Consider a function \(\displaystyle{f}:{\mathbb{{{C}}}}\mapsto{\mathbb{{{R}}}}\). As far as

Paula Good

Paula Good

Answered question

2022-03-27

Consider a function f:CR. As far as I know, for this function f(x,y)=u(x,y)+iv(x,y) to be analytic, it must satisfy the Cauchy-Riemann conditions, which state:
ux=vy
uy=vx
Of course, v(x,y)=0. This implies that u(x,y)=C where C is constant, and thus the only real function of a complex variable is f(z)=C.
This cannot be right, surely?

Answer & Explanation

Marquis Ibarra

Marquis Ibarra

Beginner2022-03-28Added 9 answers

Your proof is right! Here is a different proof: to say a function is holomorphic at a point z0 is to say that the limit
limh0f(z0+h)f(z0)h
exists where h is approaching 0 in the complex plane. If f takes only real values, the quotient will be purely imaginary if h approaches 0 along the imaginary axis and purely real if h approaches 0 along the real axis, so for the limit to exist at z0 the derivative must be zero and since z0 was arbitrary, f is constant.
What's going on here is that the condition that the limit has to exist when h can be any complex number going to 0 is much stronger than the analogous condition in real variables.

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