Fourier Series - proving a sum

ramdayal9
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Homework Statement


Let f(x)=x on [-\pi,\pi) and peridically extended. Compute the Fourier series and hence show:

\sum_{n \geq 1,nodd} \frac{1}{n^2} = \frac{\pi^2}{8} and \sum_{n \geq 1} \frac{1}{n^2} = \frac{\pi^2}{6}

Homework Equations



Parseval's equality

The Attempt at a Solution


I computed the Fourier series to be -\sum_{n=1,nodd} \frac{4}{n^2 \pi} e^{inx}+\frac{\pi}{2} (even terms \hat{f}(n)=0) and proved the first sum (letting x=0).
How would I compute the second part? how do i get the whole sum from this? I tried to slipt the sum into even and odd parts, but i don't know how to compute the even sum when I don't have any terms for the even sum! thanks
 
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You can't. If, in fact, all terms with even indices are 0, then "\sum_{n\ge 1, n odd}" and \sum_{n\ge 1} must be the same!
 
HallsofIvy said:
You can't. If, in fact, all terms with even indices are 0, then "\sum_{n\ge 1, n odd}" and \sum_{n\ge 1} must be the same!
Ok, so how would I use what I have to prove the second sum? That's assuming that Fourier series is right - I think it is, because the first sum works out. On a related note, how would I go about proving that \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{1}{(2n+1)^4} = \frac{\pi^4}{96}? I have started by saying that this is equivalent to the sum \sum_{n \geq 1, n odd} \frac{1}{n^4}. I use a similar method as before and consider the function f(x) = |x^3| on [-\pi, \pi) but I don't seem to get the sum I require in the end...I get the sum of even numbers instead!
Thanks
 
ramdayal9 said:

Homework Statement


Let f(x)=x on [-\pi,\pi) and peridically extended. Compute the Fourier series and hence show:

\sum_{n \geq 1,nodd} \frac{1}{n^2} = \frac{\pi^2}{8} and \sum_{n \geq 1} \frac{1}{n^2} = \frac{\pi^2}{6}


Homework Equations



Parseval's equality

The Attempt at a Solution


I computed the Fourier series to be -\sum_{n=1,nodd} \frac{4}{n^2 \pi} e^{inx}+\frac{\pi}{2} (even terms \hat{f}(n)=0) and proved the first sum (letting x=0).
How would I compute the second part? how do i get the whole sum from this? I tried to slipt the sum into even and odd parts, but i don't know how to compute the even sum when I don't have any terms for the even sum! thanks
I don't get the same Fourier series for f(x)=x that you do.
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...

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