Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 2 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2021 / Paper 1 / 7 / c

Using the exponential form of the complex cosine, $\cos z=0$ is equivalent to $e^{2iz}=-1$. Thus the zeros are exactlyAt each point ${\cos }^{\prime }(z_n)=-\sin z_n\ne 0$, so the cosine has a simple zero. Cubing it givesThe order of a zero of a holomorphic function is therefore three at every zero. There are no finite singularities because this is an entire function.

To classify infinity, examine ${\cos }^3(1/w)$ at $w=0$. The identity ${\cos }^{3}z=(3\cos z+\cos 3z)/4$ shows that its Laurent series contains the nonzero negative-power coefficientsThere are infinitely many terms in the principal part, the criterion for an essential singularity. Therefore $\boxed{\infty \text{ is an essential singularity, not a pole.}}$ This is also the general characterization of a nonpolynomial entire function at infinity.