Problem: The value of the integral
\[
\oint_{C} \frac{z^{100}}{z^{101} + 1} \mathrm{d} z,
\]
where $C$ is the circle of radius $2$ centered at the origin taken in the anti-clockwise direction is
- $2 \pi \iota$
- $2\pi$
- $0$
- $2\pi \iota$
Solution: Let
\[
f(z) = z^{101} + 1\implies f'(z) = 101 z^{100} .
\]
We recall the
argument principal which says that if $f(z)$ is analytic on and inside a simple closed curve $C$ (oriented counterclockwise) except for (possibly) some finite poles inside (not on) $C$ and some zeros inside (not on) $C$. Then,
\[
\frac{1}{2\pi \iota } \oint_{C} \frac{f'(z)}{f(z)} \mathrm{d} z = Z - P,
\]
where $Z$ is the number of poles (with multiplicity) of $f$ inside $C$ and $Z$ is the zeros (with multiplicity) of $f$ inside $C$.
In this problem, we have
\begin{align*}
\frac{1}{2\pi \iota } \oint_{\vert z \vert = 2} \frac{f'(z)}{f(z)} \mathrm{d} z & = \frac{1}{2\pi \iota } \oint_{\vert z \vert = 2} \frac{101 z^{100}}{z^{101} + 1} \mathrm{d} z = Z - P.
\end{align*}
Since $f$ is a polynomial of degree $101$, it will have $101$ zeros and no poles. Also, all the zeros will lie inside the given circle $\vert z \vert =2$ as all the roots are of unit length. Thus,
\begin{align*}
\frac{1}{2\pi \iota } \oint_{\vert z \vert = 2} \frac{101 z^{100}}{z^{101} + 1} \mathrm{d} z = 101 - 0 & \implies \oint_{C} \frac{z^{100}}{z^{101} + 1} \mathrm{d} z = 2\pi \iota .
\end{align*}