The Residue Theorem is a powerful tool in complex analysis that allows for the evaluation of complex integrals, particularly those involving singularities. It states that if a function is analytic inside and on some simple closed contour, except for a finite number of isolated singularities, the integral of that function over the contour can be computed using the residues at those singularities. Specifically, if has singularities inside the contour , the theorem can be expressed as:
where denotes the residue of at the singularity . The residue itself is a coefficient that reflects the behavior of near the singularity and can often be calculated using limits or Laurent series expansions. This theorem not only simplifies the computation of integrals but also reveals deep connections between complex analysis and other areas of mathematics, such as number theory and physics.
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