Table 15.4-1 The Fourier Series of Selected Waveforms.

Function Trigonometric Fourier Series

2π
Square wave: ω 0 =
T

A 4 A ∞ sin ( ( 2n − 1) ω 0 t )
f (t ) = + ∑
2 π n =1 2n − 1

2π
Pulse wave: ω 0 =
T
⎛ nπ d ⎞
∞
sin ⎜ ⎟
f (t ) =
Ad 2 Ad
2
+ ∑ ⎝ T ⎠ cos n ω t
π n =1 n π d 0 ( )
T

2π
Half wave rectified sine wave: ω 0 =
T

A A 2 A ∞ cos ( 2 n ω 0 t )
f (t ) =
π
+
2
sin ω 0 t − ∑
π n =1 4n 2 − 1

2π
Full wave rectified sine wave: ω 0 =
T

2A 4A ∞ cos ( n ω 0 t )
f (t ) =
π
−
π
∑
n =1 4n 2 − 1

2π
Sawtooth wave: ω 0 =
T

f (t ) =
A A ∞
+ ∑
(
sin n ω 0 t )
2 π n =1 n

2π
Triangle wave: ω 0 =
T

A 4 A ∞ cos ( ( 2n − 1) ω 0 t )
f (t ) = − ∑
2 π 2 n =1 ( 2n − 1)
2
 15.4 Fourier Series of Selected Waveforms
Table 15.4-1 provides the trigonometric Fourier series for several frequently encountered
waveforms. Each of the waveforms in Table is represented using two parameters: A is the
amplitude of the wave form and T is the period of the waveform.

Figure 15.4-1 shows a voltage waveform that is similar to, but not exactly the same as, a
waveform in Table 15.4-1. To obtain a Fourier series for the voltage waveform, we select the
Fourier series of the similar waveform from Table 15.4-1 and then do four things:

1. Set the value of A equal to the amplitude of the voltage waveform.

2. Add a constant to the Fourier series of the voltage waveform to adjust its average value.
3. Set the value of T equal to the period of the voltage waveform.
4. Replace t by t − t o when the voltage waveform is delayed by time t o with respect to the
waveform form Table 15.4-1. After some algebra, the delay can be represented as a phase
shift in the Fourier series of the voltage waveform.

Example 15.4-1:
Determine the Fourier series of the voltage waveform shown in Figure 15.4-1.

Figure 15.4-1 A voltage waveform.

Solution:
The voltage waveform is similar to the square wave in Table 15.4-1. The Fourier series of the
square is
(
A 4 A ∞ sin ( 2n − 1) ω 0 t )
f (t ) = +
2 π n =1
∑ 2n − 1

Step 1: The amplitude of the voltage waveform is 3 − ( −2 ) = 5 V. After setting A = 5 , the Fourier
series becomes

20 ∞ sin ( ( 2n − 1) ω 0 t )
2.5 +
π
∑
n =1 2n − 1
Step 2: The average value of the Fourier series is 2.5, the value of the constant term. The
average value of the voltage waveform is ( 3 + ( −2 ) ) / 2 = 0.5 V. We change the constant term of
the Fourier series from 2.5 to 0.5 to adjust its average value. This is equivalent to subtracting 2
from the Fourier series, corresponding to shifting the waveform downward by 2 V.

20 ∞ sin ( ( 2n − 1) ω 0 t )
0.5 +
π
∑ n =1 2n − 1

Step 3: The period of the voltage waveform is T = 6 − ( −2 ) = 8 ms. The corresponding

fundamental frequency is
2π
ω0 = = 250 π rad/s
0.008
After setting ω 0 = 250 π rad/s , the Fourier series becomes

20 ∞ sin ( ( 2n − 1) 250 π t )
0.5 +
π
∑ n =1 2n − 1

Step 4: The square wave in Table 15.4-1 has a rising edge at time 0. The corresponding rising
edge of the voltage waveform occurs at -2 ms. The voltage waveform is advanced by 2 ms or,
equivalently, delayed by −2 ms. Consequently, we replace t by t − ( −0.002 ) = t + 0.002 in the
Fourier series. We notice that

⎛ ⎛ π ⎞⎞
sin ( ( 2n − 1) 250 π ( t + 0.002 ) ) = sin ⎜ ( 2n − 1) ⎜ 250 π t + ⎟ ⎟ = sin ( ( 2n − 1)( 250 π t + 90° ) )
⎝ ⎝ 2 ⎠⎠

After replacing t by t + 0.002 , the Fourier series becomes

20 ∞ sin ( ( 2n − 1)( 250 π t + 90° ) )

v ( t ) = 0.5 +
π
∑
n =1 2n − 1