Half-Range Series

23.5
Introduction
In this Section we address the following problem:
can we nd a Fourier series expansion of a function dened over a nite interval?
Of course we recognise that such a function could not be periodic (as periodicity demands
an innite interval). The answer to this question is yes but we must rst convert the given
non-periodic function into a periodic function. There are many ways of doing this. We shall
concentrate on the most useful extension to produce a so-called half-range Fourier series.
9
8
6
7
Prerequisites
Before starting this Section you should . . .
know how to obtain a Fourier series
be familiar with odd and even functions
and their properties
have knowledge of integration by parts
Learning Outcomes
After completing this Section you should be
able to . . .
choose to expand a non-periodic function
either as a series of sines or as a series of
cosines
1. Half Range Fourier Series
So far we have shown how to represent given periodic functions by Fourier Series. We now
consider a slight variation on this theme which will be useful in the next Unit on solving Partial
Dierential Equations.
Suppose that instead of specifying a periodic function we begin with a function f(t) dened only
over a limited range of values of t, say 0 < t < . Suppose further that we wish to represent
this function, over 0 < t < , by a Fourier Series. (This situation may seem a little articial at
this point, but this is precisely the situation that will arise in solving dierential equations)
To be specic, suppose we dene
f(t) = t
2
0 < t <
t
f(t)

2
t
2
Figure 1
We shall consider the interval 0 < t < to be half a period of a 2 periodic function. We must
therefore dene f(t) for < t < 0 to complete the specication.
Complete the denition of the above function
by dening it over < t < 0 such that the resulting functions will have a
Fourier Series
(i) containing only cosine terms
(ii) containing only sine terms
(iii) containing both cosine and sine terms.
Your solution
HELM (VERSION 1: March 22, 2004): Workbook Level 2
23.5: Half-Range Series
2
( i ) W e m u s t c o m p l e t e t h e d e n i t i o n s o a s t o h a v e a n e v e n p r e i o d i c f u n c t i o n :
f ( t ) = t
2
, < t < 0
t
f
1
( t )
2
F i g u r e 2
( i i ) W e m u s t c o m p l e t e t h e d e n i t i o n s o a s t o h a v e a n o d d p e r i o d i c f u n c t i o n :
f ( t ) = t
2
, < t < 0
t
f
2
( t )
2
F i g u r e 3
( i i i ) W e m a y d e n e f ( t ) i n a n y w a y w e p l e a s e ( o t h e r t h a n ( i ) a n d ( i i ) a b o v e ) . F o r e x a m p l e w e
m i g h t d e n e f ( t ) = 0 o v e r < t < 0 .
t

f
3
( t )
2
F i g u r e 4
The point is that all 3 periodic functions f
1
(t), f
2
(t), f
3
(t) will give rise to a dierent Fourier
Series but all will represent the function f(t) = t
2
over 0 < t < . Fourier Series obtained by
extending functions in this sort of way are often referred to as half-range series.
Normally, in applications, we require either a Fourier Cosine Series (so we would complete a
denition as in (i) above to obtain an even, periodic function) or a Fourier Sine Series (for
which, as in (ii) above, we need an odd periodic function.)
The above considerations apply equally well for a function dened over an interval other than
0 < t < .
Example Obtain a half range Fourier Sine Series to represent the function
f(t) = t
2
0 < t < 3.
3 HELM (VERSION 1: March 22, 2004): Workbook Level 2
23.5: Half-Range Series
We rst extend f(t) as an odd periodic function F(t) of period 6: f(t) = t
2
, 3 < t < 0
t
3
F(t)
Figure 5
We now evaluate the Fourier Series of F(t) by standard techniques but take advantage of the
symmetry and put a
n
= 0, n = 0, 1, 2, . . ..
Using the results for the Fourier Sine coecients for period P derived in the Section 29.2, p15,
b
n
=
2
P
_ P
2

P
2
F(t) sin
_
2nt
P
_
dt,
we put P = 6 and, since the integrand is even (a product of 2 odd functions), we can write
b
n
=
2
3
_
3
0
F(t) sin
_
2nt
6
_
dt
=
2
3
_
3
0
t
2
sin
_
nt
3
_
dt.
(Note that we always carry out integration over the originally dened range of the function, in
this case 0 < t < 3.)
We now have to integrate by parts (twice!)
b
n
=
2
3
_
_

3t
2
n
cos
_
nt
3
__
3
0
+ 2
_
3
n
__
3
0
t cos
_
nt
3
_
dt
_
=
2
3
_

27
n
cos n +
6
n
_
3
n
t sin
nt
3
_
3
0

_
6
n
__
3
n
__
3
0
sin
_
nt
3
_
dt
_
=
2
3
_

27
n
cos n
18
n
2

2
_

3
n
cos
_
nt
3
__
3
0
_
=
2
3
_

27
n
cos n +
54
n
3

3
(cos n 1)
_
i.e. b
n
=
_
_
_

18
n
n = 2, 4, 6, . . .
18
n

72
n
3

3
n = 1, 3, 5, . . .
So the required Fourier Sine Series is
F(t) = 18
_
1

3
_
sin
_
t
3
_

18
2
sin
_
2t
3
_
+ 18
_
1
3

4
27
3
_
sin(t) . . .
HELM (VERSION 1: March 22, 2004): Workbook Level 2
23.5: Half-Range Series
4
Obtain a half-range Fourier Cosine Series to represent the function
f(t) = 4 t 0 < t < 4.
t
f(t)
4
4
Figure 6
First complete the denition to obtain an even periodic function F(t) of period 8. Sketch F(t).
Your solution
t
( t )
4
4
4
F
F i g u r e 7
Now formulate the integral from which the Fourier coecients a
n
can be calculated.
Your solution
W e h a v e w i t h P = 8
a
n
=
2
8
_
4
4
F ( t ) c o s
_
2 n t
8
_
d t
U t i l i s i n g t h e f a c t t h a t t h e i n t e g r a n d h e r e i s e v e n w e g e t
a
n
=
1
2
_
4
0
( 4 t ) c o s
_
n t
4
_
d t
Now integrate by parts to obtain a
n
and also obtain a
0
:
5 HELM (VERSION 1: March 22, 2004): Workbook Level 2
23.5: Half-Range Series
Your solution
U s i n g i n t e g r a t i o n b y p a r t s w e o b t a i n f o r n = 1 , 2 , 3 , . . .
a
n
=
1
2
_
_
( 4 t )
4
n
s i n
_
n t
4
_ _
4
0
+
4
n
_
4
0
s i n
_
n t
4
_
d t
_
=
1
2
_
4
n
_ _
4
n
_ _
c o s
_
n t
4
_ _
4
0
=
8
n
2

2
[ c o s ( n ) + 1 ]
i . e . a
n
=
_
_
_
0 n = 2 , 4 , 6 , . . .
1 6
n
2

2
n = 1 , 3 , 5 , . . .
A l s o a
0
=
1
2
_
4
0
( 4 t ) d t = 4 . S o t h e c o n s t a n t t e r m i s
a
0
2
= 2 .
Now write down the required Fourier Series
Your solution
W e g e t
2 +
1 6

2
_
c o s
_
t
4
_
+
1
9
c o s
_
3 t
4
_
+
1
2 5
c o s
_
5 t
4
_
+ . . .
_
Note that the form of the Fourier Series (a constant of 2 together with odd harmonic cosine
terms) could be predicted if, in Figure 7 , we imagine raising the taxis by 2 units i.e. writing
F(t) = 2 + G(t)
HELM (VERSION 1: March 22, 2004): Workbook Level 2
23.5: Half-Range Series
6
t
(t)
4
2
4
G
2
Figure 8
Clearly G(t) possesses half-period symmetry
G(t + 4) = G(t)
and hence its Fourier Series must contain only odd harmonics.
Exercises
Obtain the half-range Fourier series specied for each of the following functions:
1. f(t) = 1 0 t (sine series)
2. f(t) = t 0 t 1 (sine series)
3. (a) f(t) = e
2t
0 t 1 (cosine series)
(b) f(t) = e
2t
0 t (sine series)
4. (a) f(t) = sin t 0 t (cosine series)
(b) f(t) = sin t 0 t (sine series)
1 .
4

_
s i n t +
1
3
s i n 3 t +
1
5
s i n 5 t +
_
2 .
2

{ s i n t
1
2
s i n 2 t +
1
3
s i n 3 t }
3 . ( a )
e
2
1
2
+

n = 1
4
4 + n
2

2
[ e
2
c o s ( n ) 1 ] c o s n t
( b )

n = 1
2 n
4 + n
2

2
[ 1 e
2
c o s ( n ) ] s i n n t
4 . ( a )
2

n = 2
1

_
1
1 n
( 1 c o s ( 1 n ) ) +
1
1 + n
( 1 c o s ( 1 + n ) )
_
c o s n t
( b ) s i n t i t s e l f ( ! )
7 HELM (VERSION 1: March 22, 2004): Workbook Level 2
23.5: Half-Range Series