Mr. R. Suresh Kannan M.Sc., M.Phil.

, (CSIR NET & SET Qualified) Fourier Series

FOURIER SERIES

Definition: (Fourier Series)

Let f(x) be a bounded integrable function on [- , ],
then the Fourier Series for f is the trigonometric series
𝒂𝟎
+ ∑∞
𝒏=𝟏(𝒂𝒏 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝒏𝒙 + 𝒃𝒏 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒏𝒙) , -   x  , ----------- (1)
𝟐
1 𝜋
where a0 =
𝜋
∫-𝜋 f(x) 𝑑𝑥,
1 𝜋
an =
𝜋
∫−𝜋 𝑓(𝑥) 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑛𝑥 𝑑𝑥,
1 𝜋
bn =
𝜋
∫−𝜋 𝑓(𝑥) 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝑥 𝑑𝑥 , n = 1, 2, ……
The coefficients a0, an, bn are called Fourier coefficients.
𝑎0
We write ƒ(x)  + ∑∞
𝑛=1(𝑎𝑛 cos 𝑛𝑥 + 𝑏𝑛 sin 𝑛𝑥).
2

Example 1:
Find the Fourier expansion for f(x) = x2, -  x   and deduce that
1 1 1 𝜋2
i) 2
+ + + ……….. =
1 22 32 6
1 1 1 𝜋2
ii) - + - ……….. =
12 22 32 12
1 1 1 𝜋2
iii) + + + ………… =
12 32 52 8

Solution:
𝑎0
Let f(x) = x2 = + ∑∞ ∞
1 𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑛 𝑥 + ∑1 𝑏𝑛 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑛 𝑥
2
3 𝜋 2 𝜋3
1 𝜋 1 𝜋 2 𝜋 2 2
a0 = ∫−𝜋 𝑓(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 = ∫−𝜋 𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥 = 𝜋 ∫0 𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥 = 𝜋 [𝑥 ⁄3] = 𝜋 3 = 3 𝜋 2
  0
𝟐 𝜋 𝜋
a0 = 𝝅𝟐 ∫−𝜋 𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥 = 2 ∫0 𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥
𝟑
1 𝜋
an = ∫ 𝑥 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑛 𝑥 𝑑𝑥  u dv = [𝑢𝑣 − 𝑢′ 𝑣1 + 𝑢′′ 𝑣2 − ⋯ . ]
𝜋 −𝜋
2 𝜋
= ∫ 𝑥 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑛 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 u = x 2, dv =  cos nx dx
𝜋 0
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝑥
u’ = 2x, v =
𝑛
𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑛𝑥
u’’ = 2, v1 = -
𝑛2
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝑥
u’’’ = 0 v2 = -
𝑛3

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Mr. R. Suresh Kannan M.Sc., M.Phil., (CSIR NET & SET Qualified) Fourier Series

2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝑥 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑛𝑥 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝑥 𝜋

= [x 2 . − 2𝑥. ( ) + 2. ( )]
𝜋 𝑛 𝑛2 𝑛3 0

2 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝑥 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑛𝑥 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝑥 𝜋

= [𝑥 + 2𝑥. 2 − 2. 3 ]
 𝑛 𝑛 𝑛 0

2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝜋 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑛𝜋 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝜋 𝑠𝑖𝑛 0

= [𝜋 2 + 2𝜋. − 2. − (0 + 0 − 2. )]
 𝑛 𝑛2 𝑛3 𝑛3

2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑛𝜋 4 4
= [2𝜋 . 2 ] = cos n = (-1)n { sin nπ = 0, cos nπ = (-1)n
 𝑛 𝑛2 𝑛2

1 𝜋
bn = = ∫ 𝑥 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑛 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = 0,
𝜋 −𝜋
Since 𝑥 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑛 𝑥 is an odd function.
𝜋2 4
 f(x) = x2 = + ∑∞
𝑛=1 (-1)n cos nx
3 𝑛2
𝜋2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2𝑥 cos 3x
(or) f(x) = + 4 [-cosx + - +. . . . . . . . . . . . ]
3 22 32
𝝅𝟐 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝟐𝒙 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝟑𝒙
x2 = - 4 [𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝒙 − + −. . . . . . . . . . . . ] -------(1)
𝟑 𝟐𝟐 𝟑𝟐

Deductions:
i) When x = ,
𝜋2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2𝜋 𝑐𝑜𝑠 3𝜋
(1) ⇒ π2 = - 4 [𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜋 − + −. . . . . . . . . . . . ]
3 22 32
𝜋2 1 1
⇒ π2 - = - 4 [-1 − - −. . . . . . . . . . . . ] {cos nπ = (-1)n
3 22 32
2𝜋2 1 1
⇒ = 4 [1 + + +. . . . . . . . . . ]
3 22 32
1 1 2𝜋2
⇒ [1 + + +. . . . . . . . . . ]=
22 2
3 3x4
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝛑𝟐
𝟐
+ + + …….. =
𝟏 𝟐𝟐 𝟑𝟐 𝟔

ii) When x = 0,
𝜋2 cos 0 𝑐𝑜𝑠 0
(1) ⇒ 0 = - 4 [𝑐𝑜𝑠 0 − + −. . . . . . . . . . . . ]
3 22 32
𝜋2 1 1
⇒- = - 4 [1 − + −. . . . . . . . . . . . ] {cos 0 = 1
3 22 32
1 1 𝜋2
⇒ 4 [1 − + −. . . . . . . . . . . . ] =
22 3 2 3
1 1 𝜋2
⇒ [1 − + −. . . . . . . . . . . . ] =
22 2
3 3x4
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝛑𝟐
- + - ……… =
𝟏𝟐 𝟐𝟐 𝟑𝟐 𝟏𝟐

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Mr. R. Suresh Kannan M.Sc., M.Phil., (CSIR NET & SET Qualified) Fourier Series

iii) Adding (i) & (ii)

1 1 1 π2 π2
2[ + + + ……… ] = +
12 32 52 6 12
1 1 1 3𝛑𝟐 𝜋2
+ + + ……… = =
12 32 52 12 x 2 8
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝝅𝟐
+ + + ……… =
𝟏𝟐 𝟑𝟐 𝟓𝟐 𝟖

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