1 Mr.

Mohamedeltayib Omer

University of Bahri

College of Engineering and Architecture

General Department

2nd Year

Mathematical Methods ENCR3101

Lecture Two

Arbitrary Period

At the end of this lecture the students will be able to:

❖ Arbitrary Period
❖ Even and Odd Functions.
❖ Sum and Scalar Multiple.

1. From Period 2π to Any Period 𝑷 = 𝟐𝑳

The periodic functions in applications may have any period, not just 2π. The notation
𝑃 = 2𝐿 for the period is practical because L will be a length.

The transition from period 2π to be period 𝑃 = 2𝐿 is affected by a suitable change

of scale.

Let 𝑓(𝑥) to be period 𝑃 = 2𝐿. Then we can introduce a new variable 𝑣 such that
𝑓(𝑥), as a function of 𝑣, has period 2π. If we set
𝑝 2𝜋 𝜋
a) 𝑥 = 𝑣 so that b) 𝑣 = 𝑥= 𝑥
2𝜋 𝑝 𝐿

Therefore, a Fourier series of the form

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2 Mr. Mohamedeltayib Omer

∞
𝐿
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑓 ( 𝑣) = 𝑎0 + ∑(𝑎𝑛 cos 𝑛𝑣 + 𝑏𝑛 sin 𝑛𝑣)
𝜋
𝑛=1

With coefficient

1 𝜋 𝐿
𝑎0 = ∫ 𝑓 ( 𝑣) 𝑑𝑣
2𝜋 −𝜋 𝜋

1 𝜋 𝐿
𝑎𝑛 = ∫ 𝑓 ( 𝑣) cos 𝑛𝑣 𝑑𝑣
𝜋 −𝜋 𝜋

1 𝜋 𝐿
𝑏𝑛 = ∫ 𝑓 ( 𝑣) sin 𝑛𝑣 𝑑𝑣
𝜋 −𝜋 𝜋

We could use these formulas directly, but the change to x simplifies calculations.
Since
𝜋 𝜋
𝑣= 𝑥 we have 𝑑𝑣 = 𝑑𝑥
𝐿 𝐿

and we integrate over x from −𝐿 to L. Consequently, we obtain for a function 𝑓(𝑥) of

period 2L the Fourier series
∞
𝑛𝜋 𝑛𝜋
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎0 + ∑(𝑎𝑛 cos 𝑥 + 𝑏𝑛 sin 𝑥)
𝐿 𝐿
𝑛=1

with the Fourier coefficients of 𝑓(𝑥) given by the Euler formulas ( 𝜋⁄𝐿 in dx
cancels 𝐿⁄𝜋)

1 𝐿
𝑎0 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑥)𝑑𝑥
2𝐿 −𝐿

1 𝐿 𝑛𝜋𝑥
𝑎𝑛 = ∫−𝐿 𝑓(𝑥) cos 𝑑𝑥 n = 1, 2,.
𝐿 𝐿

1 𝐿 𝑛𝜋𝑥
𝑏𝑛 = ∫−𝐿 𝑓(𝑥) sin 𝑑𝑥 n = 1, 2,.
𝐿 𝐿

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Example 1:

Find the Fourier series of the function

0 𝑖𝑓 −2 < 𝑥 < −1
𝑘 𝑖𝑓−1<𝑥 <1
𝑓(𝑥) = { 0 𝑖𝑓 1 < 𝑥 < 2 𝑃 = 2𝐿 = 4, 𝐿 = 2

Solution:

𝑘
𝑎0 =
2

1 2 𝑛𝜋𝑥 1 1 𝑛𝜋𝑥 2𝑘 𝑛𝜋
𝑎𝑛 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑥) cos 𝑑𝑥 = ∫ 𝑘 cos 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛
2 −2 𝐿 2 −1 2 𝑛𝜋 2

Thus

𝑎𝑛 = 0 if n is even and

2𝑘 −2𝑘
𝑎𝑛 = if 𝑛 = 1,5,9, …, 𝑎𝑛 = if 𝑛 = 3,7,11, …,
𝑛𝜋 𝑛𝜋

We find that 𝑏𝑛 = 0 for 𝑛 = 1,2, … Hence the Fourier series is a Fourier cosine
series (that is, it has no sine terms).

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𝑘 2𝑘 𝜋 1 3𝜋 1 5𝜋
𝑓(𝑥) = + (𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑥 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑥 + 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑥 − + ⋯ ).
2 𝜋 2 3 2 5 2

Example 2:

Find the Fourier series of the function (Periodic Rectangular Wave)

−𝑘 𝑖𝑓 −2 < 𝑥 < 0
𝑓(𝑥) = { 𝑘 𝑖𝑓 0 < 𝑥 < 2 𝑃 = 2𝐿 = 4, 𝐿 = 2

Solution.
𝜋𝑥
Since 𝐿 = 2, we have 𝑣 = so that:
2

4𝑘 1 1
𝑔(𝑣) = (𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑣 + sin 3𝑣 + sin 5𝑣 + ⋯ ).
𝜋 3 5

the present Fourier series

4𝑘 𝜋 1 3𝜋 1 5𝜋
𝑓(𝑥) = (𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑥 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑥 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑥 + ⋯ ).
𝜋 2 3 2 5 2

Example 3:

A sinusoidal voltage 𝐸 sin 𝜔𝑡, where t is time, is passed through a half-wave rectifier
that clips the negative portion of the wave. Find the Fourier series of the resulting
periodic function

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5 Mr. Mohamedeltayib Omer

0 𝑖𝑓 −𝐿 < 𝑡 < 0 2𝜋 𝜋
𝑢(𝑡) = { 𝐸 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜔𝑡 𝑖𝑓 0 < 𝑥 < 𝐿 𝑃 = 2𝐿 = ,𝐿 =
𝜔 𝜔

Solution

Since 𝑢 = 0 when −𝐿 < 𝑡 < 0, with t instead of x,

𝜔 𝜋 ⁄𝜔 𝐸
𝑎0 = ∫ 𝐸𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜔𝑡𝑑𝑡 =
2𝜋 0 𝜋

Now 𝑥 = 𝜔𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 = 𝑛𝜔𝑡,

𝜔 𝜋 ⁄𝜔 𝜔𝐸 𝜋⁄𝜔
𝑎𝑛 = ∫ 𝐸𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜔𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑛𝜔𝑡 𝑑𝑡 = ∫ [𝑠𝑖𝑛 (1 + 𝑛)𝜔𝑡 + sin (1 − 𝑛)𝜔𝑡]𝑑𝑡
𝜋 0 2𝜋 0
=

If 𝑛 = 1, the integral on the right is zero, and if 𝑛 = 2.3, …, we readily obtain

𝜔𝐸 cos (1 + 𝑛) 𝜔𝑡 cos (1 − 𝑛) 𝜔𝑡
𝑎𝑛 = [− − ]
2𝜋 (1 + 𝑛)𝜔 (1 − 𝑛)𝜔

From 0 up to 𝜋⁄𝜔

𝐸 −cos (1 + 𝑛) 𝜋 + 1 −cos (1 − 𝑛) 𝜋 + 1
= [ + ]
2𝜋 1+𝑛 1−𝑛

If n is odd, this is equal to zero, and for even n we have

𝐸 2 2 2𝐸
𝑎𝑛 = [ + ]=−
2𝜋 1 + 𝑛 1 − 𝑛 (𝑛 − 1)(𝑛 + 1)𝜋

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6 Mr. Mohamedeltayib Omer

𝑛 = 2,4,6, … ….

In a similar fashion we find that 𝑏1 = 𝐸 ⁄2, and 𝑏𝑛 = 𝑛 for 𝑛 = 2, 3, …,

Consequently

𝐸 𝐸 2𝐸 1 1
𝑢(𝑡) = + sin 𝜔𝑡 − ( cos 2𝜔𝑡 + cos 4𝜔𝑡+. .)
𝜋 2 𝜋 1𝑥3 3𝑥5

Even and Odd Functions (Fourier Cosine and Sine Series)

2. Simplifications

If 𝑓(𝑥) is an even function, that is, 𝑓(−𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥) its Fourier series reduces to a
Fourier cosine series as shown in figure below

Figure: Even function

𝑛𝜋
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎0 + ∑∞
𝑛=1 𝑎𝑛 cos 𝑥 (𝑓 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛)
𝐿

1 𝐿 2 𝐿 𝑛𝜋𝑥
𝑎0 = ∫0 𝑓(𝑥)𝑑𝑥, 𝑎𝑛 = ∫0 𝑓(𝑥) cos 𝑑𝑥, 𝑛 = 1, 2, ..
𝐿 𝐿 𝐿

If 𝑓(𝑥) is an odd function, that is, 𝑓(−𝑥) = −𝑓(𝑥) its Fourier series reduces to a
Fourier sine series as shown in figure below

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Figure: Odd function

𝑛𝜋
𝑓(𝑥) = ∑∞
𝑛=1 𝑏𝑛 sin 𝑥 (𝑓 𝑜𝑑𝑑)
𝐿

with coefficients

2 𝐿 𝑛𝜋𝑥
𝑏𝑛 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑥) sin 𝑑𝑥
𝐿 0 𝐿

Summary

Even Function of Period 2π. If 𝑓 is even and 𝐿 = 𝜋, then

∞

𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎0 + ∑ 𝑎𝑛 cos 𝑛𝑥
𝑛=1

with coefficients
1 𝜋 2 𝜋
𝑎0 = ∫0 𝑓(𝑥)𝑑𝑥, 𝑎𝑛 = ∫0 𝑓(𝑥) cos 𝑛𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝜋 𝜋

Odd Function of Period 2π. If 𝑓 is odd and 𝐿 = 𝜋, then

∞

𝑓(𝑥) = ∑ 𝑏𝑛 sin 𝑛𝑥
𝑛=1

with coefficients

2 𝜋
𝑏𝑛 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑥) sin 𝑛𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝜋 0

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Theorem 1: Sum and Scalar Multiple

The Fourier coefficients of a sum 𝑓1 + 𝑓2 are the sums of the corresponding Fourier

coefficients of 𝑓1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓2

The Fourier coefficients of 𝑐𝑓are 𝑐 times the corresponding Fourier coefficients of

𝑓.

Example 4

Find the Fourier series of the function (Sawtooth Wave)

𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 𝜋 if −𝜋 < 𝑥 < 𝜋 and 𝑓(𝑥 + 2𝜋) = 𝑓(𝑥)

Solution:

We have 𝑓 = 𝑓1 + 𝑓2 where𝑓1 = 𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓2 = 𝜋. The Fourier coefficients of 𝑓2 are

zero, except for the first one (the constant term), which is 𝜋. Hence, by Theorem 1,
the Fourier coefficients 𝑎𝑛 , 𝑏𝑛 are those of 𝑓1 except for 𝑎0 , which is π. Since 𝑓1 is
odd, 𝑎𝑛 = 0 for 𝑛 = 1, 2, ..

2 𝜋 2 𝜋
𝑏𝑛 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑥) sin 𝑛𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = ∫ 𝑥 sin 𝑛𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝜋 0 𝜋 0

Integrating by parts, we obtain

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2 3 2
Hence 𝑏1 = 2, 𝑏2 = − , 𝑏3 = , 𝑏4 = − ….., and the Fourier series of 𝑓(𝑥) is
2 2 4

1 1
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝜋 + 2(sin 𝑥 − sin 2𝑥 + sin 3𝑥 − + ⋯ )
2 3

Homework

Attempt to solve the following questions

Are the following functions even or odd or neither even nor odd?

1. 𝑒 𝑥 , 𝑥 3 cos 𝑛𝑥, sin ℎ𝑥 − cos ℎ𝑥

2. 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝑥, 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝑥)2 , 𝑙𝑛𝑥

Find the Fourier series of the function obtained by passing the voltage 𝑣(𝑡) =
𝑉0 cos 100𝜋𝑡 through a half-wave rectifier that clips the negative half-waves

0 𝑖𝑓 −𝐿 < 𝑡 < 0 2𝜋 𝜋
𝑢(𝑡) = { 𝑉0 cos 100𝜋𝑡 𝑖𝑓 0 < 𝑥 < 𝐿 𝑃 = 2𝐿 = ,𝐿 =
𝜔 𝜔

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