University of Toronto Scarborough

Department of Computer & Mathematical Sciences

MAT B42H 2016/2017

Assignment #1

This assignment is due at the start of your tutorial in the period

January 16 – January 20, 2017.

B. Problems:

1. Show that
Z π
(a) sin(kx) cos(nx)dx = 0.
−π

Z π  0 , k 6= ±n
(b) cos(kx) cos(nx)dx = π , k = ±n 6= 0 .
2π , k = n = 0
−π 

2. For each of the following functions, find the nth Fourier polynomial, assuming them
to be periodic with period 2π. Use symbolic algebra software to graph the first three
approximations together with the original function.

(a) f (x) = x3 , −π < x ≤ π

 1

, −π < x ≤ 0
(b) f (x) = 2 .
2x , 0<x≤π


3. Find the Fourier series for the “triangular wave” of period 2π, if one period is given by
 π
 + x , −π < x ≤ 0

f (x) = 2 .
π
 −x , 0<x≤π

2

4. Find the Fourier expansion for the function f (x) (of period 2π) which corresponds to
x
y = on the interval [0, 2π).
4
 

 0 , −π ≤ x < − π2

5. Let f (x) = π , − π2 ≤ x < π
2


0 , π
≤x<π

2

(a) Find a formula for the energy of the k th harmonic of f .

(b) What fraction of the energy of f is contained in the first 3 terms of it s Fourier
series?
(c) Find Fn , the nth Fourier polynomial of f , and use symbolic algebra software to
graph f and F3 on the interval [−3π, 3π].

6. Find the Fourier series for the function f (x) (of period 2) which corresponds to
y = x2 − 1 on the interval [−1, 1].

7. Find two Fourier expansions for the restriction of the function f (x) = sin x to the
interval [0, π]. In one expansion all sine terms should have zero coefficient, in the other
all cosine terms should have zero coefficient.