Maximum Modulus Theorem

We will first prove that if f is analytic on D = {z||z − zo | < r} and there

exists w ∈ D so that |f (w)| ≥ |f (z)| for all z in D then f (z) = f (w) for all z
in D. We will first show that |f (z)| = |f (w)| for all z with |z−w| < r−|w−zo |
(see Exercise 1 below). To see this we note the if 0 < ρ < r − |w − zo | then
the Cuachy Integral theorem implies that
Z 2π Z 2π
1 f (w + ρeiθ )iρeiθ dθ 1
f (w) = = f (w + ρeiθ )dθ.
2πi 0 ρeiθ 2π 0
Thus
¯Z ¯ Z 2π
1 ¯¯ 2π iθ
¯
¯≤ 1 ¯ ¯
¯f (w + ρeiθ )¯ dθ.
|f (w)| = f (w + ρe )dθ
2π ¯ 0 ¯ 2π
0

Since Z 2π
1
|f (w)| = |f (w)| dθ
2π 0
we have
Z Z 2π
1 ¯
2π ¯ ¯ ¯
0≤ ¯f (w + ρeiθ )¯ dθ − |f (w)| = 1 (¯f (w + ρeiθ )¯ − |f (w)|)dθ.
2π 0 2π 0
¯ ¯
But our hypothesis says that ¯f (w + ρeiθ )¯ − |f (w)| ≤ 0 so we must have
R 2π ¯ ¯
1
(¯f (w + ρeiθ )¯ − |f (w)|)dθ = 0. Since the integrand is always less than
2π 0 ¯ ¯
or equal to 0 this implies that ¯f (w + ρeiθ )¯ = |f (w)| for all 0 ≤ θ ≤ 2π and
all 0 ≤ ρ < r − |w − zo |. This is the assertion that we were trying to prove.
If r − |w − zo | ≥ |w − zo | then we have |f (w)| = |f (zo )| by continuity
otherwise we have by continuity |f (w)| = |f (w0 )| with w0 the point on the
circle with center w and radius r − |w − zo | that is closest to zo as in the
picture

1
We note that r − |zo − w0 | = 2(r − |zo − w|). If |w0 − zo | ≤ r − |zo − w0 |
we have |f (zo )| = |f (w0 )| = |f (w)| otherwise we do the same procedure and
double the radius as above. After a finite number of steps we will see that
|f (zo )| = |f (w)|. But then |f (z)| = |f (zo )| for all z ∈ D.
We now prove that if f is analytic on an open connected set, U, and if
|f (z)| = c for all z in U then f is constant. To see this we write f (x + iy) =
u(x, y) + iv(x, y). Then u(x, y)2 + v(x, y)2 = c2 . Thus in U we have

2u · ux + 2v · vx = 0
2u · uy + 2v · vy = 0.

If we apply the Cauchy-Riemann equations we see that vy = ux and vx = −uy .

If we divide the equations by 2 and make the indicated substitutions (so only
derivatives of u appear then we have

u · ux − v · uy = 0
u · uy + v · ux = 0.

That is

u · ux − v · uy = 0
v · ux + u · uy = 0.

This is given in matrix form as

· ¸· ¸ · ¸
u −v ux 0
= .
v u uy 0

The determinant of the system is u2 + v 2 = c2 . If c = 0 then f (z) = 0

for all z in U. Otherwise c2 > 0 and so ux = uy = 0. Now f 0 (x + iy) =
ux (x, y) − iuy (x, y) = 0. Thus f is constant.

Exercises.
1. Show that if |w − zo | < r and |z − w| < r − |w − zo | then |z − zo | < r.
2. Let f be analytic on D = {z||z| < 1}. Assume that f (0) = πi and
eRe f (z) ≤ 1 for all |z| < 1. Show that f (z) = πi for all |z| < 1.