Double Check My Work: Simplifying a Homework Statement

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around simplifying a mathematical expression involving integrals and trigonometric functions, specifically in the context of integration by parts. The problem appears to be related to Fourier series or similar topics in mathematical analysis.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are reviewing the original poster's work, focusing on the correctness of terms and the application of integration by parts. There are questions regarding the signs of terms and specific values of trigonometric functions at integer multiples of π.

Discussion Status

Some participants have offered guidance on specific trigonometric identities and values, while others have pointed out potential errors in the original poster's calculations. The discussion is ongoing, with multiple interpretations and corrections being explored.

Contextual Notes

There is mention of the original poster's uncertainty about the correctness of their work, particularly regarding the signs of terms and the application of integration by parts. Participants are also discussing the formatting of mathematical expressions in LaTeX.

zzmanzz
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Homework Statement



I got the problem down to:

\frac{2}{\pi} \left[ \int_{0}^{\pi/2} \frac{2}{\pi}xsin(nx) dx + \int_{\frac{\pi}{2}}^{\pi} (\frac{-2}{\pi}x+2)sin(nx) dx \right]

\frac{4}{\pi^2} \left[ \int_{0}^{\pi/2} xsin(nx) dx + \int_{pi/2}^{\pi} -xsin(nx) dx + \int_{pi/2}^{\pi} \pi sin(nx) dx<br /> \right]

\frac{4}{\pi^2} \left[ \left[ \frac{-x}{2n} cos(nx) +\frac{1}{n^2}sin(nx) \right]_{0}^{pi/2} + \left[ \frac{1}{n}xcos(nx)-\frac{1}{n^2}sin(nx) \right]_{\pi/2}^{\pi} + \left[\frac{-\pi}{n}cos(nx) \right]_{\pi/2}^{\pi} \right]

\frac{4}{\pi^2} \left[\left[\left[\frac{-\pi}{2n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2}) +\frac{1}{n^2}sin(n\frac{\pi}{2}) \right] -\left[0\right]\right] + \left[ \left[\frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\pi)) - \frac{1}{n^2}sin(n\pi) \right] - \left[\frac{\pi}{2n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2}) +\frac{1}{n^2}sin(n\frac{\pi}{2}) \right] \right] +<br /> \left[\frac{-\pi}{n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2})+\frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\pi) \right]<br /> \right]

\frac{4}{\pi^2} \left[-\frac{\pi}{2n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2}) +\frac{1}{n^2}sin(n\frac{\pi}{2}) + \frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\pi)) - \frac{1}{n^2}sin(n\pi) - \frac{\pi}{2n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2}) -\frac{1}{n^2}sin(n\frac{\pi}{2}) -<br /> \frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2})+\frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\pi)<br /> \right]<br /> <br />

\frac{4}{\pi^2} \left[-\frac{\pi}{4n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2}) + \frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\pi)) - \frac{1}{n^2}sin(n\pi) -<br /> \frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2})+\frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\pi)<br /> \right]<br /> <br />

I feel like i sccrewed something up to this point ... maybe turning some positive terms negative or vice versa? can someone just double check my work upto this point pleaseee.

Many thanks.
 
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zzmanzz said:

Homework Statement



I got the problem down to:

\frac{2}{\pi} \left[ \int_{0}^{\pi/2} \frac{2}{\pi}xsin(nx) dx + \int_{\frac{\pi}{2}}^{\pi} (\frac{-2}{\pi}x+2)sin(nx) dx \right]

\frac{4}{\pi^2} \left[ \int_{0}^{\pi/2} xsin(nx) dx + \int_{pi/2}^{\pi} -xsin(nx) dx + \int_{pi/2}^{\pi} \pi sin(nx) dx<br /> \right]

\frac{4}{\pi^2} \left[ \left[ \frac{-x}{2n} cos(nx) +\frac{1}{n^2}sin(nx) \right]_{0}^{pi/2} + \left[ \frac{1}{n}xcos(nx)-\frac{1}{n^2}sin(nx) \right]_{\pi/2}^{\pi} + \left[\frac{-\pi}{n}cos(nx) \right]_{\pi/2}^{\pi} \right]

\frac{4}{\pi^2} \left[\left[\left[\frac{-\pi}{2n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2}) +\frac{1}{n^2}sin(n\frac{\pi}{2}) \right] -\left[0\right]\right] + \left[ \left[\frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\pi)) - \frac{1}{n^2}sin(n\pi) \right] - \left[\frac{\pi}{2n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2}) +\frac{1}{n^2}sin(n\frac{\pi}{2}) \right] \right] +<br /> \left[\frac{-\pi}{n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2})+\frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\pi) \right]<br /> \right]

\frac{4}{\pi^2} \left[-\frac{\pi}{2n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2}) +\frac{1}{n^2}sin(n\frac{\pi}{2}) + \frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\pi)) - \frac{1}{n^2}sin(n\pi) - \frac{\pi}{2n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2}) -\frac{1}{n^2}sin(n\frac{\pi}{2}) -<br /> \frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2})+\frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\pi)<br /> \right]<br /> <br />

\frac{4}{\pi^2} \left[-\frac{\pi}{4n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2}) + \frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\pi)) - \frac{1}{n^2}sin(n\pi) -<br /> \frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\frac{\pi}{2})+\frac{\pi}{n}cos(n\pi)<br /> \right]<br /> <br />

I feel like i sccrewed something up to this point ... maybe turning some positive terms negative or vice versa? can someone just double check my work upto this point pleaseee.

Many thanks.

Don't you remember the values for ##\sin(n \pi)## and ##\cos(n \pi)## for integer ##n##? What about the values of ##\cos(n \pi/2)## for even ##n## and for odd ##n##?

Also, when using LaTeX/TeX, use "\sin' and "\cos' instead of 'sin' and 'cos', because that will look much better and be much, much easier to read: you will get ##\sin x, \: \cos x## instead of ##sin x, \; cos x##.
 
Just a quick look-over=in your integration by parts, first term, 3rd line, I don't get a "2" in the denominator.
 
Charles Link said:
Just a quick look-over=in your integration by parts, first term, 3rd line, I don't get a "2" in the denominator.
you are right. thank you.. i was copying from my notes and might have caried that from the next step. good catch
 
Ray Vickson said:
Don't you remember the values for ##\sin(n \pi)## and ##\cos(n \pi)## for integer ##n##? What about the values of ##\cos(n \pi/2)## for even ##n## and for odd ##n##?

Also, when using LaTeX/TeX, use "\sin' and "\cos' instead of 'sin' and 'cos', because that will look much better and be much, much easier to read: you will get ##\sin x, \: \cos x## instead of ##sin x, \; cos x##.
Thanks for the reply.

So, looking back:\cos(n\pi) = (-1)^n

\sin(n\pi) = 0

\sin(\frac{n2}{\pi}) = (-1)^{((n-1)/2)} for n odd, 0 for even the sin cancels out though and doesn't matter?

\cos(\frac{2n}{\pi}) = \frac{(1+(-1)^n)}{2*(-1)^{n/2}}
 

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