MAT2002 - ADDE Dr. T.

Phaneendra
Module 1 Professor of Mathematics

Computation of Harmonics from the Numerical Data

Fourier series have applications in music synthesis and image processing. We

will mention the relationship between sound (music) and Fourier series.

Consider the Fourier series of periodic signal f(x), where x represents a time-
variable.
a ∞ nπ nπ
f ( x ) ~ 0 + ∑ an cos x + bn sin x  for all 0 ≤ x ≤ 2L. … (1)
2 n=1 L  L  
nπ
The frequencies of the signal f are given by ωn = , n = 1, 2,3, ...
L
nπ n π
The term H n = an cos x + bn sin x is called the nth harmonic of f.
L L
Thus
πx πx
H1 = a1 cos  + b1 sin  is the first harmonic,
L L
2πx  2πx 
H2 = a2 cos  + b2 sin  is the second harmonic and so on.
 L   L 
The amplitude (the maximum displacement) of nth harmonic is An = an2 + bn2 .

Audio signals describe air pressure variations captured by our ears and
perceived as sounds. Periodic audio signals are also known as tones, which are
represented by Fourier series.

If f(x) is defined by an explicit form of the independent variable x, we evaluate its

Fourier coefficients by Euler’s formulae:

1 2L
a0 = f ( x )dx
L 0∫
1 2L nπx 
an = ∫ f ( x )cos   dx , … (2)
L0  L 
1 2L nπx 
bn = ∫ f ( x )sin   dx ,
L0  L 
for n = 1, 2, 3, ... .
But in some practical problems, a 2L-periodic function f (x ) is defined by a
graph or by a table of values with equally spaced values of the argument x in the
full range (0, 2L) .

For instance consider the data points:

x x0 x1 … xi … xk –1 xk

f(x) y0 y1 … yi … yk –1 yk = y0

SJT 511-A10 Page 1 phaneendra.t@vit.ac.in

MAT2002 - ADDE Dr. T. Phaneendra
Module 1 Professor of Mathematics

2L
In this data, there are k subintervals each of length , that is
k
2L
xi − xi −1 =
for all i = 1, 2, ..., k .
k
To evaluate the Fourier coefficients, we approximate the integrals in given (2)
using statistical mean.

In fact, we know about the means:

1 2L _____
∫ f ( x )dx = f ( x )
2L 0
__________ __________ ____
1 2L nπx  nπx 
∫ f ( x )cos   dx = f ( x )cos  ,
2L 0  L   L 
__________ __________ __
1 2L nπx  nπx 
∫ f ( x )sin   dx = f ( x )sin  
2L 0  L   L 

With these the Fourier coefficients in (2) can be written as

_______
a0 = 2 × f ( x )
__________ __________ ____
nπx 
an = 2 × f ( x ) cos  , … (3)
 L 
__________ __________ __
nπx 
bn = 2 × f ( x ) sin  ,
 L 
for n = 1, 2, 3, ... .

Example 1. Find the first two harmonics of the Fourier series of f(x) given the
following table:

x 0 π/3 2π/3 π 4π/3 5π/3 2π

f(x) 1.0 1.4 1.9 1.7 1.5 1.2 1.0

Note that the values of y = f(x) are spread over the interval 0≤ x ≤ 2π and
f(0) = f(2π) = 1.0.

Hence the function is periodic and so we omit the last value f(2π) = 1.0.

We have 2L = 2π or L = π, and

__________ __________ ___

nπx  __________ __
an = 2 × f ( x )cos  = 2 × y cos nx
 l 
__________ __________ __
nπx  __________ __
bn = 2 × f ( x )sin  = 2 × y sin nx
 l 
for n = 1, 2, 3, ... .

SJT 511-A10 Page 2 phaneendra.t@vit.ac.in

MAT2002 - ADDE Dr. T. Phaneendra
Module 1 Professor of Mathematics

We prepare the following table to compute the first two harmonics.

Col Col Col Col Col Col Col Col Col

Col VII
I II III IV V VI VIII IX X

x0 y = f(x) cosx cos2x sinx sin2x ycosx ycos2x ysinx ysin2x

0 1.0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
60 1.4 0.5 − 0.5 0.866 0.866 0.7 − 0.7 1.2124 1.2124

120 1.9 − 0.5 − 0.5 0.866 − 0.866 − 0.95 − 0.95 1.6454 − 1.6454
180 1.7 −1 1 0 0 − 1.7 1.7 0 0

240 1.5 − 0.5 − 0.5 − 0.866 0.866 − 0.75 − 0.75 1.299 1.299

300 1.2 0.5 − 0.5 -0.866 -0.866 0.6 − 0.6 −1.0392 − 1.0392
Total − 1.1 − 0.3 3.1176 − 0.1732

For n = 1:
__________ __
Col. VII Total 1
a1 = 2 × y cos x = 2 × = × (−1.1) = −0.367 ,
6 3
__________ __
Col. IX Total 1
b1 = 2 × y sin x = 2 × = × (3.1176) = 1.0392 ;
6 3

The first harmonic is

H1 = a1cosx+b1sinx = –0.367 cosx + 1.0392 sinx,

For n = 2:
__________ __
Col. VIII Total 1
a2 = 2 × y cos 2x = 2 × = × (−0.3) = −0.1 ,
6 3
__________ __
Col. X Total 1
b1 = 2 × y sin 2x = 2 × = × (−0.1732) = −0.0577 ;
6 3

The second harmonic is

H2 = a2cos2x+b2sin2x = – 0.1 cos2x – 0.0577 sin2x

Example 2. Express y as a Fourier series upto the third harmonic from the
following values:

x 0 1 2 3 4 5
y 4 8 15 7 6 2

The values of y at x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 are given and hence the interval of x should be

0 ≤ x < 6.

SJT 511-A10 Page 3 phaneendra.t@vit.ac.in

MAT2002 - ADDE Dr. T. Phaneendra
Module 1 Professor of Mathematics

The length of the interval = 6 – 0 = 6 so that 2L = 6 or L = 3.

The Fourier series upto the third harmonic is

a πx πx 2πx 2πx   3πx 3πx 
y = 0 +  a1 cos + b1 sin  +  a2 cos + b2 sin +  a3 cos + b3 sin
2  L L  L 
L   L L 
or
a πx πx 2πx 2πx   3πx 3πx 
y = 0 +  a1 cos + b1 sin  +  a2 cos + b2 sin + a cos + b3 sin
2  3 3  3 3   3 3 3 
πx
For brevity, put θ = , then
3
a0
y = + (a1 cos θ + b1 sin θ) + (a2 cos 2θ + b2 sin 2θ) + (a3 cos 3θ + b3 sin 3θ) (1)
2

We prepare the following table using the given values:

Col Col Col Col Col Col Col
Col IV Col VII
I II III V VI VIII IX
πx
x θ= y ycosθ ycos2θ ycos3θ ysinθ ysin2θ ysin3θ
3
0 0 04 4 4 4 0 0 0

1 600 08 4 −4 -8 6.928 6.928 0

2 1200 15 −7.5 −7.5 15 12.99 −12.99 0

3 1800 07 −7 7 −7 0 0 0

4 2400 06 −3 −3 6 −5.196 5.196 0

5 3000 02 1 −1 −2 −1.732 −1.732 0

Total 42 −8.5 −4.5 8 12.99 −2.598 0

Constant term:
_______
Col. III Total 1
a0 = 2 × f ( x ) = 2 × = × (42) = 14
6 3

For n = 1:
__________ _
Col. IV Total 1
a1 = 2 × y cos θ = 2 × = × (−8.5) = −2.833 ,
6 3
_________
Col. VII Total 1
b1 = 2 × y sin θ = 2 × = × (12.99) = 4.33 ;
6 3
For n = 2:
__________ _
Col. V Total 1
a2 = 2 × y cos 2θ = 2 × = × (−4.5) = −1.5 ,
6 3
_________
Col. VIII Total 1
b2 = 2 × y sin 2θ = 2 × = × (−2.598) = −0.866 ;
6 3

SJT 511-A10 Page 4 phaneendra.t@vit.ac.in

MAT2002 - ADDE Dr. T. Phaneendra
Module 1 Professor of Mathematics

For n = 3:
__________ _
Col. VI Total 1
a3 = 2 × y cos 3θ = 2 × = × (8) = 2.667 ,
6 3
_________
Col. IX Total 1
b3 = 2 × y sin 3θ = 2 × = × (0) = 0.
6 3

Using these in (1), we get

πx πx 2πx  2πx 
y = 7 − 2.833cos  + (4.33)sin  − 1.5cos  − 0.866 sin  + 2.667 cos πx
3 3  3   3 
This is the required Fourier series up to the third harmonic.

Example 3. The following table gives the variations of a periodic current A over
a period T :

t (sec.) 0 T/6 T/3 T/2 2T/3 5T/6 T

A (amp) 1.98 1.30 1.05 1.30 −0.88 −0.25 1.98

Show that there is a constant part of 0.75 amp. in the current A and obtain the
amplitude of the first harmonic.

Note that the values of A at t = 0 and t = T are the same. Hence f(t) = A(t) is a
periodic function of period T.

Also Full length 2L = T so that L = T/2. The Fourier coefficients are:

_____
a0 = 2 × f (t )
__________ __________ __ __________ __________ ____ __________ __________ ____
nπt   nπt   2nπt 
an = 2 × f (t )cos   = 2 × f (t )cos  T / 2  = 2 × f (t )cos  T 
 L     
__________ __________ __ __________ __________ __ __________ __________ ____
nπt  nπt  2nπt 
bn = 2 × f (t )sin   = 2 × f (t )sin   = 2 × f (t )sin  ,
 L  T /2  T 
for n = 1, 2, 3, …

2πt
Let us denote θ = . Then we have
T

a0 = 2 × A
2πt  __________ __
a1 = 2 × A cos  = 2 × A cos θ (1)
 T 
__________ _____
2πt  __________ _
b1 = 2 × A sin  = 2 × A sin θ
 T 

SJT 511-A10 Page 5 phaneendra.t@vit.ac.in

MAT2002 - ADDE Dr. T. Phaneendra
Module 1 Professor of Mathematics

We prepare the following table:

Col I Col II Col III Col IV Col V Col VI Col VII

2πt
t θ= A cosθ sinθ Acosθ Asinθ
T
0 0 1.98 1 0 1.98 0
T/6 600 1.30 0.5 0.866 0.65 1.1258
T/3 1200 1.05 -0.5 0.866 -0.525 0.9093
T/2 1800 1.30 -1 0 -1.30 0
2T/3 2400 -0.88 -0.5 -0.866 0.44 0.7621
5T/6 3000 -0.25 0.5 -0.866 -0.125 0.2165
Total 4.5 1.12 3.0137

Using the values of the table in (1), we get

Col. III Total 1

a0 = 2 × A = 2 × = × (4.5) = 1.5
6 3
__________ __
Col. VI Total 1
a1 = 2 × A cos θ = 2 × = × (1.12) = 0.3733
6 3
__________ _
Col. VII Total 1
b1 == 2 × A sin θ = 2 × = × (3.0137) = 1.0046
6 3

The Fourier expansion upto the first harmonic is

a 2πt   2πt 
A = 0 + a1 cos  + b1 sin T 
2  T   
 2πt  2πt 
= 0.75 + 0.3733cos  + 1.0046 sin 
 T   T 
The expression shows that A has a constant part 0.75 amp in it.

Also the amplitude of the first harmonic is a12 + b12 = 1.0717.

Exercises:

1. The displacement y of a part of a mechanism is tabulated with corresponding

angular movement x0 of the crank. Express y as a Fourier series upto the third
harmonic:

x0 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330

y 1.80 1.10 0.30 0.16 1.50 1.30 2.16 1.25 1.30 1.52 1.76 2.00

2. Obtain the Fourier series of y upto the second harmonic using the following table:
x0 45 90 135 180 225 270 315 360
y 4.0 3.8 2.4 2.0 -1.5 0 2.8 3.4

SJT 511-A10 Page 6 phaneendra.t@vit.ac.in

MAT2002 - ADDE Dr. T. Phaneendra
Module 1 Professor of Mathematics

3. Obtain the constant term and the coefficients of the first sine and cosine terms in the
Fourier expansion of y as given in the following table:
x 0 1 2 3 4 5
y 9 18 24 28 26 20

4. Find the Fourier series of y up to the second harmonic from the following table:
x 0 2 4 6 8 10 12
y 9.0 18.2 24.4 27.8 27.5 22.0 9.0

5. Obtain the first three coefficients in the Fourier cosine series for y, where y is given
in the following table:
x 0 1 2 3 4 5
y 4 8 15 7 6 2

6. The turning moment T is given for a series of values of the crank angle θ0 = 750:
θ0 0 30 60 90 120 150 180
T 0 5224 8097 7850 5499 2626 0
Obtain the first four terms in a series of sines.

SJT 511-A10 Page 7 phaneendra.t@vit.ac.in