Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2005 ib Paper 4 15F Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
The function is odd, so its Fourier series has no constant or cosine terms. If , it is already a Fourier basis function: for the only sine coefficient is ; for it is ; for the function is zero.
For real noninteger , the product-to-sum identity givesSince both numerator sines equal , the Fourier series of a noninteger-frequency sine isIt equals the function for . At either periodic endpoint it equals the average of the two one-sided limits, namely zero; the noninteger-frequency function has a jump in its periodic extension there. Equality also holds in the square-integral sense on the full interval.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 1 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge 2003 Paper 2 2 Solution Created 2026-10-18 Updated 2026-10-20
For an odd integrable function, both and are odd. Their integrals over therefore vanish, so the constant and cosine Fourier coefficients are zero. For , the remaining Fourier sine coefficients areThe product-to-sum identity in the first step reduces the integral to two cosines. Here is real and noninteger, so no denominator vanishes. Consequently the Fourier series of a noninteger-frequency sine isAt every term is zero. The Fourier series converges there to the average of the two limits of the periodic extension, namely zero, rather than to the nonzero endpoint values .
