k = 1 ∑ ∞ k 3 ( − 1 ) k + 1 sin ( k )
If the above sum can be represented as c π a − b for positive integers a , b and c , find the value of a + b + c .
Clarification : Angles are measured in radians.
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How do you know we must start with f ( x ) = 1 2 1 ( π 2 x − x 3 ) ? Seems like it appeared out of thin air.
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In one sense it did. I knew that Fourier series like this exist, and I initially solved the problem by looking it up in Gradshteyn and Rhyzik.
We could work out what
f
(
x
)
had to be with a little thought, though. Suppose that
f
(
x
)
is an odd polynomial in
x
. The Fourier sine series of
f
(
x
)
is
f
(
x
)
=
k
=
1
∑
∞
a
k
sin
k
x
where
a
k
=
π
1
∫
−
π
π
f
(
x
)
sin
k
x
d
x
k
≥
1
.
Integrating by parts gives
a
k
=
[
−
π
k
1
f
(
x
)
cos
k
x
]
−
π
π
+
k
π
1
∫
−
π
π
f
′
(
x
)
cos
k
x
d
x
;
Since we want
a
k
=
(
−
1
)
k
+
1
k
−
3
, we had better have
f
(
π
)
=
f
(
−
π
)
=
0
to make the cross term disappear. Thus
π
2
−
x
2
must be a factor of
f
(
x
)
. Integrating by parts two more times gives
a
k
=
=
k
π
1
∫
−
π
π
f
′
(
x
)
cos
k
x
d
x
=
[
k
2
π
1
f
′
(
x
)
sin
k
x
]
−
π
π
−
k
2
π
1
∫
−
π
π
f
′
′
(
x
)
sin
k
x
d
x
−
k
2
π
1
∫
−
π
π
f
′
′
(
x
)
sin
k
x
d
x
=
[
k
3
π
1
f
′
′
(
x
)
cos
k
x
]
−
π
π
−
k
3
π
1
∫
−
π
π
f
′
′
′
(
x
)
cos
k
x
d
x
If we try having
f
(
x
)
cubic then (since
f
(
x
)
is odd), we need
f
(
x
)
=
α
x
(
π
2
−
x
2
)
, so that
f
′
′
(
x
)
=
−
6
α
x
and
f
′
′
′
(
x
)
=
−
6
α
, and hence
a
k
=
[
−
k
3
π
6
α
x
cos
k
x
]
−
π
π
+
k
3
π
6
α
∫
−
π
π
cos
k
x
d
x
=
(
−
1
)
k
+
1
k
3
1
2
α
which tells us that
α
=
1
2
1
, as desired.
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Wow. I never seen this technique before! Most the textbook I that I've learned from has already provided the function of f ( x ) beforehand. Thank you! Let me print this out.
You might like this other Fourier Series question.
Its (-Li3(-e^i) + Li3(-e^-i))/2i Where i represents iota and three is subscript of Li
@Pi Han Goh Sir, to determine the initial function, we can also use an approach similar to the one given in this solution.........
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The function f ( x ) = 1 2 1 ( π 2 x − x 3 ) , ∣ x ∣ ≤ π , is odd and continuous. Since f ( π ) = f ( − π ) = 0 , it can be extended to a continuous function on R which is odd and periodic of period π . The Fourier series of this function is k = 1 ∑ ∞ k 3 ( − 1 ) k + 1 sin k x . Because f is continuous, and the left- and right-derivatives exist at x for all ∣ x ∣ ≤ π , the Fourier series of f converges to f ( x ) for all ∣ x ∣ ≤ π . Putting x = 1 gives k = 1 ∑ ∞ k 3 ( − 1 ) k + 1 sin k = 1 2 1 ( π 2 − 1 ) , and so the answer is 2 + 1 + 1 2 = 1 5 .