# Complex Analysis - Taking the limit of a particular function.

Find $\displaystyle\lim_{z\to0} \operatorname{pv}\left(\cos(z)^\frac{1}{z^2}\right)$.

Pv stands for principal value. I believe there is a certain trick I am missing. I am applying the fundamental definitions of the principal value of log, but this produces ugly calculations. Thank you all in advanced for your help.

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Recalling that $\left(1+\dfrac an\right)^n\to e^a$ as $n\to\infty$, it follows that $\left(1-\dfrac{z^2}{2}\right)^{1/z^2}\to e^{-1/2}$ as $1/z^2\to\infty$. And $\cos z = 1-\dfrac{z^2}{2}+\text{higher-degree terms}$. –  Michael Hardy Oct 10 at 1:16
Excellent. Indeed there was a feisty trick. Thank you. –  eXtremiity Oct 10 at 5:44
@eXtremity : Thank you. I've now made my comment into a posted answer. –  Michael Hardy Oct 10 at 19:49

I didn't post this as an answer before since it was somewhat less than complete, but the comments suggest maybe this is what was needed:

Recalling that $\left(1+\dfrac an\right)^n\to e^a$, it follows that $$\left(1-\dfrac{z^2}{2}\right)^{1/z^2}\to e^{-1/2}\text{ as } \frac{1}{z^2}\to\infty.$$ And $$\cos z = 1 - \frac{z^2}{2} + \text{higher-degree terms}.$$

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Which Michael Hardy's answer is excellent, you could also do it with L'H after taking logarithm: $$\lim_{z\to 0}\frac{\log \cos z}{z^2} = \lim_{z\to 0}\frac{ - \sin z}{2z \cos z } = -\frac12$$ because $\frac{\sin z}{z}\to 1$ and $\cos z\to 1$.
$$\cos\left(z\right)^{1/z^{2}} = \exp\left(\ln\left(\cos\left(z\right)\right) \over z^{2}\right) \overbrace{\quad% \sim \exp\left(\ln\left(1 - z^{2}/2\right) \over z^{2}\right) \sim\quad} ^{\mbox{when}\ z\ \sim\ 0} \exp\left(-z^{2}/2 \over z^{2}\right) = \color{#ff0000}{\Large{\rm e}^{-1/2}}$$