Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-short-options-paper-shared-by-prelims-and-parts-a-and-b-of-the-physics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2016/s1/3/b/1/solution

Cauchy's theorem says that a holomorphic function integrates to zero around a closed contour homologous to zero in its domain. Thus deforming one contour into another without crossing a singularity preserves the integral. More generally for a meromorphic , the exact condition is
Equal winding numbers about every singularity are sufficient. They are not necessary for one particular function because residues can cancel; even arbitrary contours have equal integrals for . A topological deformation criterion must not be confused with a necessary condition for accidental equality.

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