Valence Formula for Modular Forms on the Full Modular Group (Theorem # 4233)
Theorem
Let $k \in \mathbb{Z}$, let $M_k(SL_2(\mathbb{Z}))$ denote the space of holomorphic modular forms of weight $k$ for $SL_2(\mathbb{Z})$, and let $f \in M_k(SL_2(\mathbb{Z}))$ be nonzero. Put $\rho := e^{2\pi i/3}$. For $a \in \mathbb{H}$, let $\operatorname{ord}_a(f)$ denote the vanishing order of $f$ at $a$, and let $\operatorname{ord}_\infty(f)$ denote the vanishing order at the cusp, equivalently the least integer $n \geq 0$ for which the coefficient of $q^n$ in the Fourier expansion of $f$ in $q = e^{2\pi i z}$ is nonzero.
Choose a set $\mathcal{R} \subset \mathbb{H}$ containing exactly one representative from each $SL_2(\mathbb{Z})$-orbit in $\mathbb{H}$ other than the orbits of $i$ and $\rho$. Then
\begin{align*}
\operatorname{ord}_{\infty}(f)
+
\frac{1}{2}\operatorname{ord}_{i}(f)
+
\frac{1}{3}\operatorname{ord}_{\rho}(f)
+
\sum_{z \in \mathcal{R}} \operatorname{ord}_{z}(f)
=
\frac{k}{12}.
\end{align*}
Discussion
A result from [Modular Forms I: Classical Theory](/page/Modular%20Forms%20I%3A%20Classical%20Theory) concerning Valence Formula for Modular Forms on the Full Modular Group, in the setting of classical modular forms, modular group actions, and related analytic structures.
Proof
[proofplan]
We integrate the logarithmic derivative of $f$ around a truncated standard fundamental domain for $SL_2(\mathbb{Z})$. [The argument principle](/theorems/356) converts this contour integral into a weighted count of zeros, where the weights come from the local angles of the quotient at ordinary points, at $i$, and at $\rho$. The vertical sides cancel by $T$-periodicity, the horizontal side at height tending to infinity contributes $-\operatorname{ord}_\infty(f)$ through the $q$-coordinate, and the unit-circle boundary paired by $S$ contributes $k/12$ from the automorphy factor. Combining these contributions gives the formula.
[/proofplan]
[step:Set up the logarithmic derivative on a truncated fundamental domain]
Let
\begin{align*}
\mathcal{F}
:=
\{z \in \mathbb{H}: |z| \geq 1,\ -1/2 \leq \operatorname{Re}(z) \leq 1/2\}
\end{align*}
be the closed standard fundamental domain. For $Y > 1$, define its truncation
\begin{align*}
\mathcal{F}_Y
:=
\{z \in \mathcal{F}: \operatorname{Im}(z) \leq Y\}.
\end{align*}
Let
\begin{align*}
L: \mathbb{H} \setminus f^{-1}(0) &\to \mathbb{C} \\
z &\mapsto \frac{f'(z)}{f(z)}
\end{align*}
be the logarithmic derivative of $f$.
Choose $Y>1$ so that $f$ has no zero on the horizontal segment $\{x+iY:-1/2\leq x\leq 1/2\}$. Since $f$ is holomorphic and not identically zero, the zero set of $f$ is discrete in $\mathbb{H}$; hence the compact set $\mathcal{F}_Y$ meets only finitely many zeros of $f$. For each interior zero remove a sufficiently small Euclidean disc. For each zero on the boundary of $\mathcal{F}_Y$, remove the Euclidean sector cut out by $\mathcal{F}_Y$ near that point. These neighbourhoods are chosen disjoint and compatible with the side pairings: if two non-elliptic boundary points are paired by $T$ or $S$, their sectors have the same radius after applying that pairing; at $i$, the deleted sector is symmetric under $S$; and at the two corners $\rho$ and $\rho+1$, the two deleted corner sectors have the same radius after translation by $T$. Denote by $\Omega_{Y,\varepsilon}$ the resulting piecewise smooth domain, oriented positively, where $\varepsilon>0$ records these common paired radii.
The function $L$ is meromorphic on a neighbourhood of $\mathcal{F}_Y$ and has only simple poles at zeros of $f$, with residue equal to the corresponding zero order. By construction $f$ has no zero on $\overline{\Omega_{Y,\varepsilon}}$, so $L$ is holomorphic on a neighbourhood of $\overline{\Omega_{Y,\varepsilon}}$. Therefore the [Cauchy integral theorem](/page/Cauchy%20Integral%20Theorem) gives
\begin{align*}
\frac{1}{2\pi i}\int_{\partial \Omega_{Y,\varepsilon}} L(z)\,dz=0.
\end{align*}
We decompose $\partial\Omega_{Y,\varepsilon}$ into the outer boundary of $\mathcal{F}_Y$ with the small indenting arcs inserted, and the clockwise boundary components around the removed zeros. If $a$ is a zero of order $m$ and the removed sector has angle $\theta$, then near $a$ we have $L(z)=m/(z-a)+H_a(z)$ for a [holomorphic function](/page/Holomorphic%20Function) $H_a$ near $a$, and the clockwise small-sector contribution tends to $-m\theta/(2\pi)$. Hence the outer boundary integral, after letting $\varepsilon\to0$, equals the sum of the corresponding local weighted zero orders.
[guided]
We use the same truncated domain and logarithmic derivative as in the exact proof. The closed standard fundamental domain is
\begin{align*}
\mathcal{F}
:=
\{z \in \mathbb{H}: |z| \geq 1,\ -1/2 \leq \operatorname{Re}(z) \leq 1/2\},
\end{align*}
and, for $Y>1$, its truncation is
\begin{align*}
\mathcal{F}_Y
:=
\{z \in \mathcal{F}: \operatorname{Im}(z) \leq Y\}.
\end{align*}
The function whose contour integral we use is the logarithmic derivative
\begin{align*}
L: \mathbb{H} \setminus f^{-1}(0) &\to \mathbb{C} \\
z &\mapsto \frac{f'(z)}{f(z)}.
\end{align*}
Choose $Y>1$ so that
\begin{align*}
\{x+iY:-1/2\leq x\leq 1/2\}
\end{align*}
contains no zero of $f$. Since $f$ is holomorphic and not identically zero, the zero set of $f$ is discrete, and therefore $\mathcal{F}_Y$ contains only finitely many zeros.
It is holomorphic away from the zeros of $f$, and near a zero $a \in \mathbb{H}$ of order $m$ we may write
\begin{align*}
f(z)=(z-a)^m g(z),
\end{align*}
where $g$ is holomorphic and $g(a)\neq 0$. Hence
\begin{align*}
L(z)=\frac{m}{z-a}+\frac{g'(z)}{g(z)}.
\end{align*}
Thus the residue of $L$ at $a$ is exactly $\operatorname{ord}_a(f)$.
We do not integrate directly over $\mathcal{F}_Y$ if zeros lie on the boundary, because then $L$ is singular on the path. Instead we remove small neighbourhoods of all zeros touched by the contour. If a zero is in the interior, the removed neighbourhood is a small disc. If a zero lies on a side or corner of the fundamental domain, the removed neighbourhood is the sector cut out by the fundamental domain near that point. The boundary of the punctured region is then a legitimate contour for $L$.
As in the exact proof, choose the sectors compatibly with side pairings: non-elliptic paired boundary points have paired radii under $T$ or $S$, the deleted sector at $i$ is symmetric under $S$, and the two deleted corner sectors at $\rho$ and $\rho+1$ have paired radii under $T$. Denote the resulting punctured domain by
\begin{align*}
\Omega_{Y,\varepsilon}.
\end{align*}
Then $L$ is holomorphic on a neighbourhood of $\overline{\Omega_{Y,\varepsilon}}$, so the [Cauchy integral theorem](/page/Cauchy%20Integral%20Theorem) gives
\begin{align*}
\frac{1}{2\pi i}\int_{\partial \Omega_{Y,\varepsilon}} L(z)\,dz=0.
\end{align*}
Equivalently, this is the local form of the [argument principle](/page/Argument%20Principle) applied to the logarithmic derivative. The boundary components around removed zeros are traversed clockwise, so their integrals appear with negative sign. When $\varepsilon \to 0$, a small circular arc of angle $\theta$ around a zero of order $m$ contributes
\begin{align*}
-\frac{1}{2\pi i}\int_{\text{arc}} \frac{m}{z-a}\,dz
=
-\frac{m\theta}{2\pi}.
\end{align*}
Moving these terms to the other side gives the expected local weight $\theta/(2\pi)$ times the zero order.
Equivalently, after decomposing
\begin{align*}
\partial\Omega_{Y,\varepsilon}
\end{align*}
into the outer boundary of $\mathcal{F}_Y$ and the clockwise boundaries of the removed sectors, and then letting $\varepsilon\to0$, the outer boundary integral equals the weighted sum of local orders
\begin{align*}
\sum_a \frac{\theta_a}{2\pi}\operatorname{ord}_a(f),
\end{align*}
where $\theta_a$ is the angle of $\mathcal{F}_Y$ at the representative $a$. These angles are $2\pi$ at ordinary interior representatives, $\pi$ at $i$, and $2\pi/3$ at the elliptic corner represented by $\rho$.
[/guided]
[/step]
[step:Compute the contribution from the cusp]
Let $n := \operatorname{ord}_\infty(f)$. Since $f$ is holomorphic at the cusp, it has a Fourier expansion
\begin{align*}
f(z)=\sum_{r=n}^{\infty} a_r q^r,
\qquad
q=e^{2\pi i z},
\qquad
a_n \neq 0.
\end{align*}
Define
\begin{align*}
F: \{q \in \mathbb{C}:0<|q|<1\} &\to \mathbb{C} \\
q &\mapsto f(z)\quad \text{where }q=e^{2\pi i z}.
\end{align*}
Then
\begin{align*}
F(q)=q^n h(q)
\end{align*}
for a holomorphic function $h$ near $0$ satisfying $h(0)=a_n\neq 0$. Since $h(0)\neq0$ and $h$ is continuous at $0$, choose $\delta>0$ such that $h(q)\neq0$ whenever $|q|<\delta$. Choose $Y_0>1$ such that $e^{-2\pi Y_0}<\delta$. Then for every $Y\geq Y_0$, the region $\{z\in\mathcal{F}:\operatorname{Im}(z)>Y\}$ contains no zeros of $f$ in $\mathbb{H}$; the only contribution from that end is the cusp order $n=\operatorname{ord}_\infty(f)$.
Since
\begin{align*}
\frac{dq}{q}=2\pi i\,dz,
\end{align*}
we have
\begin{align*}
L(z)\,dz
=
\frac{F'(q)}{F(q)}\,dq.
\end{align*}
Along the top edge of $\mathcal{F}_Y$, oriented from $1/2+iY$ to $-1/2+iY$, the variable $q=e^{2\pi iz}$ traverses the circle $|q|=e^{-2\pi Y}$ once clockwise. Therefore
\begin{align*}
\lim_{Y\to\infty}
\frac{1}{2\pi i}
\int_{1/2+iY}^{-1/2+iY} L(z)\,dz
=
-n
=
-\operatorname{ord}_\infty(f).
\end{align*}
[guided]
The cusp is handled by changing from the coordinate $z$ to the local coordinate
\begin{align*}
q=e^{2\pi i z}.
\end{align*}
Since $f$ is a modular form, it is holomorphic at the cusp, so its Fourier expansion has the form
\begin{align*}
f(z)=\sum_{r=n}^{\infty} a_r q^r,
\qquad
a_n\neq 0,
\end{align*}
where $n=\operatorname{ord}_\infty(f)$. Equivalently, in the punctured $q$-disc we define
\begin{align*}
F: \{q \in \mathbb{C}:0<|q|<1\} &\to \mathbb{C} \\
q &\mapsto f(z)\quad \text{where }q=e^{2\pi i z},
\end{align*}
and write
\begin{align*}
F(q)=q^n h(q),
\end{align*}
where $h$ is holomorphic near $0$ and $h(0)\neq 0$. Because $h(0)\neq0$ and $h$ is continuous at $0$, there is a number $\delta>0$ such that $h(q)\neq0$ for $|q|<\delta$. Choose $Y_0>1$ with $e^{-2\pi Y_0}<\delta$. If $\operatorname{Im}(z)>Y_0$, then $|q|=e^{-2\pi\operatorname{Im}(z)}<\delta$, so $F(q)=q^n h(q)$ is nonzero for $q\neq0$. Thus no zeros of $f$ in $\mathbb{H}$ lie sufficiently high in the cusp; the missing point $q=0$ records exactly the cusp order $n=\operatorname{ord}_\infty(f)$.
Differentiating $q=e^{2\pi i z}$ gives
\begin{align*}
dq=2\pi i q\,dz.
\end{align*}
Thus
\begin{align*}
L(z)\,dz
=
\frac{f'(z)}{f(z)}\,dz
=
\frac{F'(q)}{F(q)}\,dq.
\end{align*}
The top horizontal side of the truncated fundamental domain is oriented from $1/2+iY$ to $-1/2+iY$. Under $q=e^{2\pi iz}$, this path is the circle $|q|=e^{-2\pi Y}$ traversed clockwise. Hence
\begin{align*}
\frac{1}{2\pi i}
\int_{1/2+iY}^{-1/2+iY} L(z)\,dz
=
\frac{1}{2\pi i}
\int_{|q|=e^{-2\pi Y}\ \mathrm{clockwise}}
\frac{F'(q)}{F(q)}\,dq.
\end{align*}
Since
\begin{align*}
\frac{F'(q)}{F(q)}
=
\frac{n}{q}+\frac{h'(q)}{h(q)}
\end{align*}
and $h'/h$ is holomorphic near $0$, the integral of $h'/h$ over the small circle tends to $0$, while the clockwise integral of $n/q$ is $-2\pi i n$. Therefore the limiting contribution of the top side is
\begin{align*}
-\operatorname{ord}_\infty(f).
\end{align*}
[/guided]
[/step]
[step:Cancel the punctured vertical sides by translation invariance]
Let $T \in SL_2(\mathbb{Z})$ be the matrix acting by $Tz=z+1$. Since $f$ has weight $k$ for $SL_2(\mathbb{Z})$ and $T$ has automorphy factor $1$, we have
\begin{align*}
f(z+1)=f(z).
\end{align*}
Differentiating gives $f'(z+1)=f'(z)$, hence
\begin{align*}
L(z+1)=L(z).
\end{align*}
Let $V_{L,\varepsilon}$ and $V_{R,\varepsilon}$ denote the portions of the left and right vertical sides that remain in $\partial\Omega_{Y,\varepsilon}$ after deleting the paired boundary sectors. By the compatible choice of sectors, $T(V_{L,\varepsilon})=V_{R,\varepsilon}$. The left side is oriented downward and the right side upward, so the substitution $w=Tz=z+1$ gives
\begin{align*}
\int_{V_{R,\varepsilon}}L(w)\,dw+\int_{V_{L,\varepsilon}}L(z)\,dz=0.
\end{align*}
The missing pieces are precisely the small indentation arcs around zeros on the paired vertical boundary; their limits are not part of the side cancellation and are recorded by the local sector weights below.
[guided]
The vertical-side cancellation must be done on the actual contour, not on the undeleted sides. Let $V_{L,\varepsilon}$ be the union of the remaining pieces of the line $\operatorname{Re}(z)=-1/2$ in $\partial\Omega_{Y,\varepsilon}$, and let $V_{R,\varepsilon}$ be the corresponding union on $\operatorname{Re}(z)=1/2$. The sectors were chosen compatibly, so translation by one sends the left remaining pieces exactly onto the right remaining pieces:
\begin{align*}
T(V_{L,\varepsilon})=V_{R,\varepsilon}.
\end{align*}
The modular transformation law for $T$ has automorphy factor $1$, hence
\begin{align*}
f(z+1)=f(z).
\end{align*}
Differentiating gives
\begin{align*}
f'(z+1)=f'(z),
\end{align*}
and therefore
\begin{align*}
L(z+1)=L(z).
\end{align*}
Now the orientations matter. The right vertical side is traversed upward, while the left vertical side is traversed downward. Under the substitution $w=z+1$, the integral over $V_{L,\varepsilon}$ becomes the negative of the integral over $V_{R,\varepsilon}$. Thus
\begin{align*}
\int_{V_{R,\varepsilon}}L(w)\,dw+\int_{V_{L,\varepsilon}}L(z)\,dz=0.
\end{align*}
This proves cancellation for the non-singular portions of the actual punctured contour. If a zero lies on a vertical side, the small indentation arcs around the paired representatives are deliberately excluded from $V_{L,\varepsilon}$ and $V_{R,\varepsilon}$; their limits are counted separately as two half-angle contributions in the local-weight step.
[/guided]
[/step]
[step:Pair the unit-circle arcs and extract the automorphy contribution]
Let $S \in SL_2(\mathbb{Z})$ be the matrix acting by $Sz=-1/z$. Split the lower boundary arc of $\mathcal{F}$ into
\begin{align*}
A_L &:= \{e^{i\theta}: 2\pi/3 \geq \theta \geq \pi/2\},\\
A_R &:= \{e^{i\theta}: \pi/2 \geq \theta \geq \pi/3\},
\end{align*}
both oriented as part of the positively oriented boundary of $\mathcal{F}_Y$. The map $S$ sends $A_R$ onto $A_L$ with the opposite orientation.
The modular transformation law for $S$ is
\begin{align*}
f(Sz)=z^k f(z).
\end{align*}
Differentiating this identity on $A_R$ gives
\begin{align*}
L(Sz)S'(z)=\frac{k}{z}+L(z),
\qquad
S'(z)=\frac{1}{z^2}.
\end{align*}
Hence
\begin{align*}
L(Sz)\,d(Sz)=\left(\frac{k}{z}+L(z)\right)\,dz.
\end{align*}
Let $A_{L,\varepsilon}$ and $A_{R,\varepsilon}$ denote the portions of $A_L$ and $A_R$ that remain in $\partial\Omega_{Y,\varepsilon}$ after the deleted sectors have been removed. The compatible choice of deleted sectors gives $S(A_{R,\varepsilon})=A_{L,\varepsilon}$ with opposite orientation, except that the indentation arcs themselves are omitted from these two sets and will be counted locally. Using the opposite orientation of $S(A_{R,\varepsilon})=A_{L,\varepsilon}$, we obtain
\begin{align*}
\int_{A_{L,\varepsilon}} L(w)\,dw+\int_{A_{R,\varepsilon}}L(z)\,dz
&=
-\int_{A_{R,\varepsilon}}L(Sz)\,d(Sz)+\int_{A_{R,\varepsilon}}L(z)\,dz\\
&=
-k\int_{A_{R,\varepsilon}}\frac{dz}{z}.
\end{align*}
The omitted subarcs have total length tending to $0$ as $\varepsilon\to0$, and the function $z\mapsto 1/z$ is bounded on the unit circle, so
\begin{align*}
\lim_{\varepsilon\to0}\int_{A_{R,\varepsilon}}\frac{dz}{z}
=
\int_{A_R}\frac{dz}{z}.
\end{align*}
Let $\mathcal{L}^1$ denote one-dimensional Lebesgue measure on $\mathbb{R}$. Writing $z=e^{i\theta}$ on $A_R$, where $\theta$ decreases from $\pi/2$ to $\pi/3$, gives
\begin{align*}
\int_{A_R}\frac{dz}{z}
=
\int_{\pi/2}^{\pi/3} i\,d\mathcal{L}^1(\theta)
=
-\frac{\pi i}{6}.
\end{align*}
Therefore
\begin{align*}
\lim_{\varepsilon\to0}
\frac{1}{2\pi i}
\left(
\int_{A_{L,\varepsilon}} L(w)\,dw+\int_{A_{R,\varepsilon}}L(z)\,dz
\right)
=
\frac{k}{12}.
\end{align*}
The indentation arcs around zeros on the unit-circle boundary are not included in this paired-arc computation; their limits are exactly the sector contributions recorded in the local-weight step.
[guided]
The only non-cancelling boundary contribution away from the cusp comes from the automorphy factor on the unit-circle arc. We split that arc into the left half
\begin{align*}
A_L := \{e^{i\theta}: 2\pi/3 \geq \theta \geq \pi/2\}
\end{align*}
and the right half
\begin{align*}
A_R := \{e^{i\theta}: \pi/2 \geq \theta \geq \pi/3\}.
\end{align*}
Both arcs are oriented from left to right along the lower boundary of the fundamental domain.
The matrix
\begin{align*}
S=
\begin{pmatrix}
0 & -1\\
1 & 0
\end{pmatrix}
\end{align*}
acts by $Sz=-1/z$. If $z=e^{i\theta}\in A_R$, then
\begin{align*}
Sz=-e^{-i\theta}=e^{i(\pi-\theta)}\in A_L.
\end{align*}
As $\theta$ decreases from $\pi/2$ to $\pi/3$, the angle $\pi-\theta$ increases from $\pi/2$ to $2\pi/3$, so $S$ maps $A_R$ onto $A_L$ with the opposite orientation.
The modular transformation law for weight $k$ gives
\begin{align*}
f(Sz)=z^k f(z).
\end{align*}
We differentiate both sides with respect to $z$. The left side differentiates by the chain rule:
\begin{align*}
\frac{d}{dz}f(Sz)=f'(Sz)S'(z),
\qquad
S'(z)=\frac{1}{z^2}.
\end{align*}
The right side differentiates by the product rule:
\begin{align*}
\frac{d}{dz}\bigl(z^k f(z)\bigr)
=
kz^{k-1}f(z)+z^k f'(z).
\end{align*}
Dividing by $f(Sz)=z^k f(z)$ gives
\begin{align*}
L(Sz)S'(z)=\frac{k}{z}+L(z).
\end{align*}
Multiplying by $dz$ yields
\begin{align*}
L(Sz)\,d(Sz)=\left(\frac{k}{z}+L(z)\right)\,dz.
\end{align*}
Now use the orientation reversal. Since $S(A_R)=A_L$ with opposite orientation,
\begin{align*}
\int_{A_L}L(w)\,dw
=
-\int_{A_R}L(Sz)\,d(Sz).
\end{align*}
Therefore
\begin{align*}
\int_{A_L} L(w)\,dw+\int_{A_R}L(z)\,dz
&=
-\int_{A_R}\left(\frac{k}{z}+L(z)\right)\,dz
+\int_{A_R}L(z)\,dz\\
&=
-k\int_{A_R}\frac{dz}{z}.
\end{align*}
Let $\mathcal{L}^1$ denote one-dimensional Lebesgue measure on $\mathbb{R}$. On $A_R$ we write $z=e^{i\theta}$ with $\theta$ decreasing from $\pi/2$ to $\pi/3$. Since $dz/z=i\,d\theta$, we get
\begin{align*}
\int_{A_R}\frac{dz}{z}
=
\int_{\pi/2}^{\pi/3} i\,d\mathcal{L}^1(\theta)
=
-\frac{\pi i}{6}.
\end{align*}
Thus the paired unit-circle arcs contribute
\begin{align*}
\frac{1}{2\pi i}
\left(
\int_{A_L} L(w)\,dw+\int_{A_R}L(z)\,dz
\right)
=
\frac{k}{12}.
\end{align*}
This is the source of the constant $k/12$ in the valence formula.
[/guided]
[/step]
[step:Record the local weights of zeros in the quotient]
Let $a \in \overline{\mathcal{F}}\cap \mathbb{H}$ be a zero of $f$ of order $m=\operatorname{ord}_a(f)$. The local contribution attached to $a$ is the limit of the clockwise indentation arc around $a$ after it is moved to the other side of the identity from [Cauchy's theorem](/page/Cauchy's%20Theorem). If the deleted sector at $a$ has interior angle $\theta_a$, the local contribution is
\begin{align*}
\operatorname{contrib}(a)
=
\frac{\theta_a}{2\pi}\operatorname{ord}_a(f).
\end{align*}
If $a$ lies in the interior of $\mathcal{F}$ and is not equivalent to another boundary point, then the deleted neighbourhood is a full disc, so $\theta_a=2\pi$ and the contribution is $m$.
If $a$ lies on a non-elliptic boundary point, then exactly two boundary points $a_L$ and $a_R$ of $\mathcal{F}$ represent the same $SL_2(\mathbb{Z})$-orbit. The compatible deletion used in the side-pairing steps removes one half-disc at each representative, so $\theta_{a_L}=\theta_{a_R}=\pi$. The paired side integrals cancel on the remaining nonsingular sides, and the two indentation arcs add to
\begin{align*}
\frac{\pi}{2\pi}m+\frac{\pi}{2\pi}m=m.
\end{align*}
Thus an ordinary non-elliptic orbit contributes $\operatorname{ord}_a(f)$ once.
At $i$, the deleted sector is the sector of $\mathcal{F}$ between the two unit-circle arcs. Its interior angle is $\pi$, and the punctured unit-circle arcs have already been paired by $S$ away from this indentation. Hence the local quotient contribution is
\begin{align*}
\frac{\pi}{2\pi}\operatorname{ord}_i(f)
=
\frac{1}{2}\operatorname{ord}_i(f).
\end{align*}
At $\rho$ and $\rho+1$, the two corners of $\mathcal{F}$ represent the same orbit. The compatible deletion removes a corner sector of angle $\pi/3$ at each corner, while the remaining sides are paired by $T$ and $S$. Their total indentation contribution is
\begin{align*}
2\cdot \frac{\pi/3}{2\pi}\operatorname{ord}_\rho(f)
=
\frac{1}{3}\operatorname{ord}_\rho(f).
\end{align*}
[guided]
The contour integral records zeros through the indentation arcs. Suppose $a$ is a zero of order $m$ and the deleted sector of $\mathcal{F}$ at $a$ has angle $\theta$. Near $a$ we have
\begin{align*}
L(z)=\frac{m}{z-a}+H_a(z),
\end{align*}
where $H_a$ is holomorphic near $a$. The clockwise indentation arc therefore contributes
\begin{align*}
-\frac{1}{2\pi i}\int_{\text{indentation arc}}L(z)\,dz
\longrightarrow
-\frac{\theta}{2\pi}m.
\end{align*}
When this term is moved to the other side of the contour identity, it contributes
\begin{align*}
\frac{\theta}{2\pi}m.
\end{align*}
For an interior point of $\mathcal{F}$, the deleted sector is a full disc, so $\theta=2\pi$ and the contribution is
\begin{align*}
\frac{2\pi}{2\pi}m=m.
\end{align*}
This accounts for ordinary orbits represented by interior points.
For a non-elliptic point on the boundary, the point is paired with exactly one other boundary point by a side-pairing transformation. The paired straight or circular pieces cancel or combine on the remaining punctured contour; only the two indentation arcs are left as local zero contributions. Each representative contributes a sector of angle $\pi$. Since the two boundary representatives describe one orbit in the quotient, the total contribution of that orbit is
\begin{align*}
\frac{\pi}{2\pi}m+\frac{\pi}{2\pi}m=m.
\end{align*}
Thus ordinary boundary orbits are still counted with coefficient $1$.
At $i$, the point is fixed by the order-two elliptic transformation $S:z\mapsto -1/z$. In the fundamental domain the two circular arcs meet at $i$ with interior angle $\pi$, and the remaining punctured arcs have already been paired by $S$. Therefore the local sector contribution is
\begin{align*}
\frac{\pi}{2\pi}\operatorname{ord}_i(f)
=
\frac{1}{2}\operatorname{ord}_i(f).
\end{align*}
This is why the valence formula counts a zero at $i$ with weight $1/2$.
At $\rho=e^{2\pi i/3}$, the orbit also contains $\rho+1=e^{\pi i/3}$ on the other corner of the fundamental domain. Each of these two corners has interior angle $\pi/3$, and the remaining punctured sides are handled by the $T$- and $S$-pairings. The two corner sectors together therefore contribute
\begin{align*}
2\cdot \frac{\pi/3}{2\pi}\operatorname{ord}_\rho(f)
=
\frac{1}{3}\operatorname{ord}_\rho(f).
\end{align*}
This matches the fact that the image of $\rho$ in the quotient has stabilizer of order $3$.
[/guided]
[/step]
[step:Pass to the limit and obtain the formula]
Choose $Y\geq Y_0$ as in the cusp analysis, and perturb $Y$ if necessary so that the horizontal segment $\{x+iY:-1/2\leq x\leq 1/2\}$ contains no zero of $f$. The nonvanishing of $h$ for $|q|<e^{-2\pi Y_0}$ shows that increasing $Y$ past $Y_0$ creates no additional zeros in $\mathbb{H}$. Since $\mathcal{F}_{Y_0}$ is compact and $f$ is not identically zero, only finitely many zeros occur in $\mathcal{F}_{Y_0}$. Thus all zero contributions are finite sums of local residue limits, and every nonsingular boundary piece converges after the compatible deletions: paired vertical pieces cancel exactly for every $\varepsilon$, paired unit-circle pieces converge to $k/12$, and indentation arcs converge to the local angle weights.
Combining the preceding boundary computations and then letting $\varepsilon\to 0$ and $Y\to\infty$, the normalized outer contour integral gives
\begin{align*}
\sum_{z \in \mathcal{R}}\operatorname{ord}_z(f)
+
\frac{1}{2}\operatorname{ord}_i(f)
+
\frac{1}{3}\operatorname{ord}_\rho(f)
=
\frac{k}{12}
-
\operatorname{ord}_\infty(f).
\end{align*}
Moving the cusp term to the left-hand side gives
\begin{align*}
\operatorname{ord}_{\infty}(f)
+
\frac{1}{2}\operatorname{ord}_{i}(f)
+
\frac{1}{3}\operatorname{ord}_{\rho}(f)
+
\sum_{z \in \mathcal{R}}\operatorname{ord}_{z}(f)
=
\frac{k}{12}.
\end{align*}
This is the desired valence formula.
[guided]
We now assemble the contour computation and justify the limiting process. Choose $Y\geq Y_0$ as in the cusp analysis, and perturb $Y$ if necessary so that the top horizontal segment
\begin{align*}
\{x+iY:-1/2\leq x\leq 1/2\}
\end{align*}
contains no zero of $f$. The cusp analysis showed that $f$ has no zeros in the region $\operatorname{Im}(z)>Y_0$ inside the fundamental domain, so increasing $Y$ beyond $Y_0$ does not introduce new finite zeros.
There are only finitely many zero contributions to track. Indeed, $\mathcal{F}_{Y_0}$ is compact and the zero set of the nonzero holomorphic function $f$ is discrete in $\mathbb{H}$, so $\mathcal{F}_{Y_0}$ meets only finitely many zeros. Around these finitely many points we chose compatible deleted sectors. For each fixed $\varepsilon$, the function $L$ is holomorphic on a neighbourhood of $\overline{\Omega_{Y,\varepsilon}}$, so the [Cauchy integral theorem](/page/Cauchy%20Integral%20Theorem) gives
\begin{align*}
\frac{1}{2\pi i}\int_{\partial\Omega_{Y,\varepsilon}}L(z)\,dz=0.
\end{align*}
Now let $\varepsilon\to0$. The paired vertical pieces cancel exactly for every $\varepsilon$ by $T$-periodicity. The paired unit-circle pieces converge to $k/12$ because the remaining integral is $-k\int dz/z$ over punctured arcs whose omitted lengths tend to zero. Each indentation arc around a zero converges to its sector-angle contribution by the local residue computation for $L(z)=m/(z-a)+H_a(z)$. Finally, the top horizontal edge tends to $-\operatorname{ord}_\infty(f)$ by the $q$-coordinate calculation.
Therefore the finite zero contributions satisfy
\begin{align*}
\sum_{z \in \mathcal{R}}\operatorname{ord}_z(f)
+
\frac{1}{2}\operatorname{ord}_i(f)
+
\frac{1}{3}\operatorname{ord}_\rho(f)
=
\frac{k}{12}
-
\operatorname{ord}_\infty(f).
\end{align*}
Moving the cusp contribution to the left-hand side gives
\begin{align*}
\operatorname{ord}_{\infty}(f)
+
\frac{1}{2}\operatorname{ord}_{i}(f)
+
\frac{1}{3}\operatorname{ord}_{\rho}(f)
+
\sum_{z \in \mathcal{R}}\operatorname{ord}_{z}(f)
=
\frac{k}{12}.
\end{align*}
This is exactly the valence formula.
[/guided]
[/step]
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