2.

Even and Odd Functions

William T. Rhodes
24Jan08

Even and odd functions are distinguished by the following properties:

Even: f (t ) =f (t )
Odd: f (t ) = f (t )
Any function can be tested for evenness or oddness by means of these properties. Thus, for
example, sin(t ) = sin(t ) and must therefore be an odd function of t.
Any function g (t ) , including complex-valued functions, can be expressed as a unique
sum of an even part and an odd part:
g=
(t ) e(t ) + o(t )
where
f (t ) + f (t )
e(t ) = E { f (t )}
2
f (t ) f (t )
o(t ) O=
=
{ f (t )}
2
Note the use of the operators O{} and E {} and the procedures for finding those parts,

(1)
(2)

(3)
(4)
(5)

procedures you can apply to any function yourself.

Products of even and odd function obey the following rules, as is easily established by
means of the tests provided by Eqs. (1) and (2):
(6)
Even Even =
Even
(7)
Odd Odd =
Even
(8)
Even Odd =
Odd
2
Thus sin (t ) = sin(t ) sin(t ) , the product of two odd functions, is even, whereas sin(t ) cos(t ) , the
product of an even function and an odd function, is odd. I urge you to commit relationships (1)
through (8) to memory. You should know and remember them all.
An interesting relation arises when we speak of functions of functions. It is easily proved,
for example, that e2 [ e1 (t ) ] , an even function of an even function, is itself even, since
e2 [ e1 (t ) ] =
e2 [ e1 (t ) ] . You might consider the cases of an odd function of an odd function, an

even function of an odd function, and an odd function of an even function.

We will often explore symmetry properties of simple functions graphically. Thus, the
function f (t ) sketched in Fig. 1(a) has the odd part given in Fig. 1(c), as determined by
summing graphically the functions (1/ 2) f (t ) and (1/ 2) f (t ) shown in Fig. 1(b).
f (t )
O{ f (t )}

(1/ 2) f (t )

(1/ 2) f (t )

(a)

(b)

(c )

Fig. 1. Determining the odd part of f (t ) by graphical means.

Note, incidentally, that in graphing the function (1/ 2) f (t ) , one can either (a) take the
function (1/ 2) f (t ) and flip it first left-to-right about the vertical axis and then top-to-bottom
about the horizontal axis, or, (b) take the function (1/ 2) f (t ) and spin it 180 about the origin, as
though you put the point of a pin at the origin and used that as a pivot point. Try this operation as
an exercise, working with the elements of Fig. 1.