MATH319 Slides

135 The stable rational functions form a differential ring

Lemma

(i) The set 𝒮 of stable rational functions forms a commutative ring with 1 in which one can differentiate with respect to s, so 𝒮 satisfies (R),(C),(ID2),(Diff).

(ii) However, 𝒮 is not a field.

Proof. (i) (R) Multiplication and addition: Given f1(s)=g1(s)/h1(s) and f2(s)=g2(s)/h2(s) with degree(g1(s))degree(h1(s)) and degree(g2(s))degree(h2(s)) we have

f1(s)f2(s)=g1(s)g2(s)/h1(s)h2(s)

where degree(g1(s)g2(s))degree(h1(s)h2(s)). Also, the zeros of h1(s)h2(s) are either zeros of h1(s) or zeros of h2(s), hence are in LHP. By partial fractions, we can write f𝒮 as

f(s)=q+j=1Naj(s-λj)-nj.