Pointwise, uniform convergence of fourier series

In summary, The Fourier series for f(x)=x^3 on (0,l) converges pointwise to f(x) on (0,l), while the series for f(x)=lx-x² on (0,l) also converges pointwise to f(x) on (0,l) as long as the boundary conditions are satisfied.
  • #1
lilphy
28
0
Hello;
I'm struggling with pointwise and uniform convergence, I think that examples are going to help me understand

Homework Statement


Consider the Fourier sine series of each of the following functions. In this exercise de not compute the coefficients but use the general convergence theorems to discuss convergence of each of the series pointwise, uniform and L² senses
1. f(x)=x^3 on (0,l)
2.f(x)=lx-x² on (0,l)
3.f(x)=x-2 on (0,l)

Homework Equations


Theorems:

1-Uniform convergence : The Fourier series Σ An Xn(x) converges to f(x) uniformly on [a, b] provided that
(i) f (x), f' (x), and f"(x) exist and are continuous for a ≤ x ≤ b and
(ii) f (x) satisfies the given boundary conditions

2-Pointwise Convergence of Classical Fourier Series
(i) The classical Fourier series (full or sine or cosine) converges to f(x) pointwise on (a, b) provided that f(x) is a continuous function on a ≤ x ≤ b and f '(x) is piecewise continuous on a ≤ x ≤ b.
(ii) More generally, if f(x) itself is only piecewise continuous on a ≤ x ≤ b and f '(x) is also piecewise continuous on a ≤ x ≤ b, then the classical Fourier series converges at every point x(−∞ < x < ∞).
The sum is
Σ An Xn(x) = 1/2 [ f (x+) + f (x−)] for all a < x < b.

The Attempt at a Solution


a/ f(x)=x^3 is an odd function so the Fourier serie is
∑bn sin(nπx/l)
It satisfies the condition (i) of theorem 1 but not (ii) because at x=0 and x=l the serie is 0 so it doesn't satisfy the boundary conditions
And it satisfies (i) of theorem 2 so it converges pointwise to x^3 on (0,l)

b/ f(x)=lx-x²
∑(ancos(nπx/l)+bn sin(nπx/l)
It satisfies condition (i) of theorem 1 but how can we know for (ii) at x=0 and l f(x)=0 but the serie at x=0 is equal to ∑an and to ∑(-1)nan at x=l.
And it satisfies (i) of theorem 2 so it converges pointwise to f(x) on (0,l)

x/
Doesn't converge at x=0 so it doesn't converge uniformly but converge pointwise

Thanks
 
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  • #2
lilphy said:
Hello;
I'm struggling with pointwise and uniform convergence, I think that examples are going to help me understand

Homework Statement


Consider the Fourier sine series of each of the following functions. In this exercise de not compute the coefficients but use the general convergence theorems to discuss convergence of each of the series pointwise, uniform and L² senses
1. f(x)=x^3 on (0,l)
2.f(x)=lx-x² on (0,l)
3.f(x)=x-2 on (0,l)

Homework Equations


Theorems:

1-Uniform convergence : The Fourier series Σ An Xn(x) converges to f(x) uniformly on [a, b] provided that
(i) f (x), f' (x), and f"(x) exist and are continuous for a ≤ x ≤ b and
(ii) f (x) satisfies the given boundary conditions

2-Pointwise Convergence of Classical Fourier Series
(i) The classical Fourier series (full or sine or cosine) converges to f(x) pointwise on (a, b) provided that f(x) is a continuous function on a ≤ x ≤ b and f '(x) is piecewise continuous on a ≤ x ≤ b.
(ii) More generally, if f(x) itself is only piecewise continuous on a ≤ x ≤ b and f '(x) is also piecewise continuous on a ≤ x ≤ b, then the classical Fourier series converges at every point x(−∞ < x < ∞).
The sum is
Σ An Xn(x) = 1/2 [ f (x+) + f (x−)] for all a < x < b.

The Attempt at a Solution


a/ f(x)=x^3 is an odd function so the Fourier serie is
∑bn sin(nπx/l)
It satisfies the condition (i) of theorem 1 but not (ii) because at x=0 and x=l the serie is 0 so it doesn't satisfy the boundary conditions
And it satisfies (i) of theorem 2 so it converges pointwise to x^3 on (0,l)

b/ f(x)=lx-x²
∑(ancos(nπx/l)+bn sin(nπx/l)

It satisfies condition (i) of theorem 1 but how can we know for (ii) at x=0 and l f(x)=0 but the serie at x=0 is equal to ∑an and to ∑(-1)nan at x=l.
And it satisfies (i) of theorem 2 so it converges pointwise to f(x) on (0,l)

If a function defined on [itex][0,l][/itex] doesn't satisfy [itex]f(0) = f(l)[/itex] then its Fourier series will have poor convergence properties. However if you find that the Fourier series doesn't satisfy that condition then you are doing something wrong. Here your error is that the series should be [itex]\sum a_n \cos (2n\pi x/l) + b_n \sin (2n \pi x / l)[/itex].
 

Related to Pointwise, uniform convergence of fourier series

1. What is the concept of pointwise convergence in Fourier series?

Pointwise convergence in Fourier series refers to the property where the Fourier series of a function converges to the value of the function at a specific point. This means that as the number of terms in the Fourier series increases, the value of the series at that point will approach the value of the function at that point.

2. How is uniform convergence defined in Fourier series?

Uniform convergence in Fourier series is when the series converges to the function at all points simultaneously, as the number of terms increases. This means that the convergence is not dependent on a specific point, but rather on the entire function.

3. What is the significance of uniform convergence in Fourier series?

Uniform convergence in Fourier series is important because it guarantees that the Fourier series will accurately represent the function at all points, and not just at a specific point. This is useful in applications where a function needs to be approximated by its Fourier series.

4. Can a function have pointwise convergence but not uniform convergence in its Fourier series?

Yes, it is possible for a function to have pointwise convergence but not uniform convergence in its Fourier series. This means that the Fourier series of the function will converge to the function at each point, but not necessarily to the function as a whole.

5. What are some methods for determining pointwise and uniform convergence in Fourier series?

Some methods for determining pointwise and uniform convergence in Fourier series include the Dirichlet test, the Weierstrass M-test, and the Cauchy criterion. These tests can help determine the convergence properties of a Fourier series and can be used to determine if a function has pointwise or uniform convergence.

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