ABSTRACT
The following results provide a convenient means for determining the value of the integral of f : D → C along a closed contour C1 ⊂ D by giving conditions under which C1 can be replaced by a simpler contour C2. The effect is that, under the right circumstances, one can think of “deforming“ the contour C1 into the simpler contour C2, and thereby determine
f (z) dz by
computing ∮ C2
f (z) dz instead. With experience, these results provide a useful
visual intuition for manipulating such integrals in C.
