Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2016 / ib / Paper 3 / 13G / a

Let $T$ be a closed triangle contained, together with a neighbourhood, in the domain of a holomorphic function $f$. We prove Cauchy theorem for a triangle without assuming continuity of $f^{\prime }$.

Join the edge midpoints to subdivide $T$ into four triangles, each with half its diameter and perimeter. Their positively oriented contour integrals sum to the integral around $T$, 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 $T_n$ satisfyingTheir intersection is a single point $z_{\ast }$, by compactness and shrinking diameter. complex differentiability at a point at $z_{\ast }$ givesThe first two terms have polynomial primitives, hence integrate to zero around each triangle. For sufficiently large $n$, $|r|<\epsilon$ on $T_n$, so the complex line integral estimate givesCombining the bounds gives $|{\int }_{\partial T}f(z)dz|\le \epsilon d_0{P}_0$. Since $\epsilon$ is arbitrary,The orientation can be reversed with no change to the conclusion.