View Full Version : Fourier Sawtooth
I can derive the Fourier series for a regular
sawtooth wave.
A different kind of sawtooth is represented by:
f(x)=\left\{\begin{array}{cc}-\frac{1}{2}(\pi +x),&\mbox{ if }
=-\pi \leq x < 0\\+\frac{1}{2}(\pi -x),& \mbox{ if } 0 < x \leq \pi\end{array}\right.
For the life of me I can't figure out how
to derive the series for this, which is:
f(x)=\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} sin (nx/n)
Probably a typo, but:
f(x)=\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{\sin(nx)}{n}
It's obtained the usual way. The function is odd, so all the cosine coefficients are zero.
Now just get:
a_n=\frac{1}{\pi}\int_{-\pi}^{\pi}f(x)\sin(nx)dx
where a_n is the coefficient of sin(nx)
Yes, you're right -- there was a typo.
Does the integration breaks down
into
a_n=\frac{1}{\pi}\int_{0}^{\pi}f(x)\sin(nx)dx + \frac{1}{\pi}\int_{-\pi}^{0}f(x)\sin(nx)dx \text { ??}
Also, does an a_0 term need to be
determined? I'm not sure when,
or when not, to include an a_n.
Thanks a lot.
Probably a typo, but:
f(x)=\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{\sin(nx)}{n}
It's obtained the usual way. The function is odd, so all the cosine coefficients are zero.
Now just get:
a_n=\frac{1}{\pi}\int_{-\pi}^{\pi}f(x)\sin(nx)dx
where a_n is the coefficient of sin(nx)
Also, does an a_0 term need to be
determined? I'm not sure when,
or when not, to include an a_n.
No. There's an easy way to remember/see it. If n=0, then sin(nx)=0.
So the zeroth coeff. of the sine is always zero.
For the cosine: cos(nx)=1 if n=0.
a_n=\frac{1}{\pi}\int_{0}^{\pi}f(x)\sin(nx)dx + \frac{1}{\pi}\int_{-\pi}^{0}f(x)\sin(nx)dx \text { ??}
That's correct, so that's all there's to it.
Both integrals are equal though, since f(x) and sin(nx) are odd, f(x)sin(nx) is even.
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