Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2010/iii/paper-28/5/d/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2010 iii Paper 28 5 d Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Again suppose is a nonconstant polynomial without a complex zero, and put . As proved in part (c), is an entire holomorphic function with at infinity. Choose and then a disk large enough that outside it. On the closed disk, attains its maximum by the extreme value theorem, and that maximum is positive and greater than every value outside the disk. It is therefore a global, and in particular local, maximum on .
Part (b)(ii) forces to be constant. A nonzero constant reciprocal makes constant, a contradiction. Hence . Equivalently one can minimize globally and apply the maximum modulus principle to its reciprocal if that minimum is positive. This supplies the second proof of the fundamental theorem of algebra using part (b).
New to topics? Read the docs here!