Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2017/prelims/mathematics-v-resit/question-4/b/solution

The function is an even function, so every Fourier sine coefficient is zero. Introduce the auxiliary integral
For a nonzero integer , integration by parts gives
Consequently
For , a product-to-sum formula yields
If , this becomes
The exceptional Fourier coefficient at must be evaluated before dividing by :
Thus the full Fourier series is
This equality holds on and by periodicity everywhere. Indeed the periodic extension is continuous at the joined endpoints, since both endpoint values are zero, and is piecewise smooth. The theorem on pointwise convergence of a piecewise smooth Fourier series therefore applies, including at the endpoints. The Fourier coefficients also decay as , making the resulting series absolutely and uniformly convergent.

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