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Problem #1041: Let $f(z)=\prod_{i=1}^n(z-z_i)\in \mathbb{C}[z]$ with...

Let $f(z)=\prod_{i=1}^n(z-z_i)\in \mathbb{C}[z]$ with $\lvert z_i\rvert < 1$ for all $i$.Must there always exist a path of length less than $2$...

Problem Statement

Let $f(z)=\prod_{i=1}^n(z-z_i)\in \mathbb{C}[z]$ with $\lvert z_i\rvert < 1$ for all $i$.

Must there always exist a path of length less than $2$ in\[\{z: \lvert f(z)\rvert < 1\}\]which connects two of the roots of $f$?
Categories: Analysis Polynomials

Progress

A problem of Erdős, Herzog, and Piranian [EHP58], who proved that this set always has a connected component containing at least two of the roots.

Source: erdosproblems.com/1041 | Last verified: January 19, 2026

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