Periodic function

2 Examples

Not to be confused with periodic mapping.

Period length redirects here. It is not to be confused
with Repeating decimal.
Aperiodic and Non-periodic redirect here. For other
uses, see Aperiodic (disambiguation).

In mathematics, a periodic function is a function that

repeats its values in regular intervals or periods. The
most important examples are the trigonometric functions, A graph of the sine function, showing two complete periods
which repeat over intervals of 2 radians. Periodic functions are used throughout science to describe oscillations, For example, the sine function is periodic with period 2,
waves, and other phenomena that exhibit periodicity. since
Any function which is not periodic is called aperiodic.
sin(x + 2) = sin x

f(x)

for all values of x. This function repeats on intervals of

length 2 (see the graph to the right).

Everyday examples are seen when the variable is time; for

instance the hands of a clock or the phases of the moon
show periodic behaviour. Periodic motion is motion in
which the position(s) of the system are expressible as periodic functions, all with the same period.

x
An illustration of a periodic function with period P.

For a function on the real numbers or on the integers, that

means that the entire graph can be formed from copies of
one particular portion, repeated at regular intervals.

Denition

A simple example of a periodic function is the function f

that gives the "fractional part" of its argument. Its period
A function f is said to be periodic with period P (P being is 1. In particular,
a nonzero constant) if we have
f( 0.5 ) = f( 1.5 ) = f( 2.5 ) = ... = 0.5.
The graph of the function f is the sawtooth wave.

f (x + P ) = f (x)

The trigonometric functions sine and cosine are common

periodic functions, with period 2 (see the gure on the
right). The subject of Fourier series investigates the idea
that an 'arbitrary' periodic function is a sum of trigonometric functions with matching periods.

for all values of x in the domain. If there exists a least

positive[1] constant P with this property, it is called the
fundamental period (also primitive period, basic period, or prime period.) A function with period P will
repeat on intervals of length P, and these intervals are referred to as periods.

According to the denition above, some exotic functions,

for example the Dirichlet function, are also periodic; in
Geometrically, a periodic function can be dened as a the case of Dirichlet function, any nonzero rational numfunction whose graph exhibits translational symmetry. ber is a period.
Specically, a function f is periodic with period P if the
graph of f is invariant under translation in the x-direction
by a distance of P. This denition of periodic can be ex- 3 Properties
tended to other geometric shapes and patterns, such as
periodic tessellations of the plane.
If a function f is periodic with period P, then for all x in
A function that is not periodic is called aperiodic.

the domain of f and all integers n,

1

7 SEE ALSO
f(x + P) = f(x) for all x. (Thus, a P-antiperiodic function is a 2P-periodic function.) For example, the sine or
cosine function is -antiperiodic and 2-periodic.

2
sin x
cos x

1.5
1
0.5

6.2 Bloch-periodic functions

0
-0.5
-1
-1.5
-2

-2

-3/2

-/2

/2

3/2

A plot of f(x) = sin(x) and g(x) = cos(x); both functions are

periodic with period 2.

A further generalization appears in the context of Bloch

waves and Floquet theory, which govern the solution of
various periodic dierential equations. In this context,
the solution (in one dimension) is typically a function of
the form:

f (x + P ) = eikP f (x)

where k is a real or complex number (the Bloch wavevector or Floquet exponent). Functions of this form are someIf f(x) is a function with period P, then f(ax+b), where times called Bloch-periodic in this context. A periodic
a is a positive constant, is periodic with period P/|a|. For function is the special case k = 0, and an antiperiodic
example, f(x)=sinx has period 2, therefore sin(5x) will function is the special case k = /P.
have period 2/5.
f(x + nP) = f(x).

6.3 Quotient spaces as domain

Double-periodic functions

A function whose domain is the complex numbers can

have two incommensurate periods without being constant. The elliptic functions are such functions. (Incommensurate in this context means not real multiples
of each other.)

Complex example

In signal processing you encounter the problem,

that Fourier series represent periodic functions and
that Fourier series satisfy convolution theorems (i.e.
convolution of Fourier series corresponds to multiplication of represented periodic function and vice versa),
but periodic functions cannot be convolved with the
usual denition, since the involved integrals diverge. A
possible way out is to dene a periodic function on a
bounded but periodic domain. To this end you can use
the notion of a quotient space:

Using complex variables we have the common period

R/Z = {x+Z : x R} = {{y : y Ryx Z} : x R}
function:
That is, each element in R/Z is an equivalence class of
real numbers that share the same fractional part. Thus
e
= cos kx + i sin kx
a function like f : R/Z R is a representation of a
As you can see, since the cosine and sine functions are 1-periodic function.
periodic, and the complex exponential above is made up
of cosine/sine waves, then the above (actually Eulers formula) has the following property. If L is the period of the 7 See also
function then:
ikx

List of periodic functions

L = 2/k

Periodic sequence
Almost periodic function

6
6.1

Generalizations
Antiperiodic functions

One common generalization of periodic functions is that

of antiperiodic functions. This is a function f such that

Amplitude
Denite pitch
Doubly periodic function
Floquet theory

3
Frequency
Oscillation
Quasiperiodic function
Wavelength
Periodic summation
Secular variation

References

[1] For some functions, like a constant function or the

indicator function of the rational numbers, a least positive
period may not exist (the inmum of possible positive
P being zero).

Ekeland, Ivar (1990). One. Convexity methods

in Hamiltonian mechanics. Ergebnisse der Mathematik und ihrer Grenzgebiete (3) [Results in Mathematics and Related Areas (3)]. 19. Berlin:
Springer-Verlag. pp. x+247. ISBN 3-540-506136. MR 1051888.

External links
Hazewinkel, Michiel, ed. (2001), Periodic function, Encyclopedia of Mathematics, Springer, ISBN
978-1-55608-010-4
Periodic functions at MathWorld

10

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