MATH 2043

Solutions to Problem Sheet 3

1.
f (x)

x
-2l -l 0 l 2l

-1

f (x) is an odd function so, a0 = 0, an = 0.

1Z 0 nπx 1Z ` nπx
   
bn = (−1) · sin dx + (1) · sin dx,
` −` ` ` 0 `
2Z ` nπx 2 ` nπx `
    
= sin dx = − cos
` 0 ` ` nπ ` 0
4
= 0 (n even), = (n odd)
nπ
4 πx 1 3πx 1 5πx
       
f (x) = sin + sin + sin + ··· ,
π ` 3 ` 5 `
∞
!
4X 1 (2n − 1)πx
= sin . (1)
π 1 2n − 1 `
2.
f (x)

x
-2l -l 0 l 2l

f (x) is an even function, so bn = 0.

2 R`
a0 = ` 0
xdx = `
" 
#`
2Z ` nπx 2  x` nπx ` Z` nπx
     
an = x cos dx = sin − sin dx
` 0 ` `  nπ ` 0
nπ 0 ` 
2 ` nπx ` 2` 0 n even
   
= cos = [(−1)n − 1] = 4`
nπ nπ ` 0 nπ2 2 − n2 π 2
n odd
1 4` πx 1 3πx 1 5πx
       
f (x) = `− 2
cos + 2 cos + 2 cos + ··· ,
2 π ` 3 " ` 5 `
∞
#
1 4` X 1 (2n − 1)πx
= `− 2 cos . (2)
2 π 2 1 (2n − 1) `
continued

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 From setting x = 0 in the Fourier series gives
∞
` 4` X 1
0 = − 2
2 π 1 (2n − 1)2
∞
X 1 π2
⇒ 2
=
1 (2n − 1) 8

3.
f (x)

x
-2l -l - 13l 0 1 l 2l
3l

0 ≤ x < 13 `

 x for
f (x) =
 1 1
(` − x)
2
for 3
≤x<`

f (−x) = −f (x)

f (x) is odd so an = 0.
2Z ` nπx
 
bn = f (x) sin dx,
` 0 `
1
2 Z 3` nπx 2Z `1 nπx
   
= x sin dx + (` − x) sin dx,
` 0 ` ` 13 ` 2 `
3` nπ
 
= sin .
n2 π 2 3
∞
3` nπ nπx
X    
Hence the Fourier series is 2 2
sin sin .
n=1 n π 3 `
4.
g (x)

x
-2l -l 0 l 2l

g(x) is even, so bn = 0.
( 1 )
2 Z 3` Z `
a0 = x dx + 1 2 (` − x)dx = 13 `,
1
` 0 3
`
1
2Z 3` nπx 2Z ` 1 nπx
   
an = x cos dx + 1 2 (` − x) cos dx,
` 0 ` ` 3` `
2` nπ ` nπ
       
n
= cos − 1 + 2 2 cos − (−1) .
n2 π 2 3 nπ 3

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5. (a) We have
lim f (x) = π cos(π) = −π,
x→π−

and
lim f (x) = lim f (x) = (−π) cos(−π) = π.
x→π+ x→−π+

Thus we expect the Fourier series at x = π to converge to zero.

(b) First, we note that f is an odd function, hence an = 0 for all n ≥ 0. To find the
coefficients bn , we can use the hint,
sin ((n + 1)x) = sin(nx) cos x + cos(nx) sin x,
and
sin ((n − 1)x) = sin(nx) cos(−x) + cos(nx) sin(−x) = sin(nx) cos x − cos(nx) sin x.
This gives us
1 1
sin(nx) cos x = sin ((n + 1)x) + sin ((n − 1)x) .
2 2
Now,
1Zπ 2Zπ
bn = x cos x sin(nx) dx = x cos x sin(nx) dx
π −π π 0
1Zπ 1Zπ
= x sin ((n + 1)x) dx + x sin ((n − 1)x) dx.
π 0 π 0
For n = 1, the second integral is zero, and we get
π
1Zπ 1 1 Zπ

b1 = x sin(2x) dx = − x cos(2x) + cos(2x) dx
π 0 2π 0 2π 0
π
1 1 1

=− + sin(2x) = − .
2 4π 0 2
For n > 1, we get
" #π Z π
1 1
bn = − x cos ((n + 1)x) + cos ((n + 1)x) dx
π(n + 1) 0
π(n + 1) 0
" #π Z π
1 1
+ − x cos ((n − 1)x) + cos ((n − 1)x) dx
π(n − 1) 0
π(n − 1) 0
#π #π
n
(−1)n
" "
(−1) 1 1
= + sin ((n + 1)x) + + sin ((n − 1)x)
n+1 π(n + 1)2 0
n−1 π(n − 1)2 0
n n n
(−1) (−1) 2n(−1)
= + = 2 .
n+1 n−1 n −1
Hence the desired Fourier series is
∞
1 X 2n(−1)n
F (x) = − sin x + 2
sin(nx).
2 n=2 n − 1

(c) At x = π, the Fourier series converges to

F (0) = 0,
which is exactly what we expected from part (a).

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