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TheoremStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passaudited 2026-08-28
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Rouche's theorem in the classical strict-inequality form

Statement

Let Ω⊆C be open, let γ be a closed complex contour that is null-homologous in Ω, and let f,g be holomorphic on Ω. If

∣f(z)−g(z)∣<∣g(z)∣(z∈γ∗),

then f and g have the same weighted number of zeros with respect to γ.

In particular, if γ is the positively oriented boundary of a Jordan domain, then f and g have the same number of zeros inside γ, counted with multiplicity.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: An open set Ω, a closed complex contour γ that is null-homologous in Ω, and holomorphic functions f,g on Ω satisfying ∣f−g∣<∣g∣ on γ∗.

[L1]

For a closed contour on which a meromorphic function does not vanish, the integral of f′/f is the winding number of the image contour about 0 (The argument-principle integral is the winding number of the image cycle).

[L2]

The argument principle at w=0 counts zeros of a holomorphic function with multiplicity and no pole term (The argument principle counts preimages of a target value).

[L3]

If φ(ζ,t) is continuous in (ζ,t) and holomorphic in the complex parameter t, then ∫γφ(ζ,t) dζ is holomorphic in t (A contour integral of a jointly continuous, parameter-holomorphic integrand is holomorphic).

[L4]

Proof

technique · direct
1.1givenchoosealgebra

Because γ∗ is compact and ∣f−g∣<∣g∣ there, the ratio ∣f−g∣/∣g∣ has a maximum q<1 on γ∗. Choose ε>0 with (1+ε)q<1. Then for every complex t with ∣t∣<1+ε and every z∈γ∗, ∣g(z)+t(f(z)−g(z))−g(z)∣≤∣t∣ ∣f(z)−g(z)∣<(1+ε)q ∣g(z)∣<∣g(z)∣, so ht(z):=g(z)+t(f(z)−g(z)) never vanishes on γ∗.

2.1step 1.1L1L3L4

For fixed z, the function φz(t):=ht′(z)ht(z)=g′(z)+t(f′(z)−g′(z))g(z)+t(f(z)−g(z)) is holomorphic on the disc ∣t∣<1+ε by step 1.1. Therefore J(t):=12πi∫γht′(z)ht(z) dz is holomorphic there by [L3]. For real t∈[0,1], step 1.1 and [L1] give J(t)=n(ht∘γ,0), and [L4] makes that an integer. Hence J is an integer-valued holomorphic function on a connected open disc, so it is constant.

3.1step 2.1L2∎

Since h0=g and h1=f, step 2.1 gives 12πi∫γg′(z)g(z) dz=12πi∫γf′(z)f(z) dz. Applying [L2] to both sides shows that f and g have the same weighted zero count with respect to γ.

Depends on

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Sources