[Math] one-one $C^1$ mapping

complex-analysis

When I was reading complex analysis by Joseph Bak Newman I came across the word one one $C^1$ mapping. What is it? Is it same as one one mapping? It came in the definition of smooth curves. The text does not explain the notation.

Best Answer

$C^1$ means continuously differentiable. In general $C^k$ means the function has $k$ derivatives and they are all continuous functions. A continuous function is then $C^0$ in this notation.

Usually for defining paths in complex analysis, people take a $C^1$ function $\gamma \colon [0,1] \to {\mathbb{C}}$. That means that $\gamma'$ exists and is a continuous function. This is useful for integration, as when you integrate along $\gamma$, with respect to $dz$, then the $dz$ becomes $\gamma'(t)dt$, so you want a continuous function under the integral. That is, you define $$ \int_\gamma f(z)\, dz = \int_0^1 f(\gamma(t)) \gamma'(t) dt $$ Notice that it is useful to have both $\gamma$ and $\gamma'$ to be continuous, since integrating continuous functions is no problem.