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Functional Symmetry and Integrals: Plot @X 3 X, 8X, 3, 3, Filling Axisd

This document discusses how symmetry properties of functions can simplify calculating integrals. It defines odd and even functions, and shows that integrals of odd functions over symmetric intervals are zero, while integrals of even functions over half the interval equal integrals over the full interval. Trigonometric functions like sine are odd and cosine even. Products of functions can be odd or even based on the functions; this determines whether their integrals over symmetric intervals are zero or satisfy the even function property.

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Eng Burhaanudiin Cumar
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74 views4 pages

Functional Symmetry and Integrals: Plot @X 3 X, 8X, 3, 3, Filling Axisd

This document discusses how symmetry properties of functions can simplify calculating integrals. It defines odd and even functions, and shows that integrals of odd functions over symmetric intervals are zero, while integrals of even functions over half the interval equal integrals over the full interval. Trigonometric functions like sine are odd and cosine even. Products of functions can be odd or even based on the functions; this determines whether their integrals over symmetric intervals are zero or satisfy the even function property.

Uploaded by

Eng Burhaanudiin Cumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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FUNCTIONAL SYMMETRY AND

INTEGRALS
Overview
We have already seen that understanding the basics of symmetry of functions can help us in computing and understanding
various coefficients we obtain as part of Fourier analysis.In this note, we will show how symmetry arguments can be used to
simplify our work.

Odd and Even Functions


We are familiar with fundamental definitions of odd and even functions. A function is odd if f (x) = -f (-x), and a function is even
if f (x) = f (-x). Not surprisingly, polynomials consisting only of odd powers of x are odd, and polynomials consisting of only
even powers of x are even.

Odd and even functions also have characteristic graphs. Fig. 1 shows a plot of the odd function f (x) = x3 - x from -3 to 3:

In[116]:= Plot@x ^ 3 x, 8x, 3, 3<, Filling AxisD

Out[116]=

Fig. 1 Graph of x3 - x on [-3,3]

Notice also the shading between the curve and the graph. This indicates nicely that the area above the x axis is matched by the
area below the x axis, so that the total integral of this function is zero between the limits [-3, 3]. This illustrates one of the key
concepts of odd functions : the integral of an odd function is zero if it is evaluated by limits that are symmetric across the
origin. We can verify this statement by explicitly calculating the integral:

In[117]:= IntegrateAx3 x, 8x, 3, 3<E

Out[117]= 0
2 symmetry.nb

We can even show this symbolically; if we integrate this function between any limits that are a, we find:

In[118]:= Integrate@x ^ 3 x, 8x, a, a<D

Out[118]= 0

f (x) = f (-x). Fig. 2 shows a plot of the function f HxL = x4 - x2 +3which is an even function since each power of x is even.
Let' s consider now the properties of even functions. An even function has the basic property that

In[121]:= Plot@x ^ 4 x ^ 2 + 3, 8x, 3, 3<, Filling AxisD

Out[121]=

Fig. 2 Graph of x4 - x2 + 3 on [-3,3]

We can see that that the graph is symmetric with respect to the y axis, and that the area of the curve in the left half plane is equal
to the area of the curve in the right half plane. In fact, even functions have the property that :

feven HxL dx = 2 feven HxL dx


a a

(1)
-a 0

We can verify this property for this function by calculating these two integrals and taking their ratio :

In[123]:= HIntegrate@x ^ 4 x ^ 2 + 3, 8x, a, a<DL H2 Integrate@x ^ 4 x ^ 2 + 3, 8x, 0, a<DL

2 a3 2 a5
6a 3
+ 5

2 J3 a N
Out[123]=
a3 a5
3
+ 5

In[124]:= Simplify@%D

Out[124]= 1

The final step showing that the ratio of the two integrals is one, proving their equality.

Odd and Even Trig functions


We can extend our definitions of odd and even functions to the familiar trig functions, sine and cosine. We can consider simple
plots of each function to determine their behavior :
symmetry.nb 3

In[127]:= Plot@Sin@xD, 8x, , <, Filling AxisD

Out[127]=

Fig. 3 Graph of Sin (x)

And similarly :

In[128]:= Plot@Cos@xD, 8x, , <, Filling AxisD

Out[128]=

Fig. 4 Graph of Cos (x)

Not only do the graphs of sin and cos reveal their symmetry, but we can also rely on the Taylor series expansions of these
functions to determine their symmetry properties :

x3 x5 x7
Sin x = x - + - + ...
3! 5! 7!
(2)
x2 x4 x6
Cos x = 1 - + - + ...
2! 4! 6!
Clearly, sin is an odd function since its series expansion involves only odd powers of x, and cos is an even function since its
series expansion involves only even powers of x.

Products of even and odd functions


We can draw some helpful conclusions by considering products of even and odd functions. Consider the following possibilities :
4 symmetry.nb

egs : x2 x4 = x6 ; x2 cos HxL


even function x even function -> even function

even function x odd function -> odd function


1
egs: x2 x = x3 ; cos x sinx = 2
sinH2 xL(and remember sin is an odd function)

odd function x odd function -> even function


egs: x x3 = x4 ; sin x sin x = sin2 x = 1 - cos2 x (1 and cos2 are even)

Thus, we can use combine this information with our understanding of symmetry properties of integrals to show :

The integral of an odd function times an even function over the interval [-a, a] is zero :

In[129]:= IntegrateA9x x2 , Cos@xD x3 , Exp@x ^ 2D x=, 8x, a, a<E

Out[129]= 80, 0, 0<

The input line above consists of a set of three products of an even function times an odd function; the output line shows each
integral has a value of zero when evaluated on the interval [-a, a].

The integral of an even function times an even function, or the integral of the product of odd functions, satisfies the relationship :

f1 HxL f2 HxL dx = 2 f1 HxL f2 HxL dx


a a

(3)
-a 0

Examples :

In[131]:= Integrate@x ^ 2 Cos@xD, 8x, , <D

Out[131]= 4

In[132]:= Integrate@x ^ 2 Cos@xD, 8x, 0, <D

Out[132]= 2

In[133]:= Integrate@x Sin@xD, 8x, , <D

Out[133]= 2

In[134]:= Integrate@x Sin@xD, 8x, 0, <D

Out[134]=

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