Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 ib Paper 3 13G a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
Let be a closed triangle contained, together with a neighbourhood, in the domain of a holomorphic function . We prove Cauchy theorem for a triangle without assuming continuity of .
Join the edge midpoints to subdivide into four triangles, each with half its diameter and perimeter. Their positively oriented contour integrals sum to the integral around , because the internal edges cancel. At least one subtriangle has integral of modulus at least one quarter of the original. Repeat that choice to obtain nested closed triangles satisfyingTheir intersection is a single point , by compactness and shrinking diameter. complex differentiability at a point at givesThe first two terms have polynomial primitives, hence integrate to zero around each triangle. For sufficiently large , on , so the complex line integral estimate givesCombining the bounds gives . Since is arbitrary,The orientation can be reversed with no change to the conclusion.
Cauchy's integral theorem states that a holomorphic function on a simply connected domain has zero contour integral around every closed piecewise smooth curve in that domain. One proof begins with the Cauchy theorem for a triangle. Subdivide a triangle into four equal triangles. Their oriented boundary integrals sum to the original integral because internal edges cancel, so choose a nested subtriangle carrying at least one quarter of the preceding integral's modulus. At stage , its perimeter and diameter are , and the nested triangles converge to a point . Complex differentiability gives , with . The affine terms have primitives and integrate to zero. Therefore , while . Letting proves . Triangulation cancels internal edges for polygonal contours; local primitives and deformation through the domain extend the result to the stated piecewise smooth curves. Simple connectedness ensures the necessary contractions do not pass through a missing point.
Apply the theorem to on the rectangle between heights zero and , with vertical sides at . On either vertical side,The modulus of each side integral is at most . Both horizontal integrals converge absolutely. The two horizontal orientations are opposite, so the limit gives , also for negative . This is Gaussian contour translation.
Now complete the square:The substitution moves the path to height . Its Gaussian integral equals the real-axis integral by the preceding result. HenceThis also gives the Fourier transform of a Gaussian in the convention with no prefactor in the forward transform.