Fourier series - trig and complex not matching?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the Fourier series representation of a pulse train signal defined over specific intervals. The original poster is comparing the trigonometric and exponential forms of the Fourier series, noting discrepancies in amplitude between the two representations.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to derive the coefficients for both the trigonometric and exponential Fourier series but encounters an issue with the amplitude of the exponential form being halved compared to the trigonometric form. Some participants suggest exploring the relationship between sine and exponential functions, while others highlight the importance of including negative frequency components in the series.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the original poster's calculations, providing hints and corrections. There is recognition of the need to sum over both positive and negative frequencies in the exponential series, which may clarify the discrepancies noted by the original poster.

Contextual Notes

The original poster is working within the constraints of a homework assignment, which may impose specific rules on the representation of Fourier series and the treatment of coefficients.

haydez98
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fourier series - trig and complex not matching?

i am given a signal which can be written as:
s(t) = -1 {-1 < t < 0}, 1 {0 < t < 1}, 0 {1 < t < 2} [it's a pulse train]
the period, T, is 3.
i have calculated the trig. Fourier series representation, which in MATLAB turns out to be correct, yet when i calculate the exponentical fsr, i get a version of the trig. fsr which has its amplitude halved.

for the trig fsr:

s(t) = 2/(pi * n) * (1 - cos((2 * pi * n)/3)) * sin((2 * pi * n * t)/3);


for the exp fsr:

s(t) = -1/(i * pi * n) * (cos((2 * pi * n)/3) - 1) * exp((i * 2 * pi * n * t)/3)


i also tried

c_n = 0.5 (a_n - i * b_n) = -0.5 * i * ( 2/(pi * n) * (1 - cos((2 * pi * n)/3))



either case, my complex fsr was a scaled amplitude version of my trig fsr...when i get rid of the 0.5 it turns out to be right, but why would i get rid of the 0.5?


thanks in advance
 
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Hint:
\sin x = \frac{e^x - e^{-x}}{2 i}
 


okay i'll show you my working out...
<br /> c_{n}=\frac{1}{T}\int_{0}^{T}s(t)e^{\frac{-j2\pi nt}{T}}dt
=\frac{1}{T}\left [\int_{-T/3}^{0}-1e^{\frac{-j2\pi nt}{T}}dt + \int_{0}^{T/3}1e^{\frac{-j2\pi nt}{T}}dt \right ]
=\frac{1}{T} \left[\left[\frac{T}{j2\pi n}e^{\frac{-j2\pi nt}{T}} \right]_{-T/3}^{0} +\left[\frac{-T}{j2\pi n}e^{\frac{-j2\pi nt}{T}} \right]_{0}^{T/3}\right]
=\frac{1}{j2\pi n}\left[1 - e^{\frac{j2\pi n}{3}}+e^{\frac{-j2\pi n}{3}}+1\right]
=\frac{1}{j2\pi n}\left[2-2cos(\frac{2\pi n}{3})\right]
=\frac{1}{j\pi n}\left[1-cos(\frac{2 \pi n}{3})\right]<br />

(note: i used the cosine identity)

Therefore:
<br /> s(t)= \frac{1}{j\pi n}(1-cos(\frac{2 \pi n}{3}))e^{\frac{j\pi nt}{3}}<br />

However, when I put this into matlab, it doesn't satisfy the trig fsr.
 
Last edited:


Almost everything looks fine. Except, well, you still got to sum over n... ;)

So:
s(t) = \sum_{n=-\infty,\neq 0}^{\infty} c_n e^{j\pi n t / 3}
where
c_n = \frac{1}{j\pi n}(1-\cos \frac{2\pi n}{3})
Note also that c_0 is left out (in other words, c_0=0, do you see why?)

Now we see that
c_{-n} = -c_n
so the sum can be rewritten as:
s(t) = \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} c_n e^{j\pi n t / 3}+c_{-n}e^{-j\pi n t / 3}<br /> = \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} c_n e^{j\pi n t / 3}-c_{n}e^{-j\pi n t / 3}<br /> =\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} c_n \left(e^{j\pi n t / 3}-e^{-j\pi n t / 3}\right)<br /> =\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} 2i c_n\sin{j\pi n t / 3}

Which is the trig fsr.
 
Last edited:


ah coolness. i didn't know about having to put c_-n in it too

thanks so much
 

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