CHAPTER 101 FOURIER SERIES FOR PERIODIC FUNCTIONS

OF PERIOD 2π

EXERCISE 362 Page 1066

1. Determine the Fourier series for the periodic function:

 − 2, when − π 〈 x 〈 0
f(x) = 
 + 2, when 0 〈 x 〈 π

which is periodic outside this range of period 2π.

The periodic function is shown in the diagram below.

∞
The Fourier series is given by: f(x) = a0 + ∑ ( an cos nx + bn sin nx ) (1)
n =1

a0 =
1
2π
π
∫ π f ( x) d x =
−
1
2π {∫ 0

−π
π
−2 d x + ∫ 2 d x =
0 } 1
2π
{[−2 x] 0
−π
+ [2 x] 0
π
}
=
1
2π
{[(0) − (2π )] + [(2π ) − (0)]=} 0
1 π 1 0 π
{
an =∫ f ( x) cos nx d x =∫ −2 cos nx d x + ∫ 2 cos nx d x
π −π π −π 0 }
π
1   2  
0
 2
=  − sin nx + sin nx   = 0
π   n 
−π
 n

0 

1 π 1 0
{ π
bn =∫ f ( x) sin nx d x = ∫ −2sin nx d x + ∫ 2sin nx d x
π −π π −π 0 }
=
π
1   2   2
0
  2

π   n
cos nx  + −
 n =
cos nx   π n {[ cos 0 − cos n(−π ) ] − [ cos nπ − cos 0]}
−π 0 


1507 © 2014, John Bird

When n is even, =
bn
2
πn
{[1 − 1] − [1 − 1=
]} 0

When n is odd, =
bn
2
πn
{ − 1]}
[1 − −1] − [ −1=
2
πn
=( 4)
8
πn
8 8 8
Hence, b1 = , b3 = , b5 = and so on
π 3π 5π
Substituting onto equation (1) gives:

8 8 8
f(x) = 0 + 0 + sin x + sin 3 x + sin 5 x + ...
π 3π 5π

8 1 1 
i.e. f(x) =  sin x + sin 3 x + sin 5 x + ... 
π 3 5 

π π
2. For the Fourier series in Problem 1, deduce a series for at the point where x =
4 2

π 8 π 8 3π 8 5π
When x = , f(x) = 2, hence 2= sin + sin + sin + ...
2 π 2 3π 2 5π 2
8 1 1 1 
i.e. 2= 1 − + − + ... 
π 3 5 7 
2π 1 1 1
and =1 − + − + ...
8 3 5 7
π 1 1 1
i.e. =1 − + − + ...
4 3 5 7

3. For the waveform shown below determine (a) the Fourier series for the function and (b) the sum

of the Fourier series at the points of discontinuity.

∞
(a) The Fourier series is given by: f(x) = a0 + ∑ ( an cos nx + bn sin nx ) (1)
n =1

1508 © 2014, John Bird

=a0
1
2π
π
∫ π f (=
−
x) d x
1
2π {∫ −π /2

−π
0d x + ∫
π /2

−π /2
π
1d x + ∫ =
π /2
0d x } 1
2π
{[ x=
] }
π /2
−π /2
1 π
 −=
2π  2
π 1
−  =
2  2π
{π }
1
2

π {∫ }
1 π 1 −π /2 π /2 π

π∫π
=
an f ( x) cos nx=
dx (0) cos nx d x + ∫ 1cos nx d x + ∫ (0) cos nx d x
− −π −π /2 π2

π /2
π /2 1   1   1   π   π 
= ∫ cos nx d x =   sin nx
=    sin  n  − sin  −n  
−π /2 π   n  −π /2  π n   2   2 

1 2
When n = 1, =
a1 (1 − −=
1)
π π
1
When n = 2, a2 = ( 0 − 0 ) =0 =a4 =a6 and so on for all even values of n
2π
1 2
When n = 3, a1 = ( −1 − 1) =−
3π 3π
1 2
When n = 5, =
a5 −1)
(1 −=
5π 5π
2 2
Hence, a7 = − , a9 = and so on
7π 9π

π {∫ }
1 π 1 −π /2 π /2 π
=
bn
π ∫π
−
f ( x) sin nx=
dx
−π
(0) sin nx d x + ∫
−π /2
1sin nx d x + ∫
π /2
(0) sin nx d x

π /2
π /2 1   1   1   π   π  
∫−π /2
= sin nx d x =  −
π   n
cos nx 
 −π 
=
−  cos  n  − cos  −n   
π n   2   2  

Whatever value of n is chosen, bn = 0

Substituting onto equation (1) gives:

1 2 2 2 2
f(x) = + cox − cos 3 x + cos 5 x − cos 7 x + ... + 0
2 π 3π 5π 7π

1 2 1 1 
i.e. f(x) = +  cos x − cos 3 x + cos 5 x + ... 
2 π 3 5 

(b) The sum of the Fourier series at the points of discontinuity (i.e. at π/2, π, 3π/2, ...) is:
1+ 0 1
=
2 2

4. For Problem 3, draw graphs of the first three partial sums of the Fourier series and show that as

the series is added together term by term the result approximates more and more closely to the

1509 © 2014, John Bird

 function it represents.

2 2 2 1
In the diagram below graphs of cos x, cos 3x and cos 5x and f(x) = are shown
π 3π 5π 2
2 2 2
A graph of cos x – cos 3x + cos 5x is also shown
π 3π 5π
1 2 2 2
Finally, a graph of f(x) = + cos x – cos 3x + cos 5x is sketched. If further harmonics
2 π 3π 5π
were added then the waveform would approach that shown in Problem 3

1510 © 2014, John Bird

 5. Find the term representing the third harmonic for the periodic function of period 2π given by:

 0, when − π 〈 x 〈 0
f(x) = 
 1, when 0 〈 x 〈 π

The periodic function is shown in the diagram below.

π
1 π 1 π 1  sin nx 
=an
π ∫π
−
f ( x=
) cos nx d x ∫
π 0
=1cos nx d x =
π  n  0
0

1 π 1 π
bn =
π∫ f ( x) sin nx d x
−π π∫ 0
sin nx d x

π
1   cos nx   1 1
= −  − {cos nπ − cos 0} =−
= {1 cos nπ }
π   n  0  πn πn

The third harmonic is when n = 3,

1 1 2
i.e. =
b3 {1 − cos =
3π } {1 −=
−1}
3π 3π 3π

∞
Since the Fourier series is given by: f(x) = a0 + ∑ ( an cos nx + bn sin nx ) ,
n =1

2
the 3rd harmonic term is: sin 3 x
3π

6. Determine the Fourier series for the periodic function of period 2π defined by:


 0, when − π 〈 t 〈 0

 π
f(t) =  1, when 0 〈 t 〈
 2
 π
 − 1, when 2 〈 t 〈 π

The function has a period of 2π

1511 © 2014, John Bird
 The periodic function is shown in the diagram below

=a0
1
2π ∫π
π

−
=
f (t ) d t
1
2π {∫ 0

−π
0dt + ∫
π /2

0
1
1d t + ∫ =
π
−1d t
2π
π /2 }
[t ] 0 + [ −t ] π /2
π /2 π
{ }
1   π     π  
=    − ( 0 )  + ( −π ) − =
−   0
2π   2     2  

π {∫ }
1 π 1 π /2 π

π∫π
=an f (=
t ) cos nt d t cos nt d t + ∫ − cos nx d x
− 0 π /2

π /2 π
1   sin nt   sin nt   1   nπ   nπ  
=   − =    sin − 0  − sin nπ − sin 
π   n  0  n  π /2  nπ   2   2  

When n is even, an = 0

1  π   π  1
When n = 1, a=
1  sin − 0  − sin π − sin  =
π  2   2  π
{[1 − 0] − [0 − 1]}=
2
π

  3π   3π   1
− 0  − sin 3π − sin   = {[ −1 − 0] − [ 0 − −1]} =
1 2
When n = 3, a3 =  sin −
3π  2   2   3π 3π

  5π   5π   1
When n = 5, =
a5
1
5π
 sin − 0  − sin 5π − sin = 
2   5π
{ ]}
[1 − 0] − [0 − 1=
2
5π
 2  
2 2
It follows that a7 = − , a9 = and so on
7π 9π

π {∫ }
1 π 1 π /2 π

π∫π
=bn f (=
t ) sin nt d t sin nt d t + ∫ − sin nt d t
− 0 π /2

=
π /2 π
1   cos nt   cos nt   1   nπ   nπ  
−  +   = − cos − cos 0  + cos nπ − cos  
π   n 0  n  π /2  π n   2   2 

1  nπ   nπ  1  nπ 
= 1 − cos  +  cos nπ − cos   = 1 − 2 cos + cos nπ 
π n  2   2  π n  2 
1
When n is odd, =
bn {1 − 0 −=
1} 0
πn

1512 © 2014, John Bird

 1 4 2
When n is even, b2= {1 − 2(−1) + 1}= =
2π 2π π
1
b=
4 {1 − 2(1) + 1=} 0
4π
1 4 2
b6 = {1 − 2(−1) + 1}= =
6π 6π 3π
2
Similarly, b8 = 0 , b10 = , and so on
5π
∞
Substituting into f(t) = a0 + ∑ ( an cos nt + bn sin nt )
n =1

2 2 2 2
gives: f(x) = 0 + cos t − cos 3t + cos 5t − cos 7t + ...
π 3π 5π 7π

2 2 2
+ sin 2t + sin 6t + sin10t + ...
π 3π 5π

2 1 1 1 1 
i.e. f(x) =  cos t − cos 3t + cos 5t − ... + sin 2t + sin 6t + sin10t + ... 
π 3 5 3 5 

7. Show that the Fourier series for the periodic function of period 2π defined by:

 θ , when − π 〈 θ 〈 0
f(θ) = 
sin θ , when 0 〈 θ 〈 π

2  1 cos 2θ cos 4θ cos 6θ 

is given by: f(θ) =  − − − − ... 
π 2 (3) (3)(5) (5)(7) 

The periodic function is shown in the diagram below

=
a0
1
2π
π
∫ π f (θ ) d=
−
θ
1
2π {∫ 0

−π
π
0 d θ + ∫ sin θ d =
0
θ } 1
2π
{[− cosθ ]=} π
0
1
2π 
{ }
( − cos π ) − ( − cos 0 ) 

1 1 1
= (1 − cos=
π) −1)
(1 −=
2π 2π π

1513 © 2014, John Bird

 π {∫ }
1 0 π
an 0 cos nθ d θ + ∫ sin θ cos nθ d θ
−π 0

=
1 π1
 ∫ 0 sin (θ + nθ ) + sin (=
π 2
 1
θ − nθ )  
 2π
{∫ sin θ (1 + n) + sin θ (1 − n) dθ } from 6, page 716
0
π

of the textbook
π
1  cos θ (1 + n ) θ (1 − n )  1  cos π (1 + n ) cos π (1 − n )   1 1 
= − − cos =  − − −− − 
2π  1+ n 1 − n  0 2π  1+ n 1− n   1 + n 1 − n  

1  1 1 1 1 
When n is odd, an =  − 1 + n − 1 − n + 1 + n + 1 − n  = 0
2π
1  cos 3π cos(−π ) 1 1  1  1 1  1  4 2
When n = 2, a=
2 − − + + =   − 1 + − 1=
 − = −
2π  3 −1 3 −1  2π  3 3  2π  3  3π
1  cos 5π cos(−3π ) 1 1  1 1 1 1 1 
When n = 4, a=
4 − − + + =  − + − 
2π  5 −3 5 −3  2π 5 3 5 3
1 3 − 5 + 3 − 5  1  4  2
=  = − =−
2π  (3)(5)  2π  (3)(5)  π (3)(5)
1  cos 7π cos(−5π ) 1 1  1  1 1 1 1 
When n = 6, a=
6 − − + + =  − + − 
2π  7 −5 7 −5  2π  7 5 7 5 

1 5 − 7 + 5 − 7  1  4  2
=  = − =−
2π  (5)(7)  2π  (5)(7)  π (5)(7)

π {∫ }
1 0 π
bn 0sin nθ d θ + ∫ sin θ sin nθ d θ
−π 0

π
1 π 1  1  sin θ (1 + n) sin θ (1 − n) 
=  ∫ 0 − cos (θ + nθ ) − cos (θ − nθ )   =
− − = 0 from 9, page
π 2  2π  1 + n 1 − n  0

716 of the textbook

∞
Substituting into f(θ) = a0 + ∑ ( an cos nθ + bn sin nθ )
n =1

1 2 2 2
gives: f(θ) = − cos 2θ − cos 4θ − cos 6θ − ... + 0
π 3π (3)(5)π (5)(7)π

2  1 cos 2θ cos 4θ cos 6θ 

i.e. f(θ) =  − − − − ... 
π 2 (3) (3)(5) (5)(7) 

1514 © 2014, John Bird