What is a contour integral?

Question

anonymous · Answer

-What would you insert into it?
-What is being added up (if anything)?
-What does it achieve?

anonymous · Answer

it integrate over complex plane

anonymous · Answer

What does it integrate, though? When you integrate a complex function, what is it 'adding up'?

amistre64 · Answer

complex things?

amistre64 · Answer

http://walet.phy.umist.ac.uk/MaMe/MMA/Contour.pdf without knowing it in general, this might help if you are familiar with some of it

anonymous · Answer

there is in fact a definition of a contour integral right?

amistre64 · Answer

i got the websters popup book edition

anonymous · Answer

if your contour S can be paramatrized by say 
$$S=\phi(t), a\leq t\leq b$$ then 
$$\int_Sf(z)dz=\int_a^b f(\phi(t))d\phi(t)$$

anonymous · Answer

i love pop up books!!

amistre64 · Answer

they do haev a certain jen-eh-say-qua  about them

anonymous · Answer

yes, and a certain vulay voo as well

anonymous · Answer

∫S f(z)dz- what does this side of the equation mean?

anonymous · Answer

it is the notations for a contour integral. it means the thing on the right hand side

anonymous · Answer