Can You Tackle This Week's Fourier Series Challenge?

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In summary, a Fourier series is a mathematical representation of a periodic function as a sum of sine and cosine waves. To solve a Fourier series problem, one must determine the coefficients of the waves and write the series as a sum. The purpose of using a Fourier series is to simplify the analysis of complex functions in fields such as engineering and physics. However, there are limitations to Fourier series, such as their inability to accurately represent non-periodic functions and the potential for non-uniform convergence. Fourier series have many real-life applications, including signal processing, compression, and data analysis, as well as in the design and analysis of physical systems.
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Chris L T521
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Thanks to those who participated in last week's POTW! Here's this week's problem!

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Problem: Let $f(x)=\exp(-|x|)$ for $-\pi\leq x\leq \pi$ be a $2\pi$-periodic function.

Show that it's Fourier series is $\displaystyle\frac{e^{\pi}-1}{\pi e^{\pi}}+\frac{2}{\pi e^{\pi}}\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n^2+1}(e^{\pi}-(-1)^n) \cos(nx)$.

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  • #2
This week's problem was correctly answered by BAdhi. You can find his solution below.

The exponential Fourier series of a periodic function $f(x)$ with a period of $2\pi$ is,

$$f(x)=\sum\limits_{n=-\infty}^{\infty} c_n e^{inx}$$
where,
$$c_n=\frac{1}{2\pi}\int \limits_{-\pi}^{\pi}f(x)e^{-inx}dx$$

when $f(x)=\exp(-|x|)$ for $\pi\leq x\leq \pi$, with a period of $2\pi$,

$$\begin{align*}
c_n&=\frac{1}{2\pi}\int \limits_{-\pi}^{\pi} e^{(-|x|)}e^{-inx}dx\\
&=\frac{1}{2\pi}\left[\int \limits_{-\pi}^{0}e^{x}e^{-inx}dx+\int \limits_{0}^{\pi}e^{-x}e^{-inx}dx\right]\\
&=\frac{1}{2\pi}\left[\int \limits_{-\pi}^{0}e^{x(1-in)}dx+\int \limits_{0}^{\pi}e^{-x(1+in)}dx\right]\\
&=\frac{1}{2\pi}\left( \left[\frac{e^{x(1-in)}}{(1-in)}\right]_{-\pi}^{0}- \left[ \frac{e^{-x(1+in)}}{(1+in)} \right]_{0}^{\pi} \right)\\
&=\frac{1}{2\pi}\left( \frac{1-e^{-\pi(1-in)}}{(1-in)}-\frac{e^{-\pi(1+in)}-1}{(1+in)}\right)\\
&=\frac{1}{2\pi}\left( \frac{1-e^{-\pi}(e^{i\pi})^n}{(1-in)}-\frac{e^{-\pi}(e^{i\pi})^{-n}-1}{(1+in)} \right)\\
&=\frac{1}{2\pi}\left( \frac{1-(-1)^n e^{-\pi}}{(1-in)}-\frac{(-1)^{-n}e^{-\pi}-1}{(1+in)} \right)\\
&=\frac{1}{2\pi}\left( \frac{[1-(-1)^n e^{-\pi}](1+in)-[(-1)^{n}e^{-\pi}-1](1-in)}{(1-in)(1+in)} \right)\\
&=\frac{1}{2\pi}\left( \frac{2[1-(-1)^ne^{-\pi}]}{(1+n^2)} \right)\\
&=\frac{[1-(-1)^ne^{-\pi}]}{\pi(1+n^2)}
\end{align*}$$

since,
$$c_n=\frac{a_n-ib_n}{2}\qquad n>0\\
c_{n}=\frac{a_{-n}+ib_{-n}}{2}\qquad n<0$$ where $a_n$ and $b_n$ are coefficients of trigonometric Fourier series and $b_0=0$

then,
$$\frac{[1-(-1)^ne^{-\pi}]}{\pi(1+n^2)}=\frac{a_n}{2}-i\frac{b_n}{2}$$
comparing imaginary and real components,
$$a_n=\frac{2[1-(-1)^ne^{-\pi}]}{\pi(1+n^2)}, \qquad b_n=0$$

Then the trigonometric Fourier series will be,

$$\begin{align*}
f(x)&=\frac{a_0}{2}+ \sum \limits_{n=1}^\infty a_n \cos(nx)\\
&=\frac{[1-e^{-\pi}]}{\pi}+\sum \limits_{n=1}^\infty \frac{2[1-(-1)^ne^{-\pi}]}{\pi(1+n^2)} \cos(nx)\\
&=\frac{e^{\pi}-1}{\pi e^{\pi}}+\frac{2}{\pi e^\pi}\sum\limits_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{(1+n^2)} (e^{\pi}-(-1)^n)\cos(nx)
\end{align*}$$
 

Related to Can You Tackle This Week's Fourier Series Challenge?

1. What is a Fourier series?

A Fourier series is a mathematical representation of a periodic function as a sum of sine and cosine waves. It is used to decompose a complex function into simpler components, making it easier to analyze and understand.

2. How do you solve a Fourier series problem?

To solve a Fourier series problem, you need to determine the coefficients of the sine and cosine waves that make up the function. This can be done through integration or by using known formulas for common functions. Once the coefficients are found, the Fourier series can be written as a sum of these waves.

3. What is the purpose of using a Fourier series?

The purpose of using a Fourier series is to simplify the analysis of a complex function. By breaking it down into simpler components, it becomes easier to understand and manipulate. Fourier series are also used in fields such as engineering, physics, and signal processing to model and analyze periodic phenomena.

4. Are there any limitations to Fourier series?

Yes, there are limitations to Fourier series. They can only be used to represent periodic functions, meaning they repeat themselves over a specific interval. They also cannot accurately represent functions with discontinuities or sharp corners. In addition, the convergence of a Fourier series may not always be uniform, which can affect its accuracy.

5. How can Fourier series be applied in real-life situations?

Fourier series have various real-life applications, such as in signal processing, image and sound compression, and data analysis. They are also used in the design of electronic circuits, in predicting the behavior of physical systems, and in solving differential equations. In addition, Fourier series are used in the study of heat transfer, vibration analysis, and fluid dynamics.

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