Tutorial Sheet : 5

Course Code : BMAT102L

Course Title : Differential Equations and Transforms

Module 5: Fourier Series (Easy Questions) - CO2

1. Find the Fourier series of f ( x) = (π − x)2 in (0, 2π) of periodicity 2π. Hence deduce the sum
1
12
+ 212 + 312 + ....

2
Solution: a 0 = 2π8 , a n = 4
n2
, b n = 0.

∞
1
2. Obtain the Fourier series to represent the function f ( x) = | x|, π < x < π and deduce
P
(2n−1)2
=
n=1
π2
8 .

½ −4
π n2
, i f n is odd
Solution: a 0 = π, a n = , b n = 0.
0, i f n is even

∞
1
3. Find the Fourier series of x2 in −π < x < π. Hence deduce the value of
P
n2
.
n=1

2 n
Solution: a 0 = 2π3 , a n = 4(−n1)
2 , b n = 0.

4. Obtain the half range cosine series for f ( x) = x in 0 ≤ x ≤ π. Hence deduce the sum of the series
1
12
+ 312 + 512 + ....

½ −4
π n2
, i f n is odd
Solution: a 0 = π, a n = .
0, i f n is even

5. Find the sine series of the function f ( x) = 1, 0 ≤ x ≤ π.

½ 4
nπ , i f n is odd
Solution: b n = .
0, i f n is even

Moderate Questions

6. Find the Fourier series expansion of the periodic function

½ 2
x , −π < x < 0
f ( x) =
0, 0 < x < π

with period 2π in (−π, π).

 2 n n
π(−1)
Solution: a 0 = − π3 , a n = 2(−n1)
2 , bn = n .

7. Find the Fourier series expansion of the periodic function f ( x) = e−5x with period 2π in (−π, π).

n n
5π 1) sinh 5π 1) sinh 5π
Solution: a 0 = 2 sinh
5π , a n = 10(π−(n 2 +25) , b n = 2n(π−(n 2 +25) .

8. Find the Fourier series expansion of the periodic function

−1, −π < x < 0

½
f ( x) =
1, 0<x<π

with period 2π in (−π, π). Hence, deduce that 1 − 13 + 51 − 17 + · · · = π4 .

n
Solution: a 0 = 0, a n = 0, b n = 2[1−n(−
π
1) ]
. Take x = π2 for getting the identity.

9. Find the Fourier series expansion of the periodic function f ( x) = 2 x − x2 with period 3 in (0, 3).
2
Hence, deduce that 1 − 212 + 312 − 412 + · · · = π12 .

Solution: a 0 = 0, a n = − n29π2 , b n = 3
nπ . Take x = 23 for getting the identity.

10. Find the Fourier series expansion of the periodic function

1 + 2x , −π ≤ x ≤ 0
½
f ( x) = π
2x
1− π , 0 ≤ x ≤ π
2
with period 2π in (−π, π). Hence, deduce that 1 + 312 + 512 + 712 + · · · = π8 .

n
Solution: a 0 = 0, a n = − 4[1n−2(−1)
π2
]
( f ( x) is an even function). Take x = 0 for getting the
identity.

Page 2
 Hard Questions

11. Determine the Fourier series of the square wave function f defined by

− k, −π < x < 0;
½
f ( x) = f ( x + 2π) = f ( x).
k, 0 < x < π,

1 1 1 π
Deduce that 1 − + − +··· = .
3 5 7 4

X∞ 4k
Solution: f ( x) = sin nx, n is odd.
n=1 nπ

12. Determine
µ the Fourier series for the periodic triangle function f with period T defined for 0 <
T T T
¶
a ≤ on − , by
2 2 2
| x|

 1 − , | x| ≤ a;

f ( x) = a
T
 0, a < | x| ≤ .

2

a 8T X∞ 1 anπ 2 nπ x
Solution: f ( x) = + sin2 cos .
T 4aπ n=1 n
2 2 T T

13. Develop Fourier series for f ( x) = x sin x, 0 < x < 2π.

1 X∞ cos nx
Solution: −1 − cos x + π sin x + 2 2
.
2 n=2 n − 1

14. Determine the Fourier series of the half-wave rectified sinusoidal defined by

sin t, 0 < t < π;

½
f ( t) = f ( t + 2π ) = f ( t ) .
0, π < t < 2π

Deduce that
1 1 1 1
(i) + + +··· =
1·3 3·5 5·7 2
1 1 1 π−2
(ii) − + −··· =
1·3 3·5 5·7 4

1 π 2 2 2
· ¸
Solution: f ( t) = 1 + sin t − cos 2 t − cos 4 t − cos 6 t − · · · .
π 2 3 3·5 3·5·7

15. Prove that for 0 < x < π

π2 cos 2 x cos 4 x cos 6 x
· ¸
(a) x(π − x) = − + + +···
6 12 22 32

Page 3
 8 sin x sin 3 x sin 5 x
· ¸
(b) x(π − x) = + + +···
π 12 32 52
Deduce from (a) and (b) respectively that
X∞ 1 π4
1. 4
=
n=1 n 90
X∞ 1 π4
2. 6
=
n=1 n 945

Page 4