Math 414/324 | Advanced Engineering Mathematics

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTING
KABACAN, COTABATO

Workout Problem 4
Fourier Series

Math 414
Advanced Engineering Mathematics

Submitted by:
Renz Kenneth D. Arellano
3-BSEcE-A

Submitted to:
Engr. KHARLO J. SUBRIO
Subject Instructor
Math 414/324 | Advanced Engineering Mathematics

Workout Problem 4
Fourier Series

1. Define what Fourier series is and its significance.

Ans. The Fourier Series allows us to model any arbitrary periodic signal with a combination of
sines and cosines. A Fourier series is a representation of a wave form or other periodic function as a
sum of sines and cosines. It is named after the French mathematician and physicist Jean-Baptiste
Joseph Fourier (1768–1830). Since sound waves are made up of sine waves, Fourier transforms are
widely used in signal processing. A Fourier series is a way to represent complex waves, such as
sound, as a series of simple sine waves. The series breaks down a wave into a sum of sines and
cosines. This means that elements of a wave can be isolated from each other. The field of Fourier
analysis is the study of various Fourier series. The practice of isolating a signal into individual
frequencies is known as a Fourier transform.

While it is possible to calculate a Fourier series manually, computers can more easily analyze the
complex harmonics of everyday sounds. Fourier analysis is widely used in audio processing, such as
picking out individual sounds from a recording.

2. Show the different ways of expressing Fourier series of functions.

Square Wave

Consider a square wave of length . Over the range , this can be written as
(1)
where is the Heaviside step function. Since , the function is odd, so ,
and
(2)
reduces to
(3)

(4)
Math 414/324 | Advanced Engineering Mathematics

(5)

(6)

The Fourier series is therefore

(7

Sawtooth Wave

Consider a string of length plucked at the right end and fixed at the left. The functional form of this
configuration is
(1)
The components of the Fourier series are therefore given by
(2)
(3)
(4)

(5)
(6)
(7)

(8)

(9)
The Fourier series is therefore given by

(10)

(11)

(12
Math 414/324 | Advanced Engineering Mathematics

Triangle Wave

Consider a symmetric triangle wave of period . Since the function is odd,

(1)
(2)
and
(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

The Fourier series for the triangle wave is therefore

(7)
Math 414/324 | Advanced Engineering Mathematics

Now consider the asymmetric triangle wave pinned an -distance which is ( )th of the distance . The
displacement as a function of is then

(8)

The coefficients are therefore

(9)
(10)

(11)

Taking gives the same Fourier series as before.

3. Enumerate the steps in solving for the Fourier Series of functions.

Ans. Recall that the mathematical expression

is called a Fourier series.

Since this expression deals with convergence, we start by defining a similar expression when the sum is
finite.

Definition. A Fourier polynomial is an expression of the form

which may rewritten as

The constants a0, ai and bi, , are called the coefficients of Fn(x).

The Fourier polynomials are -periodic functions. Using the trigonometric identities
Math 414/324 | Advanced Engineering Mathematics

we can easily prove the integral formulas

(1)

for , we have

for n>0 we have

(2)
for m and n, we have

(3)

for , we have

(4)

for , we have

Using the above formulas, we can easily deduce the following result:
Theorem. Let
Math 414/324 | Advanced Engineering Mathematics

We have

This theorem helps associate a Fourier series to any -periodic function.

Definition. Let f(x) be a -periodic function which is integrable on . Set

The trigonometric series

is called the Fourier series associated to the function f(x). We will use the notation
Math 414/324 | Advanced Engineering Mathematics

Example. Find the Fourier series of the function

Answer. Since f(x) is odd, then an = 0, for . We turn our attention to the coefficients bn. For

any , we have

We deduce

Hence
Math 414/324 | Advanced Engineering Mathematics

4. Determine the Fourier series representation of the following. Show step by step procedure with
explanation. Additional examples will be given extra credit.

1, 0≤𝑥≤1
𝑓(𝑥) = {
0, 1≤𝑥≤2