(The Signal)
(Finding the Series)
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==Finding the Series==
 
==Finding the Series==
It will be helpful -- necessary even -- to find the fundamental period of the signal. In our case, the period of the overall signal is <math>2\pi</math>, so <math>\omega_0</math> will be <math>\frac{2\pi}{2\pi}=1</math>.
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First the fundamental period has to be found. The period of the overall signal is <math>8</math>, so <math>\omega_0</math> will be <math>\frac{2\pi}{8}=4/\pi</math>.
  
 
A good place to start is the calculation of <math>a_0</math>, which is the average of the signal.  Plotting the signal makes it look like the average is 0, but we can integrate to check.
 
A good place to start is the calculation of <math>a_0</math>, which is the average of the signal.  Plotting the signal makes it look like the average is 0, but we can integrate to check.

Revision as of 12:29, 26 September 2008

The Signal

Consider the signal which is given by the following values and limits:

{ -1 for (0 < t < 4) { 1 for (4 < t < 8)

The Formulae

Recall the Fourier Series formulae for the continuous time signal case:

$ x(t)=\sum_{k=-\infty}^{\infty}a_ke^{jk\omega_0t} $

and

$ a_k=\frac{1}{T}\int_0^Tx(t)e^{-jk\omega_0t}dt $.

Finding the Series

First the fundamental period has to be found. The period of the overall signal is $ 8 $, so $ \omega_0 $ will be $ \frac{2\pi}{8}=4/\pi $.

A good place to start is the calculation of $ a_0 $, which is the average of the signal. Plotting the signal makes it look like the average is 0, but we can integrate to check.

$ a_0=\frac{1}{T}\int_0^T[7\sin(2t)+(1+j)\cos(3t)]e^{-jk\omega_0t}dt $


$ =\frac{7}{2\pi}\int_0^{2\pi}\sin(2t)dt + \frac{1+j}{2\pi}\int_0^{2\pi}\cos(3t)dt $


$ =\frac{-7}{4\pi}\cos(2t)|_0^{2\pi}+\frac{1+j}{6\pi}\sin(3t)|_0^{2\pi} $


$ =\frac{-7}{4\pi}(\cos(4\pi)-\cos(0))+\frac{1+j}{6\pi}(\sin(6\pi)-\sin(0))=0 $


After this point, integrating becomes quite tedious, so I'll revert to using complex exponential identities to continue the solution. Our signal then becomes

$ x(t)=\frac{7}{2j}(e^{2j}-e^{-2j})+\frac{1+j}{2}(e^{3j}+e^{-3j}) $


$ =\frac{7}{2j}(e^2e^j-e^{-2}e^j)+\frac{1+j}{2}(e^3e^j+e^{-3}e^j) $

Now the Fourier coefficients should be fairly obvious.

$ a_{-3}=a_3=\frac{1+j}{2} $

$ a_{-2}=\frac{-7}{2j} $

$ a_2=\frac{7}{2j} $

All other $ a_k=0 $.

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