eliminate after noting Eq. (2.1.2) and manipulating. and replace
z approaching zero by x, y approaching zero.
p.39 In Example 2.1.6, 1st line after equations replace (x) by (y)
p.45 Problem 7, 4th line, before Establish add: Assuming the necessary differentiability
establish the following:
p.47 line 8 from bottom: just before The semiaxis.. add In fact , for 0 < p < 2, r 6= 0,
the function is analytic (from the Cauchy-Riemann conditions).
p.48 4 lines from top, replace On the other hand, if we took.. by On the other hand we
reiterate, if we took...
p.66 line 11 from top, replace: Riemann surface with a cut along the positive x-axis. by
Riemann surface on which each sheet connects smoothly.
1

p.71 lines 8,9 from bottom, replace ..there is a set of points...of the interval. to: ..there
is a point (x(t), y(t)) that yields the image point z(t).
p.76
line 4 from bottom, after dz = riei d add: and since the curve is simple we can take
0 < < 2
(on same page) line 2 from bottom, replace any closed curve by any simple closed curve
p.84 2 lines from bottom, replace over z by of f (z) over the simple contour C
p.88 line 10 from top, replace a small, but finite circle of radius r by a small circle of
radius r > 0
p.98 line 8 from top: after harmonic functions add: u = Ref or v = Imf, f = u + iv,
p.99 In Theorem 2.6.7: change: . . . bounded by a simple closed contour C, then at any
interior point z to . . . bounded by a simple closed contour C, and if f is continuous on C,
then at any interior point z
p.111
line 6 in proof of Theorem 3.1.1, after n > N, add: N independent of z
(on same page) line 8 in proof of Theorem 3.1.1, before Continuity add: Now take an
n > N .
(on same page) line 10 in proof of Theorem 3.1.1, omit n > N,; line should now read:
Thus for |z z0 | <
p.113
Line 3 change: Theboundedness. . . to The boundedness. . .
(on same page) In the two equations following line 3, change: |b1 (z)| < B hence |bn (z)| <
BM n1 to |b1 (z)| B hence |bn (z)| BM n1
(on same page) line 5 above Problems, after Theorem 3.1.2 add: (proven in section 3.4)
p.114 Problem 5b, replace R < |Re z| 100 by R < Re z 100
p.131 line 10 from top: replace equation: f (z) =

P0

Cn
n= (zz0 )n

p.135 Near top of page; in the formula for Cn , change

1
2n+1

to

by f (z) =

Cn
n=0 (zz0 )n

1
2n+1

p.137 Problem 7; 2nd line: after the formula for E(z) or to the right of E(z), add: Re z > 0;
in the formula for Rn (z) change ()n+1 to (1)n+1 ; in Problem 8 line 1: after z = x real,
2

add x > 0. Line 5 omit: Explain why this approximation holds true for Rez > 0.
p.139
line 1 of Theorem 3.4.3 replace ... Mj in some region R with Mj a sequence of constants.
by ... Mj , with each Mj , j = 1, 2... constant, in some region R.
(on same page) last line of proof replace Theorem 3.4.2 follows. by Theorem 3.4.3
follows.
p.141
line 6 from top replace | z| > by | z|
(on same page) line 11 from top after uniformly add tof 0 (z) and after and add then
employing
(on same page) line 14 from top eliminate all
p.142 line 5 from top before has no add: x 6= m, m integer,
p.145 Example 3.5.2, first line. Replace: Describe the singularities of the function by
Describe the singularity of the function at z = 0
p.146 Example 3.5.3 The line after the formula, change: Here the function f (z) has simple
poles with strength 1.. to Here we will show the function f (z) has simple poles with
strength -1..
p.148
3 lines above Eq. (3.5.5) after . . . . . . f (z) 0 as r 0. add: Also for = /2, |f (z)| =
1.
(on same page) 2 lines above Eq. (3.5.5) change . . . namely, r = (1/R) cos (i.e the
points. . . to . . . namely, r = (1/R) cos , R 6= 0, (i.e., the points. . .
(on same page) last two lines, change: Thus |f (z)| may take on any positive value other
than zero by the appropriate choice of R to Thus |f (z)| may take on any positive value in
the neighborhood of z = 0.
p. 160 Line 2 replace

k=1

Mk < by

k=N

Mk <

p. 162 First line; change: If we assume that |ak (z)| Mk ... to If we assume that
|ak (z)| < Mk ...

p.167
In the denominator of the right side of the first equation, change: (z 0
(z 0

2 z 03
3!

(z 0 )3
3!

+ ) to

+ )

p.181
In Theorem 3.7.3: change: . . . simply connected domain D, then the linear. . . to . . .
simply connected domain D containing z0 , then the linear. . .
p.185
line after Eq. (3.7.41), before: (z = 0 can be translated to z = z0 if we wish) insert:
z 6= 0, m,n
(on same page) line after Eq. (3.7.43), before The function . . . insert: Alternatively, by
taking the derivative of Eq.(3.7.42) w satisfies w00 = 6w2

g2
.
2

p.186 line immediately after Eq. (3.7.45) insert (no new paragraph): Also note that w1
satisfies the second order ODE w100 = 2k 2 w13 (1 + k 2 )w1 .
p.192 Problem 5 part (a)line 3 (following equation w = ...), after for z near z0 add: with
r > 0.
2

p.193 Equation in problem 5 part (d); change ddzw2 = zw3 + 2w to ddzw2 = 2w3 + zw.
p.198 2nd line above Example 3.8.2 change . . . time T with . . . to . . . distance with
...
p.201 In Fig. 3.8.5 vertical axis label should have Log10 of Error.
p.206 3rd line from bottom change ... lying in D. by ...lying in D and enclosing z0 .
p.207
Inside Fig. 4.1.1: the contours C1 , C2 , ..., CN should be replaced by C1 , C2 , ..., CN
(on same page)
In Theorem 4.1.1 equation (4.1.4) replace loop integral with loop integral with subscript C
such as the one in eq. (4.1.3)
(on same page)
Lines 3,5 from the bottom, the contours: C1 , C2 , ..., CN should be replaced by C1 , C2 , ..., CN
p.208
In the integral in the right hand side of eq. (4.1.5) the contour Cj should be replaced by Cj
4

p.240 after z = z0 + ei and before to find insert: and taking from 0 to ,
p.256 Problem 7a replace 0 < k < 2 by 0 < k < 1
p.257 Problem 14, 3rd line, change: . . . where CR is the . . . to . . . where CR is the outside
part of the . . .
p.258 Problem 14, part (c): left hand side add dx in the integrand; change the sign of the
right hand side: from = bn+2 to = bn+2
p.260
1
[arg f (z)]C to
2i
1
change 2i
[arg w]C to

In equation (4.4.3) the furthest righthand side member, change

In equation (4.4.4) the furthest righthand side member,

1
[arg f (z)]C
2
1
[arg w]C
2

1
In the line below equation (4.4.4) change 2i
[arg w]C is called the winding number of C ...

to 1 [arg w] is called the winding number of C...

2

p.266 problem 6. Change the last two lines from: Consider the two functions f0 and
f (z) f0 , and use . . . to deduce that f (z) = f0 . to: Consider the two functions f0
and f (z). Then Rouches Theorem implies that the functions f0 , f (z) f0 have the same
number of zeroes.
p.268
line 10-11 from top, omit: (sometimes referred to as bounded mean oscillations (BMO));
(on same page) line 12 from top, omit (i.e. in BMO)
p.270 In the right hand side of of eq. (4.5.10) replace (x x0 ) by (x x0 ; )
p.272
0

In eq. (4.5.17) 2nd line replace eikx g(x0 ) by eikx g(x0 )

(on same page) p.272
2 lines after eq. (4.5.18) replace f (x) = (x x0 ) by f (x) = (x)
p.280
In problem 7a replace ex by ex
p.282 In Problem 13a,b omit a > 0
p.292
Line below eq. (4.4.6.28) change sin kx = (eikx eikx )/2 to sin kx = (eikx eikx )/(2i)

(on same page) in the first line of eq. (4.6.30) change

2 t

e d to

2 t

e d

p.329 line 8 from top before (See also...). add Note, in the above Eq. when x2 + y 2 1,
for y > 0, y < 0, tan1 [] 0, respectively.

1
p.339 Problem 9 line 4 replace 12 (z + z 2 c2 ) by = 21 (z + (z 2 c2 ) 2 )
p.341
line 10 from bottom replace one value for g(z) = w w0 = a corresponding to every z
inside to one value z for which g(z) = w w0 = a inside
(on same page) replace Rouche by Rouche everywhere
p.342
line 14 from bottom replace < 1 and therefore F (w) is continuous. by < 1 . Now let 1
be small enough so that |w w1 | < 1 is in P and |F (w) F (w1 )| < 1 . Since 1 is arbitrary
and there is a corresponding 1 > 0, therefore F (w) is continuous.
(on same page) line 6 from bottom after only one solution add counting multiplicity
p.343 line 4 in proof replace to an arbitrary point z0 D and is not a point ... to to a
point z0 D which is not a point ...
p.349 line 6 from top change ...a point z = zl .. to ...a point z = al ..
Z z
dt
p.361: Problem 3 should read: Show that the function w =
1 maps the interior
0 (1 t6 ) 3
of the unit circle in z to a regular hexagon in w.
Z z
(1 4 )1/2
d maps the
p.365: Problem 12 should read: Show that the function w =
2
1
interior of the unit circle in the z-plane to the exterior of a square in the w-plane.
p.371 Bottom p. 371 2nd line from bottom, after w plane add: obtained under the
bilinear transformation.
p.372 In property (vii) replace Then Either... by Then under a bilinear transformation
either...
p.401 line 6 from bottom in the equation for g(z) + 1 replace (z z2 )3 by (z z2 )3
t

p.426 In Example 6.2.4 replace e k by e 

p.459: Before line 10, Next we outline the procedure..., add the paragraph: From the

above result, we can can determine the asymptotic behavior of the Hankel function of the
(2)

(1)

second kind: H (z) = H (z) and similarly of the Bessel functions of 1st, 2nd kind J (z),
(1)

Y (z) from H (z) = J (z) + iY (z).

p.463 In Example 6.4.5 line above first set off equation: replace y i by y
p.471 In two places on the page (middle of the page and after formulae for I1 (k)) spelling
correction: change principle value to principal value
p.481: line 7, replace Equation (6.6.19) with Equation (6.5.19).
p.515 in Eq. (7.1.8) replace z t by t z in the denominator of the integral
p.520 line 4 from bottom replace t by
p.522 line below Eq. (7.2.16) replace part 1 by part 1 i.e. eliminate bold on 1.
p.529 line 2 from bottom replace g(t) is by g(t) is 6= 0
p.528 line 1 of Example 7.3.1 replace inside a closed contour by inside a simple closed
contour
p.533 Line 2,3 of Section 7.3.2 change but now the closed contour C is replaced by... to
but now the smooth closed contour C is replaced by....
p.534 5 lines below eq. (7.3.12) change: Equation (7.3.13) implies... to Equation (7.3.12)
implies...
p.544: Replace lines 3-5 where p+ (z) and q+ (z) are ... enclosed by C to where p+ (z) and
q+ (z) are polynomials with zeros inside the region enclosed by C, while p (z) and q (z) are
polynomials with zeros outside the region enclosed by C.
p.595: Problem 3 part (b) change ...equation (2), and use (1) and the resulting eq. to
establish... to ...equation (2) and use (1) and (3) to establish...
p.563 First equation in 2nd paragraph for (k). Inside integral (add a left parens.): change
f (l)
X + (l)lk)

to

f (l)
X + (l)(lk)

note: no boldface
by g g and h h
p.606 line 5 from bottom replace g
f and h
necessary.
p. 619 in the equation 3 lines below equation (7.7.26b) replace
7

1 ( k1 )

by

1 ( k1 )

p.630 In the solution 3b, move parentheses: from left of summation to just inside summation;

i.e. from (
n=0 ... to n=0 (...

p.639 In ref. correct misspelling: Trefethan should be Trefethen

p.640 index: omit reference to BMO (bounded mean oscillations), 268