Assuming the principle of the argument, prove that any polynomial of degree n has precisely n zeros in C, counted with multiplicity.
Consider a polynomial p(z)=z4+az3+bz2+cz+d, and let R be a positive real number such that ∣a∣R3+∣b∣R2+∣c∣R+∣d∣<R4. Define a curve Γ:[0,1]→C by
Γ(t)={p(Reπit)(2−2t)p(iR)+(2t−1)p(R) for 0⩽t⩽21 for 21⩽t⩽1
Show that the winding number n(Γ,0)=1.
Suppose now that p(z) has real coefficients, that z4−bz2+d has no real zeros, and that the real zeros of p(z) are all strictly negative. Show that precisely one of the zeros of p(z) lies in the quadrant {x+iy:x>0,y>0}.
[Standard results about winding numbers may be quoted without proof; in particular, you may wish to use the fact that if γi:[0,1]→C,i=1,2, are two closed curves with ∣γ2(t)−γ1(t)∣<∣γ1(t)∣ for all t, then n(γ1,0)=n(γ2,0).]