Thread: How to prepare to face a class in Fourier Transform and Fast Fourier Transform

Hello everybody, I'm getting ready to start a Master in Electronics and I know that I'll be using the Fourier Transform and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), but I have been away from my books for more than 12 years and I want to be ready for this courser. The question is what do I need to study before facing the FFT? I mean which topics do I need to know very well before starting this course? Any suggestions on what could be the path to follow? Thank you all.

Originally Posted by luigi

Hello everybody, I'm getting ready to start a Master in Electronics and I know that I'll be using the Fourier Transform and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), but I have been away from my books for more than 12 years and I want to be ready for this courser. The question is what do I need to study before facing the FFT? I mean which topics do I need to know very well before starting this course? Any suggestions on what could be the path to follow? Thank you all.

One of the most widely used applications of Fourier Transforms, like Laplace Transforms, is to convert difficult equations (like solving Differential Equations) into easier-to-solve ALGEBRAIC equations. Most of the time you will just be looking up known Fourier Transforms from your tables, so it is IMPERATIVE that your algebraic skills are good enough to:
1. Be able to get your problem into forms where you can read off the Fourier Transform, and
2. Be able to solve the algebraic equation that it gets transformed into.

Prove It, thank you for the answer, I have other question, which books could you recommend to get started, something on differential equations and something to master advanced algebraic equations?