# fourier series again

• January 25th 2009, 11:51 AM
James0502
fourier series again
f(x) = xsin(px)

to calculate the fourier series, I am struggling.. do I need to distinguish between when p = n?

I am really struggling with the integration of this.. could somebody please show me how I would go about it? many thanks
• January 25th 2009, 01:14 PM
Jester
Quote:

Originally Posted by James0502
f(x) = xsin(px)

to calculate the fourier series, I am struggling.. do I need to distinguish between when p = n?

I am really struggling with the integration of this.. could somebody please show me how I would go about it? many thanks

Is $p$ a positive integer?
• January 25th 2009, 01:16 PM
James0502
yes, sorry, that wasnt clear

any help would be so greatly appreciated!
• January 25th 2009, 04:46 PM
Jester
Quote:

Originally Posted by James0502
yes, sorry, that wasnt clear

any help would be so greatly appreciated!

Here's what I got

$a_0 = \frac{1}{\pi} \int_{- \pi}^{\pi} x \sin p x\, dx = - \frac{2 (-1)^p}{p}$

$a_n = \frac{1}{\pi} \int_{- \pi}^{\pi} x \sin p x \cos nx\, dx = - \frac{2 p}{p^2 -n^2}\,(-1)^{p+n}\;\;\;n \ne p$

$a_n = - \frac{1}{2p},\;\;\;n = p$

The series

$\frac{a_0}{2} + \sum_{i=1}^{\infty} a_n \cos nx$