I.

Introduction

A. Definition of Fourier SeriesA Fourier series is an expansion of a periodic function f(x) in terms of an
infinite sum of sines and cosines. Fourier Series makes use of the orthogonality relationships of the sine and
cosine functions.

Laurent Series yield Fourier Series

A difficult thing to understand and/or motivate is the fact that arbitrary periodic functions have Fourier series
representations. In this section, we prove that periodic analytic functions have such a representation using
Laurent expansions.

B. Historical Background

The Fourier series is named in honor of Jean-Baptiste

Joseph Fourier (1768–1830), who made important
contributions to the study of trigonometric series, after
preliminary investigations by Leonhard Euler, Jean le
Rond d'Alembert, and Daniel Bernoulli.  Fourier [D]

introduced the series for the purpose of solving the heat

equation in a metal plate, publishing his initial results in his
1807 Mémoire sur la propagation de la chaleur dans les
corps solides (Treatise on the propagation of heat in solid
bodies), and publishing his Théorie analytique de la
chaleur (Analytical theory of heat) in 1822.
The Mémoire introduced Fourier analysis, specifically
Fourier series. Through Fourier's research the fact was
established that an arbitrary (at first, continuous  and later [8]

generalized to any piecewise-smooth ) function can be [9]

represented by a trigonometric series. The first

announcement of this great discovery was made by
Fourier in 1807, before the French Academy.  Early ideas [10]

of decomposing a periodic function into the sum of simple

oscillating functions date back to the 3rd century BC, when
ancient astronomers proposed an empiric model of
planetary motions, based on deferents and epicycles.
C. Applications
A Fourier Series has many applications in mathematical analysis as it is defined as the sum of multiple
sines and cosines. Thus, it can be easily differentiated and integrated, which usually analyses the
functions such as saw waves which are periodic signals in experimentation. It also provides an analytical
approach to solve the discontinuity problem. In calculus, this helps in solving complex differential
equations.

II. Trigonometric Fourier Series

A. Definition

B. Calculation of coefficients
C. Examples
III. Complex Fourier Series
A. Definition
B. Calculation of coefficients
C. Examples
IV. Properties of Fourier Series
A. Linearity

1. Linearity properties of the Fourier transform

(i) If f(t), g(t) are functions with transforms F(ω), G(ω) respectively, then
• F{f(t) + g(t)} = F(ω) + G(ω)
i.e. if we add 2 functions then the Fourier transform of the resulting function is simply the sum of
the individual Fourier transforms.
(ii) If k is any constant,
• F{kf(t)} = kF(ω)
i.e. if we multiply a function by any constant then we must multiply the Fourier transform by the
same constant. These properties follow from the defifinition of the Fourier transform and from
the properties of integrals.
B. Periodicity

Periodicity in one domain leads to discreteness in the

other domain. E.g., a periodic function has only discrete
frequency components (as shown by its Fourier series). If
these discrete frequency components are periodic, then,
consequently, the periodic function must be discrete, i.e., it
must be non-zero only at discrete times.
In his answer, Fat32 gave an example of a periodic signal with periodic Fourier series
coefficients. The most general form of such a signal is
x(t)=∑m=−∞∞bmδ(t−mTN)(1)(1)�(�)=∑�=−∞∞���(�−���)

where the coefficients bm�� are essentially the discrete Fourier series coefficients of

the N�-periodic Fourier coefficients ak�� of the T�-periodic signal x(t)�(�):
bm=TN∑k=0N−1akej2πkm/N(2)(2)��=��∑�=0�−1����2���/�

x(t)=∑k=−∞∞akej2πkt/T(3)(3)�(�)=∑�=−∞∞����2���/�

As mentioned above, the signal x(t)�(�) is of course discrete in the sense that it is non-
zero only at discrete time instances tm=mT/N��=��/�. Any periodic
signal x(t)�(�) with N�-periodic Fourier coefficients ak�� must be of the form (1)(1).

B. Convolution
C. In mathematics, the convolution theorem states that under suitable conditions the Fourier
transform of a convolution of two functions (or signals) is the pointwise product of their
Fourier transforms. More generally, convolution in one domain (e.g., time domain) equals
point-wise multiplication in the other domain (e.g., frequency domain). Other versions of the
convolution theorem are applicable to various Fourier-related transforms.
D. Parseval's Theorem
E. In mathematics, Parseval's theorem[1] usually refers to the result that the Fourier
transform is unitary; loosely, that the sum (or integral) of the square of a function is equal to
the sum (or integral) of the square of its transform. It originates from a 1799 theorem
about series by Marc-Antoine Parseval, which was later applied to the Fourier series. It is
also known as Rayleigh's energy theorem, or Rayleigh's identity, after John William
Strutt, Lord Rayleigh.[2]
F. Although the term "Parseval's theorem" is often used to describe the unitarity of any Fourier
transform, especially in physics, the most general form of this property is more properly
called the Plancherel theorem.[3]

V. Convergence of Fourier Series

A. Pointwise Convergence
B. Uniform Convergence
C. Gibbs Phenomenon
VI. Applications of Fourier Series
A. Signal Processing
B. Image Processing
C. Partial Differential Equations D. Quantum Mechanics
VII. Conclusion
A. Summary of Fourier Series
B. Future Directions
C. Significance
sPointwise Convergence f Fourier Serie