Fourier series

Prelims
We know that

cos( x) cos x

and

sin( x) sin x

Also, if n is an integer

cos n (1)n ,

sin n 0 , cos2n 1 and

The function

f (x)

is an even function

f ( x ) f ( x ) .

The function

f (x)

is an odd function

f ( x ) f ( x ) .

sin2n 0

Examples:

The functions

x 2 4 and

The functions

x3 4 x and sin x are odd functions.

The function

are even functions.

x 2 4 x 5 is neither odd nor even.

Exercise: Identify the following functions as odd, even or neither.

x 2 sin x , x3 x cos x

Periodic Function:

A function

f ( x) if there is positive number T, such that f ( x T ) f ( x) .

If T is the smallest such value it is called natural or fundamental period of the function.

It is obvious that

If

f ( x) f ( x T ) f ( x 2T ) f ( x 3T ) L L

f ( x) and g( x) are two functions of period T, then so is af ( x) bg( x)

Examples:
1. sin x and cos x have natural period 2.
2. tan x has natural period .
Execise:

1.
2.

2 nx
Find the smallest period of
cos 2x,
sin x,
cos nx,
.
Sketch or plot the following functions which are assumed to be periodic with period 2 andk are defined
sin

for < x < .

a.

f ( x) x

b.

f ( x) x

c.

f ( x) sin x
x if x 0
0 if 0 x

d.

f ( x)

e.

f ( x)

f.

f ( x)

1 if x 0
1 if 0 x

x if x 0
x if 0 x
2

Fourier series:

sin and

Consider the functions

and measured in radians.

, where is angle positive or negative, not limited in size

Let P be a point with polar coordinates r = 1 and . The point P lies on the unit circle (circle having
radius 1). Let x and y be the rectangular coordinates of P. They are uniquely determined by as shown in
Figure 1. These are cosine and sine functions of defined as

x cos

y sin
Y

y = sin

x = cos

Figure 1 Rectangular and Polar coordinate systems

The domain of these functions all real numbers and range is the interval [-1 , 1].

 (2 radians) to any angle , the position of point P retains its

If we add the angle of full rotation
original position and rectangular coordinates remain unchanged. Thus we have

360

x cos cos(2 )

y sin sin( 2 )

Hence both sine and cosine are periodic with period 2. A graph of these functions is given in Figure 2.

sin

0.5

cos

-2.5

2.5

2
7.5

3
10

-0.5

-1 of the functions cos and sin .

Figure 2: Graphs

The mean values of both the functions calculated over one period are 0.
Any curve resembling these graphs is called sine curve.
Data related to rhythmical phenomenon in biology can be approximated by sine curves

In general any periodic function can be presented as an infinite sum of a constant and sine and cosine
functions i.e. if

f (t ) is a periodic function of period T, then

f (t ) a0 (a1 cos t b1 sin t ) (a2 cos 2t b2 sin 2t ) (a3 cos 3t b3 sin 3t ) ..........

a0 (an cos nt bn sin nt )

1

Where

2
is Fundamental Frequency, and
T

1
a0 f (t )dt
T
0

2
an f (t ) cos nt dt ,
T
0

2
bn f (t ) sin nt dt ,
T

n 1, 2, 3,...................

We can also use integral limits

T
2

to

T
2

Example 1
Determine the Fourier series representation of the following waveform.

Solution:
First we define the function representing the wave form and determine its period.
We observe from the graph that the shape of the curve from t = 0 to t =2 is same as the shape from t =
-2 to t = 0. i.e shape of the curve is repeated at time intervals of 2.
So we define

1, 0 t 1
0, 1 t 2

f (t 2) f (t )

f (t )

Now we obtain the coefficients of the Fourier series

f (t ) a0 (an cos nt bn sin nt ),

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
a0 f (t )dt f (t )dt dt 0dt t 0 0 1 0
2
2
T
2
2
2
2
0
0
1
0
T

2
2
sin nt
sin n
an f (t ) cos nt dt f (t ) cos nt dt cos nt dt 0 dt
0
T
2
n 0
n
0
0
0
1
Since

sin sin2 sin3 K 0

an 0 for n 1.

Therefore

2
2
cos nt
cos n 1
bn f (t ) sin nt dt f (t ) sin nt dt sin nt dt 0 dt
0
T
2
n 0
n
We know that

cos cos3 cos5 K 1

cos2 cos 4 cos6 K 1
or

cos n 1 n

Therefore

1 (1)n
bn
n

Finally

f (t ) a0 ( an cos nt bn sin nt )
1

1
1 (1) n

sin nt
2 1
n

1 2
2
2
sin t sin 3t sin 5t ..............
2
3
5
8

The progressive sum of the Fourier series terms evolves (progresses)

into the original waveform.
We demonstrate this with the Fourier series in the above example. We have obtained that

1 2
2
2
f (t ) sin t sin 3t sin 5t ..............
2
3
5
We plot the progressive sums of

2
2
2
sin t sin3 t sin5 t K

3
5

(a)

2
sin t

(b)

2
2
sin t sin3 t

(c)

2
2
2
sin t sin3 t sin5 t

3
5

(d)

2
2
2
2
sin t sin3 t sin5 t sin 7 t

3
5
7

(e)

1 2
2
2
sin t sin3 t K sin 23 t
2
3
23
10

11

Example 2
Given

f (t ) t
1 t 1
f (t 2) f (t )

f (t ) over 3 t 3

Plot

f (t )

Then obtain the Fourier Series Expansion of

Solution:
The graph of the function

1.5
1
0.5
f(t)

0
-4

-3

-2

-1
0
-0.5

-1
-1.5
t

Since

, therefore

The coefficients then are

12

 1
T
1
1
1
1
1
1 t2 1 1 1
a0 f (t )dt f (t )dt tdt
0
T
2
2
2 2 2 2 2
0
1
1
1
2
an
T

T /2

T / 2

f (t ) cos ntdt t cos nt dt

1

t sin nt
sin nt

dt
n 1
n
1
1

sin n (1) sin n (1) cos nt

n
(n )2 1
cos n cos n (1) cos n cos n
0

0
( n ) 2
( n ) 2
2
bn
T

T /2

T / 2

f (t ) sin ntdt t sin nt dt

1

t cos nt
cos nt

dt
n
n

1 1
1

cos n ( 1) cos( n )
cos nt

dt
n
n
1

2 cos n sin nt

n
(n )2 1

2(1) n sin n sin n (1) 2( 1)n 1

n
n
( n ) 2
( n ) 2

Finally

13

a0
f (t ) (an cos nt bn sin nt )
2
n 1
2(1)n 1

sin n t
n
n 1
2
2
2
sin t sin 2 t sin 3 t K

2
3

f (t ) a0 (an cos nt bn sin nt )

1

2(1)n 1

sin nt
n

n 1

2
2
2
2
sin t
sin 2t
sin 3t
sin 4t .......... ....

2
3
4

2(1)n 1
sin nt
n

n 1

The plots of the progressive sums of the series

n=1

-4

-3

-2

are

n=2

1.00

1.00

0.50

0.50

0.00
-1 0
-0.50
-1.00

-4

-3

-2

0.00
-1 0
-0.50

-1.00

14

n=12
1.50
1.00

-4

-3

-2

0.50
0.00
-1
-0.50 0
-1.00

-1.50

n =62
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
-4

-3

-2

-1
0
-0.50

-1.00
-1.50

15

Example 3

Given

2 t, 0 t 2
2t 4,
0,

v(t )

Sketch the graph of

v(t 4) v(t )

v(t ) for 0 t 12 , and compute the Fourier series for this function.

Solution:
The graph of the function is

3
2
v(t) 1
0
0

10

12

14

0
We find that

T 2

The coefficients of the Fourier series are

1
1

a0 v(t )dt (2 t )dt 0dt

T
4
0
2
0
T

1
1
t2
1
(2 t )dt 2t

4
4
2
2

16

2
2
an v(t ) cos ntdt
T
4
T

(2 t ) cos ntdt 0dt

1
sin nt
sin nt
(2 t )
(0 1)
dt
2
nw 0
nw

1
cos nt 1 cos n 2 cos 0 1 cos 2n / 2
1
0

2
(nw)2 0 2 (nw) 2
( nw) 2 2 (n / 2) 2
(n / 2) 2

2
(n )

1 cos n
2

1 (1) n
( n ) 2
2

2
2
bn v(t ) sin ntdt
T
4
T

(2 t ) sin ntdt 0dt

1
cos nt
cos nt
(2 t )
(0 1)
dt
2
nw 0
nw

2
1
2
cos nt 1 2 sin nt
0

dt

2
n nw
2 n (nw) 2
0

2 2

1 2 sin n 2 1 4
sin n
2

2 n ( nw) 2 2 n (n / 2) 2 n
Finally we have the Fourier series

f (t ) a0 (an cos nt bn sin nt )

n 1
2 1 (1) n

n 1

(n )2

cos nt 2 sin nt
2

17

The plots of the progressive sums of this series are as under

n=1
1.5
1
0.5
0
-0.5

10

12

14

10

12

14

n=2
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
-0.5 0

n=10
3
2
1
0
-1

10

12

14

18

n=62
3
2
1
0
-1

10

12

14

19