understanding the difference between Laurent and Taylor series.

Question

In my homework, I have a problem that says,

Set $f(z)$ = $\frac{e^{z^2}}{z^4}$.

$(a):$ Find the Laurent series for $f$ centered at $z_0 = 0$
$(b):$ Let $C$ be the positively oriented unit circle. Evaluate $\int_C f(z) dz$

I don't think I understand how to find a Laurent series, or rather I don't understand the difference between finding Laurent series and Taylor series.

For part a, I said

"Recall that the Taylor series at $z_0 = 0$ of $e^z$ is $\sum_{k=0}^\infty$ $\frac{z^k}{k!}$. So the Taylor series of $e^{z^2}$ is just $\sum_{k=0}^\infty$ $\frac{z^{2k}}{k!}$. Therefore, the Taylor series expansion of $f(z)$ is just $\sum_{k=0}^\infty$ $\frac{z^{2k}}{z^4 k!}$."

When I asked Wolfram alpha what the Taylor series was, it spat out this exact series and told me it was a Laurent series. Is it a Laurent series? If so, why does its Taylor series equal its Laurent series?

Answer 1

A Laurent series is allowed to (but does not have to) contain terms with negative exponents.

If it does contain such terms, then either function it describes has a pole at the point we're developing the series around, and therefore it does not have a Taylor series, or the Laurent series does not converge close to $z_0$.

If it does have a Taylor series around a point, that series is also its Laurent series around that point.

Answer 2

No, they're not equal. The Taylor series of $e^{z^2}$ is$$\sum_{k=0}^\infty\frac{z^{2k}}{k!}=1+z^2+\frac{z^4}{2}+\frac{z^6}{3!}+\cdots$$The Laurent series of $\dfrac{e^{z^2}}{z^4}$ is$$\sum_{k=0}^\infty\frac{z^{2k}}{z^4k!}=\frac1{z^4}+\frac1{z^2}+\frac12+\frac{z^2}{3!}+\cdots$$They are distinct.