Fourier Series

⎧0 −2 ≤ t < 0
1. Find the Fourier series for the function of period 4, f ( t ) = ⎨ .
⎩1 0 ≤ t < 2
Solution:
a ∞
⎛ nπ t nπ t ⎞
The Fourier series corresponding to f (t ) is 0 + ∑ ⎜ an cos + bn sin ⎟ , where
2 n =1 ⎝ 2 2 ⎠
2 2 2
1 ⎛ nπ t ⎞ 1 ⎛ nπ t ⎞ 1
an = ∫ f (t ) cos ⎜ ⎟ dt = ∫ 1cos ⎜ ⎟ dt = 0, n ≠ 0 , a0 = ∫ 1dt = 1 ,
2 −2 ⎝ 2 ⎠ 20 ⎝ 2 ⎠ 20
2 ⎧ 2
1 ⎛ nπ t ⎞ 1 ⎪ if n is odd
bn = ∫ 1sin ⎜ ⎟ dt = (1 − cos nπ ) = ⎨ nπ .
20 ⎝ 2 ⎠ nπ ⎪⎩ 0 if n is even
1 2 ∞ 1 ⎡ (2n − 1)π t ⎤
f (t ) ~ + ∑ sin ⎢
2 π n =1 2n − 1 ⎣ 2 ⎥⎦ .

⎧ − cos x −π ≤ x < 0
2. Find the Fourier series for the function f ( x ) = ⎨ .
⎩ cos x 0≤ x <π
Solution:
Since f (x) is an odd function of x , it is easy to see that all an = 0 .
π π
2 21 1 − cos(1 + n) x cos(1 − n) x ⎤ π
bn = ∫ cos x sin nxdx = ∫ [sin(1 + n) x − sin(1 − n) x ] dx = ⎡⎢ + , n ≠1
π 0
π 20 π ⎣ 1+ n 1 − n ⎥⎦ 0
⎧ 0 if n is odd, n ≠ 1
2n ⎪
= 2 (1 + cos nπ ) , n ≠ 1 = ⎨ 4n
(
n −1 π ) ⎪ (n 2 − 1)π if n is even
⎩
π 2
2 2 ⎛ sin x ⎞ π 8 ∞ n sin 2nt
b1 = ∫ cos x sin xdx = ⎜ = 0 . The required series is ∑ .
π 0 π ⎝ 2 ⎟⎠ 0 π n =1 4n 2 − 1

3. Find the Fourier series of the following functions.

2
(a) f (t ) = (1 + t ) , − π < t ≤ π
⎧ 0 0 ≤ x < π
(b) f ( t ) = ⎨
⎩sin t π ≤ x < 2π

Solution:
a0 ∞
(a) The Fourier series corresponding to f ( t ) is + ∑ ( an cos nt + bn sin nt ) , where
2 n =1

1
 π π
1 2
∫ (t + 2t + 1) cos ntdt (t + 1) cos ntdt
2 2
an = =
π −π
2 t is odd
t 2 +1 is even
π∫ 0

2 ⎛ ⎡ 2 ⎛ sin nt ⎞ ⎤ π
π
⎛ sin nt ⎞ ⎞ −4 ⎡ ⎛ − cos nt ⎞ π 1 π ⎤ 4( −1) n
= ⎜ ( t + 1) ⎜⎝ n ⎟⎠⎥ 0 ∫ ⎜⎝ n ⎟⎠ ⎟ nπ ⎢ ⎜⎝ n ⎟⎠ 0 n ∫
− 2tdt = t + cos ntdt ⎥ =
π ⎝ ⎢⎣ ⎦ 0 ⎠ ⎣ 0 ⎦ n2
1 π 2 π 4 ) # −cos nt & π 1π , 4(−1) n+1
π −π
( )
bn = ∫ t 2 + 2t +1 sin nt dt = ∫ 2t sin nt dt = +t %
π 0 π* $ n ' 0 n 0
( + ∫ cos nt dt . =
- n

1 π 2 π
2 ! t3 $ π 2 π2 +3 ( )
π −π
(
a0 = ∫ t 2 + 2t +1 dt =
π
) ∫(
0
2
)
t +1 dt = # + t &
π"3 % 0
=
3
⎛ 4( −1)n π2 +3
4( −1)n+1 ⎞ ∞
Hence, the Fourier series for f (t ) is + ∑ ⎜ 2
cos nt + sin nt ⎟
3 n =1 ⎝ n n ⎠
a ∞
(b) The Fourier series corresponding to f (t ) is 0 + ∑ (a n cos nt + bn sin nt ) where
2 n =1
2π 2π 2π
1 1 1
an = ∫ f (t ) cos ntdt = ∫ sin t cos ntdt = ∫ [sin(n + 1)t − sin(n − 1)t ] dt
π 0
π π 2π π

1 ⎡ cos(n + 1)t cos(n − 1)t ⎤ 2π

= ⎢ − n + 1 + n − 1 ⎥ π ,n ≠1
2π ⎣ ⎦
⎧ 0 if n is odd, n ≠ 1
1 ⎡ 1 1 (−1) n +1 (−1) n −1 ⎤ 1 ⎡ 1 ( −1) n +1 ⎤ ⎪
= ⎢ − + + − ⎥ = ⎢ − ⎥ = ⎨ 2
2π ⎣ n + 1 n − 1 n + 1 n − 1 ⎦ π ⎣ n 2 − 1 n 2 − 1 ⎦ ⎪ 2 if n is even
⎩ (n − 1)π
2π 2π 2π
1 1 1
bn = ∫ f (t )sin ntdt = ∫ sin t sin ntdt = [cos(n − 1)t − cos(n + 1)t ]dt
π 0 π 0 2π ∫0
1 ⎡ sin(n − 1)t sin(n + 1)t ⎤ 2π
= − = 0 ,n ≠ 1
2π ⎢⎣ n − 1 n + 1 ⎥⎦ π

2π 2π
1 1 1 ⎛ sin 2 t ⎞ 2π
a1 = ∫ f (t ) cos tdt = ∫ sin t cos tdt = ⎜ = 0.
π 0
π 0 π ⎝ 2 ⎟⎠ π

2π 2π 2π
1 1 1 2 1 ⎛ 1 ⎞ 2π 1
b1 = ∫ f (t )sin tdt = ∫ sin tdt = ∫ (1 − cos 2t ) dt = ⎜ t − sin 2t ⎟ π = .
π 0
π π 2π π
2π ⎝ 2 ⎠ 2

2π 2π
1 1 1 2π −2
a0 = ∫ f (t )dt = ∫ sin tdt = ( − cos t ) = .
π 0
π π
π π π
1 1 2 ∞ cos 2nt
Hence, the required series is − + sin t + ∑ 2 .
π 2 π n =1 4n − 1

2
4. Use the results in Q3 (a), find the values of

∞
1
(a) ∑n 2
n =1
n +1

(b)
∞
( −1)
∑
n =1 n2
∞
1
(c) ∑ ( 2n − 1) 2
n =1

Solution:
1
(a) At t = π , the infinite series converges to ⎡(1 − π )2 + (1 + π ) 2 ⎤⎦ , hence
2 ⎣
π2 +3 ∞
4 2
∞
1 π2
+∑ 2
= 1 + π ⇒ ∑ 2
= .
3 n =1 n n =1 n 6
(b) Putting t = 0 , the series converges to the function at t = 0 (by the Dirichlet conditions), and hence
π 2 + 3 ∞ 4( −1)n ∞
( −1)n+1 π 2
+∑ 2
=1⇒ ∑ 2
= .
3 n =1 n n =1 n 12
∞
1 π2 π2 ∞
2 π2
(c) Using the results in 4(a) and 4(b), we have ∑ ⎡⎣1 + ( −1) n +1 ⎤⎦ 2 = + ⇒ ∑ 2 = .
n =1 n 6 12 n =1 n 4
n ≠ even
2
∞
1 π
So ∑ (2n −1) 2
= .
n =1 8