[Math] Evaluating contour integral without using Residue Theorem

complex-analysiscontour-integration

Find the value of the integration without using Cauchy integral
formula/Residue theorem:

$\int_{C}\cfrac{dz}{z^2+1}$ where C is a simple closed contour
oriented in counter clockwise direction containing z = i as an
interior point and also C lies in the interior of the circle $|z-i| =
\cfrac{1}{2}$.

Now, I tried to solve it in this way:

$\int_{C}\cfrac{dz}{z^2+1}$ = $\int_{C}\cfrac{dz}{(z+i)(z-i)}$ = $\cfrac{i}{2}(\int_{C}\cfrac{dz}{z+i} – \int_{C}\cfrac{dz}{z-i})$

I was thinking of using the fact that both the integrals inside the brackets would be equal to $\pi i$, but I am not sure about that.

Can someone please give me a hint for solving this question?

Thanks

Best Answer

Another approach to evaluating the integral with appealing to either Cauchy's Integral Formula or the Residue Theorem relies on Cauchy's Theorem.

If $f(z)$ analytic within a open region (simply connected) in the complex plane, then for any contour (with finite length) $C$ contained in that open region,

$$\oint_C f(z) dz=0$$

Now, in the problem at hand, $f(z)$ is not analytic in the region encircled by $C$. However, we may evaluate the integral on a "deformed" contour $C'$ that does not enclose any singularity. Then,

$$\oint_{C'} f(z)dz=0$$

If we deform $C$ by adding a "key-hole" contour that "cuts out" the singularity with a small circle $\gamma$ of radius $\epsilon$, centered at the singular point then

$$\oint_{C'} f(z)dz=\oint_C f(z)dz-\oint_{\gamma}f(z)dz=0$$

where the opposing contributions from the "key length" integrations annihilate one another.

Thus, this reduced the problem to evaluating the integral over $\gamma$. For this problem,

$$\begin{align} \oint_{\gamma}f(z) dz&=\lim_{\epsilon \to 0}\left(\int_0^{2\pi}\frac{i\epsilon e^{i\phi}d\phi}{(i+\epsilon e^{i\phi})^2+1}\right)\\\\ &=\lim_{\epsilon \to 0}\left(\int_0^{2\pi}\frac{i\epsilon e^{i\phi}d\phi}{2i\epsilon e^{i\phi}+\epsilon^2 e^{i2\phi}}\right)\\\\ &=\pi \end{align}$$

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