Example 5.2 (p.

155)

Derive a Fourier series for a periodic function f(x) with a period (-ℓ, ℓ)
Let us choose c = -ℓ, and the period 2L = ℓ - (-ℓ) = 2ℓ, and the half period L = ℓ
a0   nx nx 
f ( x)     an Cos  bn Sin 
2 n 1  L L 
1 c2 L 2 nx
an 
L c
f ( x) Cos
L
dx
1 c  2 L 2 nx
bn 
L c
f ( x) Sin
L
dx

Hence the Fourier series of the periodic function f(x) becomes:

a0 
 nx nx 
f ( x)     a n Cos  bn Sin  (5.5)
2 n 1    
with
1  nx
an 
  
f ( x) Cos

dx n  0,1, 2, 3,.................. (5.6a)

1  nx
bn 
 

f ( x ) Sin

dx n  1, 2, 3,.................. (5.6b)

11
Example 5.3 (p.155)

Derive a Fourier series for a periodic function f(x) with a period (0, 2L).
As in the previous examples, we choose c = 0, and the half-period to be L. We will have
the Fourier series in the following form:
a0   nx nx 
f ( x)     an Cos  bn Sin 
2 n 1  LL L L
1 c  2 L  0  2 L nx
an 
L  c 0
f ( x) Cos
LL
dx
1 c  2 L 0 2 L nx
bn 
LL  c 0
f ( x) Sin
LL
dx

The corresponding Fourier series thus has the following form:

a0 
 nx nx 
f ( x)     a n Cos  bn Sin 
(5.7)
2 n 1  L L 
1 2L
a0 
L  0
f ( x) dx (5.8a)
1 2L nx
an 
L  0
f ( x ) Cos
L
dx n  1, 2, 3,.................. (5.8b)
1 2L nx
bn 
L 
0
f ( x) Sin
L
dx n  1, 2, 3,.................. (5.8c)
Periodic functions with periods (0, 2L) are more realistic. Equations (5.7) and (5.8) are
thus more practical in engineering analysis. 12
Example 5.4 (p.156)
Find the Fourier series for the sinusoidal signals from an oscilloscope shown in the right 
of the figure below. Magnitudes of this sinusoidal signals are shown in the figure below:

Solution:
We will express the period of the sine function in the right of the above figure by letting the 
period 2L = 8 units (L = 4), and the corresponding sine function in one period thus has the 

form: f t   3 sin t for 0  t  8 (a)
4
The Fourier series for the sine function in Equation (a) can be expressed according to 

 nt nt 
f t   o    a n cos
a
Equation (5.7) to be:  bn sin 
2 n 1  4 4 
1   
f t dt    3 sin t  dt  0
1 8 8
with the coefficients: ao 
4 0 4 0 4 
1 8 t  nt  1 8 t  nt  3n
a n    3 sin  cos  dt  0 bn  0  3 sin  sin  dt 
4 0 4  4  4  4  4   1  n 2  for n≠1

1 8 t   t 

 n  n
f t   3 
3
b1    3sin   sin  dt  3
Leads to the Fourier

  1 n
n2 
 sin
2 
t
4 0 4  4
Series in the form:   4 13
 Example 5.6 (p.158)
Find the Fourier series for the periodic piece‐wise continuous linear signals shown on the 
screen of an oscilloscope shown in the figure in the left below. The figure in the right 
shows the numerical scale in one period.

Solution:
As seen  from the diagram in the right of the figure, the period of the function f(t) 
remains to be 2L = 8 units, which gives L = 4 units. The function f(t) for one period is:
f t    t  3
3
for 0  t  8
4
The Fourier series for the periodic function f(t) may be expressed in the following expression: 
a0   nt nt 
f t      a n cos  bn sin 
2 n 1  4 4 
with the coefficients:
 3  nt
dt   2 2 bn  1 8   3 t  3  sin nt dt  9
1 8 6
1 8 3
4 0 4

a0     t  3  dt  0 a n 
 4    4 t  3  cos
0 4 n 4 0  4  4 n

 6  nt nt 
f t  
9
The corresponding Fourier 
Series thus has the form: 
   n 
n 1
22 

cos
4

n
sin
4  14
Example 5.8 (p.160)
Here, we will offer another example of finding the Fourier series to represented by a piece‐wise 
continuous function whining one period, as illustrated in the figure below: 
f(x)

3.0

x
-10 -5 0 5 10 15

Solution: We have the period, 2L = 5 – (‐5) = 10, and the half‐period L = 5.  We may choose 

the starting point c = ‐5.
The corresponding Fourier series in this case fits in that shown in Equations (5.5) and 
(5.6a,b) to be: a0   nx nx 
f ( x)     an cos  bn sin 
2 n 1  5 5 
Equation (5.8b) and (5.8c) are used to evaluate the following coefficients:
1 5 nx 1 0 nx 5 nx  3 5 nx
an  
5 5
f ( x) cos
5
dx    (0) cos
5  5 5
dx   (3) cos
0 5
dx    cos
 5 0 5
dx

(0)x
5
3 5 nx  3 5 3 5
5 0 5 0
an   sin  0 if n  0 from which we get: a0  cos dx  dx  3
5  n 5 0 5
15
Example 5.8 – Con’d
1 5 nx 1 0 nx 5 nx  3 5 nx
bn  
5 5
f ( x ) sin
5
dx   
5  5
( 0 ) sin
5
dx  0
( 3) sin
5
dx    sin
 5 0 5
dx

After integration:
3 5
bn    cos
nx 
 
5



3(1  cos n ) 3 1  1
n

5  n 5 0 n n

The Fourier series for the function for this piece‐wise continuous function in one period thus 
has the form:

3  3(1  cos n )
f ( x)    sin
nx 3  3 1  (1) n
  sin
nx  
2 n 1 n 5 2 n 1 n 5

16
Special Example on deriving the Fourier series in describing the motion of the “slider”
in a “crank-slider” mechanism – a common mechanical engineering
design problem:
Derive a function describing the position of the sliding block M in one period in a slide
mechanism as illustrated below. If the crank rotates at a constant velocity of 5 rpm.

(a) Illustrate the periodic function in three periods, and

(b) Derive the appropriate Fourier series describing the position of
the sliding block x(t) in which t is the time in minutes

17
Solution:
(a) Graphic Illustration on this periodic physical phenomenon in three periods:
Determine the angular displacement of the crank R:
We realize the relationship: rpm N = ω/(2π), and θ = ωt, where ω = angular velocity,
and θ = angular displacement relating to the position of
the sliding block
For N = 5 rpm, we have:   t  5t Based on one revolution (θ=2π) corresponds
2 1 to 1/5 min. We thus have θ = 10πt
5

Position of the sliding block along the x-direction can be determined by:
x = R – RCosθ

or x(t) = R – RCos(10πt) = R[1 – Cos(10πt)] 0 < t < 1/5 min

18
We have now derived the periodic function describing the instantaneous position of the
sliding block as:

x(t) = R[1-cos(10πt)] (a)

Graphical representation of function in Equation (a) can be produced as:

19
(b) Formulation of Fourier Series:
We have the periodic function: x(t) = R[1 – Cos(10πt)] with a period: 0 < t < 1/5 min
If we choose c = 0 and period 2L = 1/5, we will have the Fourier series expressed in
the following form by using Equations (6.7) and (6.8):

ao   nt nt 
xt     an Cos  bn Sin
2 n 1  L  1 / 10 L  1 / 10 
ao 
   an Cos10nt  bn Sin10nt  (b)
2 n 1
1 15 R  Sin 21  n  Sin 21  n  
with
an 
1 0
x t  Cos10 nt dt    (c)
2  1 n 1 n 
10
We may obtain coefficient ao from Equation (c) to be ao = 0:
The other coefficient bn can be obtained by:
1

bn  10  xt  Sin10nt dt  10  R1  Cos10t Sin10nt dt
5
0 0


R
Cos 2n  1  1  R Cos 2n  1  1 (d)
2n  1 2n  1

20