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CHAPTER 6: FOURIER SERIES

6.0 Introduction

Fourier series is an infinite series representation of periodic functions in terms of the

trigonometric sine and cosine functions. Fourier series have many applications in Mathematics,
in physics and in engineering. For example they are sometimes essential in solving problems (in
heat conduction, wave propagation etc) that involve partial differential equations. Also, using
Fourier series the analysis the analysis of many engineering systems such as electric circuits .

Review

1. Integration by parts

Solve

xe
x
i) dx

x
2
ii) e x dx

2. Tabular Integration

Solve

x
2
i) e 2 x dx

x
2
ii) sin x dx

x
3
iii) cos 2 x dx

3. Trigonometric Identities

1
i. sin A cos B = [sin( A B) + sin( A + B)]
2
1
ii. sin A sin B = [cos( A B ) + cos( A + B)]
2
1
iii. cos A cos B = [cos( A B) + cos( A + B)]
2

6.1 Periodic Function

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Example 1.

a) f(x) = sin x has a period of

(i) 2 since sin(x + 2 ) = sin x

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(ii) 4 since sin (x + 4 ) = sin x
(iii) 6 since sin (x + 2 ) = sin x

but, since 2 is the least period, then 2 is the period of sin x.

b) f(x) = x , 1 < x < 1 and f(x +2) = f(x)

1 2 3

c)

2 4 6 8

i) Between x = 0 and x = 2, y = x, i.e f(x ) = x, 0 < x < 2

x x
ii) Between x = 2 and x = 6, y = + 3 , i.e f(x) = 3 , 2 < x < 6
2 2
iii) The period is 6 unit, i.e f(x + 6) = f(x)

So we have
x, 0 < x < 2
f(x) =
, (x+6) = f(x)
x
3 , 2 < x <6
2
Example 2

Sketch the graph of the periodic function defined by

a) f ( t ) = t , 0 t < 1, Period = 1

b) f ( x) = x 2 , 0 < x < 2 and f ( x + 2) = f ( x)

3 3< x < 0
c) f ( x ) = and f( x + 6) = f( x)
3 x 0< x<3

c)
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Exercise 6.1

1. Write down a mathematical expression for the function whose graph is

shown below

a)

b)

c)

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2. Sketch the graphs of the following;

2 sin x 0< x <

i) f(x)= and f ( x + 2 ) = f ( x )
0 < x < 2

x2
0< x<4
4
ii) f ( x ) = 4 4 < x < 6 and f ( x +8) = f ( x)
0 6< x<8

6.2 Fourier Series

We now discuss how to represent periodic non-sinusoidal function f(x) of period

2L defined in the interval ( L, L ) as a Fourier series. Thus, we seek the Fourier
series representation of the general form
ao
f (x) = + a 1 cos x + a 2 cos 2 x + .... + b1 sin x + b 2 sin 2 x + ...
2
a
nx nx
= 0 + a n cos + b n sin
2 n =1 L L

where a 0 , a n , bn are Fourier coefficients. Obtaining the Fourier coefficients for a

given function f(x) is our main task The general expressions for a 0 , a n , bn are

L
1
L L
a0 = f ( x) dx

L
1 nx
an =
L L
f ( x) cos
L
dx

L
1 nx
bn =
L Lf ( x) sin
L
dx

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Example 1

Consider the square wave of period 2 of which shown below.

a) Write down the analytic description of the function.

5
b) Find f
2
c) Find the Fouries series of the function.

Example 2

Find the Fourier series of

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0, < x , < 0
a) f(x) =
x , 0 x

b) f(x) = x2 , 0 < x < 2

if the period is 2

Example 3

Determine the Fourier series to represent the following periodic function;

2 4

6.3 Even and odd function

Definition (Even and odd): Let f(x) be a function defined for -p < x < p. Then, f(x) is
said to be even if f(-x) = f(x), and f(x) is said to be odd if f(-x) = -f(x) for all x in [-p, p]

Example1

a) f(x) = x2 is an even function since f(-x) = (-x)2 = x2 = f(x)

y = x2

f(x)
f(-x)

-x x

b) f(x) = x3 is odd function since f(-x) = (-x)3 = -x3 = - f(x)

y = x3

f(x)

-x x
f(-x)
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The graph of an even function is symmetrical about y-axis, whereas the graph fo
an odd function is symmetrical about the origin.

Since cos(-x) = cos x, the cosine is an example of an even function. Likewise,

g(x) = x2 and g(x) = x are also examples of even function. On the other hand,
sin(-x) = - sin(x), so the sine is an odd function.

Example 2
a) 2

- 2
-2

f(x) is odd function since y is symmetrical about the origin, i.e f(-x) = - f(x)

b)
2

-
-2

f(x) is even function since y it is symmetrical about the y-axis,

i.e f(-x) = f(x)

c)

2 2

The graph shown a function that is neither even nor odd since not
symmetrical about either the x-axis or the origin.

The useful facts emerge from odd and even functions. Thinking in terms of areas
under the graphs,
For an even function
a) a a

f ( x ) dx = 2 f ( x ) dx
a 0
0 a

-a a
f ( x ) dx = f ( x ) dx
a 0

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b) y
For an odd function
0 a

f ( x ) dx = f ( x ) dx
x a 0
-a a a

f ( x ) dx = 0
a

The following results also hold for even and odd function
i) The product of two even functions is even
ii) The product of an even with an odd functions is odd
iii) The product of two odd functions is even

Theorem: If f(x) is defined in the interval [-L, L] and f(x) is even, then the Fourier
series for f(x) contains cosines terms only. Included in this is a0 which may be
regarded as a n cos nx with n = 0

Theorem: If f(x) is defined in the interval [-L, L] and f(x) is odd, then the Fourier series
for f(x) contains sines terms only.

Example 4

The waveform shown is symmetrical about the y-axis. The function is therefore
even and there will be no sine terms in the series.

-
-2
Example 5
Consider the function shown. Obtain the Fourier series to represent the function.

- 2
-2

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Example 6

Find the Fourier series for the following graph

-1
Exercise 6.2

1. Find the Fourier series of f on the given interval

0 < x < 0

a) f(x) =
1 0x

1 -5 < x < 0

b) f(x) =
1+X 0x5

2 < x < 0
f(x) =
c)
2 x 0 x

d) f(x) = x + , < x <

2. Determine whether the function is even, odd or neither

a) f(x) = sin 3x b) f(x) = x cos x

c) f(x) = x2 + x d) f(x) = e x

e) x2 sin 2x f) x3 cos x
g) 3 sin x cos 4x h) (2x + 3) sin 4x

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3. State whether each of the following functions is odd, even or neither

y
a)

x
-2 2

-
b) y

x
- 2
2

c)
- 2
-2

4. Find the Fourier series of the given fuction.

a)

b)
x 1 < x < 0

c) f(x) = f ( x + 2) = f ( x )
x+1 0x
1 -2 < x < -1
d) -1 < x < 1
f(x) = 0 f(x+4) = f(x)
1 1x2

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e)

9. Given
0 < x < 0
f(x) =
X 0x

Is periodic with period 2 . Find the the coefficient an of the Fourier series
representation of the function
1 cos n 1
an =
n2
10. Given f(x) = 1 + x, < x < , with period 2 . Show that the Fourier series
representation of the function has an = 0

Answers

4 a)

4 b)

4 e)

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