Mathematics: Lecture ‫ﻣﺪﺭﺱ ﺍﺯﻫﺎﺭ ﻣﺎﻟﻚ‬

Fourier series:

Fourier Series:
Are series of cosine and sine terms and arise in the important practical task of
representing general periodic functions.

Periodic functions:
A function f (x) is called periodic if it is defined for all real x and if there is
some positive No. T such that
f ( x + T ) = f ( x)
The No. T is called a period of f (x) .

Fourier said If f ( x + T ) = f ( x) , T: periodic No. Then

a0 ∞  2 nπ 2 nπ 
f ( x) = + ∑  an cos x + bn sin x
2 n =1  T T 

Where a0 , an & bn are Fourier coefficients and

B
2
a0 =
T ∫ f ( x) dx
A

2nπ
B
2
an =
T ∫ f ( x) cos
A
T
x dx

2 nπ
B
2
bn =
T ∫ f ( x) sin
A
T
x dx

A x B

Notes:
sin nπ = 0 , (n = 0 , ± 1 , ± 2 ,....) , n integer No.

- 1 n = 1 , 3 , 5 , ...
cos nπ = 
1 n = 0 , 2 , 4 , ...

cos 2nπ = 1 for all n , (n = 0 , ± 1 , ± 2 , ± 3 , ....)

cos (- x) = cos x even

sin (- x) = sin x odd

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Mathematics: Lecture ‫ﻣﺪﺭﺱ ﺍﺯﻫﺎﺭ ﻣﺎﻟﻚ‬
Fourier series:

EX.:
Write Fourier series for f ( x) = x , 0  x  2π
⇒ T = 2π - 0 = 2π

First we find a0 , an & bn

B
2
a0 =
T ∫ f ( x) dx = 2π
A

2nπ
B
2
an =
T ∫ f ( x) cos
A
T
x dx

2π
1
=
π ∫ x cos nx dx
0
, by udv

=0

∴ an = 0

2nπ
B
2
bn =
2π ∫ x sin
A
2π
x dx

B
1
=
π ∫ x sin nx dx
A
, u = x , dv = sin nx

−2
=
n

−2 −2 −2
b1 = , b2 = , b3 =
1 2 3
∞
2
⇒ f ( x) = ∑ bn sin nx , an = 0
2π n =1
= π + (b1 sin x + b 2 sin 2 x + b3 sin 3 x +  )
−2 −2 −2
=π +( sin x + sin 2 x + sin 3 x +  )
1 2 3
1 1
= π − 2 ( sin x + sin 2 x + sin 3 x +  )
2 3

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Mathematics: Lecture ‫ﻣﺪﺭﺱ ﺍﺯﻫﺎﺭ ﻣﺎﻟﻚ‬
Fourier series:

Fourier even & odd functions

1) If f (x) is even , then

i) b n = 0
B
2
ii) a 0 = ⋅ 2 ∫ f ( x)dx
T 0

2 nπ
B
2
iii) a n = ⋅ 2 ∫ f ( x) cos x dx
T 0
T

2) If f (x) is odd , then

i) a 0 = a n = 0
2 nπ
B
2
ii) b n = ⋅ 2 ∫ f ( x) sin x dx
T 0
T

Def.:
A function f (x) is even if f (− x) = f ( x) for all x . For example, f ( x) = x 2 .
A function f (x) is odd if f (− x) = − f ( x) for all x . For example, f ( x) = x 3 .

Notes:
- If f (x) symmetric about y-axis ⇒ even.

f ( x) = x 2 , f ( x) = cos x , f ( x) = f ( x) , f ( x) = constant

- If f (x) symmetric about origin ⇒ odd.

f ( x) = sin x

EX.:
− 1 , -2 x0
Write Fourier series for f ( x) = 
 1 , 0 x2
⇒ T = 2 - (-2) = 4
i) From sketch ⇒ symmetric about origin ⇒ odd.

⇒ a0 = an = 0

2 nπ
B
2
b n = ⋅ 2 ∫ 1 ⋅ sin x dx
4 0 4
nπ
B
= ∫1 ⋅ sin x dx
0
2
nπ
2
-2 -2
= cos x = (cos nπ - 1)
nπ 2 0 nπ

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Mathematics: Lecture ‫ﻣﺪﺭﺱ ﺍﺯﻫﺎﺭ ﻣﺎﻟﻚ‬
Fourier series:

2
∴ bn = (1 − cos nπ ) …. (1)
nπ

To find b1 , put n = 1 in eq. (1)

2 4 2
∴ b1 = (1 − (−1)) = , b2 = (1 − 1)) = 0
π π 2π
2 4 2
b3 = (1 + 1)) = , b4 = (1 − 1)) = 0
3π 3π 5π
2 4
b5 = (1 + 1)) =
5π 5π

∞
nπ
⇒ f ( x ) = ∑ b n sin x
n =1 2
4 4 π 3π 4 5π
= sin sin x + 0+
x+0+ sin x + .....
π 2 3π 2 5π 2
4 π 1 3π 1 5π
= (sin x + sin x + sin x + .....)
π 2 3 2 5 2

Notes:

cos( x + y) = cos xcos y − sin x sin y

add
cos( x − y) = cos xcos y + sin x sin y
cos( x + y) + cos( x − y) = 2cos xcos y
1
cos xcos y = [cos( x + y) + cos( x − y)]
2

We can obtain sin x sin y by subtraction.

sin( x + y ) = sin x cos y + cos x sin y

subtraction
sin( x − y ) = sin x cos y − cos x sin y
sin( x + y ) + sin( x − y ) = 2cos x sin y
1
cos x sin y = sin( x + y ) + sin( x − y )
2

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Mathematics: Lecture ‫ﻣﺪﺭﺱ ﺍﺯﻫﺎﺭ ﻣﺎﻟﻚ‬
Fourier series:

EX.:
 -π π
cos x , x
Write Fourier series for f ( x) =  2 2
0 π 3π
 , x
2 2
3π π
⇒ T= + = 2π
2 2

-π π
f (x) is even in x ⇒ bn = 0
2 2

This is true if and only if the other interval = 0

2 2 2
a0 = ⋅ 2 ∫ f ( x)dx =
T 0
π

2 2 2nπ
an = ⋅ 2 ∫ f ( x) cos x dx
T 0
2
π
2
2
= ⋅ 2 ∫ cos x cos n x dx ....(1)
2π 0
π

2 21
π ∫0 2
= [cos( x + nx) + cos ( x − nx)] dx

π
1 1 1 2
=  sin ( x + nx) + sin ( x − nx) 
π 1 + n 1− n 0
1 1  π π  1  π π 
=  sin ( + n ) − sin 0 + sin ( − n ) − 0 ....(2)
π 1 + n  2 2  1− n  2 2 

To find a1 , put n = 1 in eq. (1)

π π
π
2 2
1 2 2
1 1 2
∴ a1 = ⋅ ∫ cos x dx = ⋅ ∫ (1 + cos 2 x) dx =  x + sin 2 x 
π 0 π 02 π 2 0
1 π 1
= ( + 0 − (0 + 0)) =
π 2 2

in eq.(2)

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Mathematics: Lecture ‫ﻣﺪﺭﺱ ﺍﺯﻫﺎﺭ ﻣﺎﻟﻚ‬
Fourier series:

1 1 3π −π 
a2 =  {sin } − {sin }
π 3 2 2 
1 −1 2
= ( + 1) =
π 3 3π

1 1 1 
a3 =  {0 - {0}} = 0
π 4 2 

1 1 5π 1 − 3π 
a4 =  {sin } − {sin }
π 5 2 3 2 
1 1 1 −2
= ( − )=
π 5 3 15π

a0 ∞
⇒ f ( x) = + ∑ a n cos nx
2 n =0
1 1 2 2 
= +  cos x + cos 2 x − cos 4 x + ......
π 2 3π 15π 

Problems:
U

Write the Fourier series for the following functions:

 a , 0  x π
1) f ( x) = 
− a , π  x  2π

2) f ( x) = x , -π  x π

π + x , -π  x  0
3) f ( x) = 
π − x , 0  x π

4) f ( x) = sin x , -π  x π

0 , −2 x0
5) f ( x) = 
1 , 0x2

− 1 , −1 x  0
6) f ( x) = 
2 x , 0  x 1

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Mathematics: Lecture ‫ﻣﺪﺭﺱ ﺍﺯﻫﺎﺭ ﻣﺎﻟﻚ‬
Fourier series:

 −π π
k , x
7) f ( x) =  2 2
0 π 3π
 , x
2 2

 −π π
 x , x
8) f ( x) =  2 2
π - x π 3π
 , x
2 2

9) f ( x) = x , -π  x  π .

10) f ( x) = x 3 , -π  x  π .

 1 , -π  x  0
11) f ( x) = 
− 1 , 0  x π

 −π π
x , x
 2 2
12) f ( x) = 
0 π 3π
 , x
2 2

13) Find the Fourier series of the function f (x) which is assumed to have the period
2π . 1

-π π/2 π/2 π

14) Find the Fourier series of the function f (x)

-π π

15) Find the Fourier series of the function f (x)

7
-k π 2π
Mathematics: Lecture ‫ﻣﺪﺭﺱ ﺍﺯﻫﺎﺭ ﻣﺎﻟﻚ‬
Fourier series:

References:
U

1- Advanced Engineering Mathematics (Erwin Kreyszic)- 8th Edition.

P P

2- Calculus (Haward Anton).

3- Advanced Mathematics for Engineering Studies (‫ ﺭﻳﺎﺽ ﺍﺣﻤﺪ ﻋﺰﺕ‬.‫)ﺃ‬