Questions tagged [periodic-functions]

Questions on periodic functions, functions $f(x)$ that satisfy the identity $f(x+c)=f(x)$, for some nonzero $c$.

A periodic function is a non-constant function that repeats itself in regular intervals, i.e. one satisfying $f(x+c)=f(x)$. The least such $c$ is called the period of $f$.

Graphically, you can see periodicity through translational symmetry. You can see this most easily with trigonometric functions like $\sin$ and $\cos$, which have period $2\pi$. Still, several well-known functions such as Thomae's function which is periodic with period one, cannot accurately be graphed. Other examples of periodic functions include sawtooth and square waves and division with a fixed modulus, e.g. $f(x)= x\bmod 10$.

Periodic functions are perhaps best known through Fourier series. A function that is integrable over an interval of length $L$ can be periodically extended into a Fourier series with period $L$.

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Finding The Periodicity of $f(x) = \sin(x/2)\cos(x/3)$

I want to find the periodicity of the following function: $$f(x) = \sin(x/2)\cos(x/3).$$ I have calculated the periodicity of the above functions which is $\pi/6$. Is it correct? Can you please help me to solve this problem?
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Period of N systems each with a period p

Lets say you have a set of functions F so that function f1 has a period p1 and so on. How would I go about to find the time t such that all the functions in F are at the start of a new period at t? Example: F = {sin(x), sin(2x), sin(0.5x)} f1…
Ohunter
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Adding periodic functions

How to prove that sine is the only periodic function that retains its waveform when added to other sines with the same frequency (with an arbitrary phase and amplitude)? I read that Fourier used this property to develop his expansion method,…
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Calculating periodicity of general function

I have a function which is written as $$ \left\|r_1+\frac{(1-r_1^2)r_2e^{-i\delta}}{1-r_2^2e^{-i\delta}}\right\|^2 $$ where $r_1, r_2$ are constants, and $\delta$ is variable. This is originally from physics, which is related with interference of…
user65452
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Finding the fundamental period of $1+\frac{\cos x}{\sin 3x}$

I apologize for the stupid question, but even though I know the technique for finding the period of trigonometric functions and sums of trig functions, I cannot figure out how to solve the following problem. I need to find the fundamental period of…
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Maximum of $\sqrt{\frac{1}{4}\cdot \sin^2(t)+\sin^2(t+\frac{\pi}{3})}$

Maximum of $\sqrt{\frac{1}{4}\cdot\sin^2(t)+\sin^2(t+\frac{\pi}{3})}$ In my opinion, the maximum of the sinus is 1, so I calculated $\sqrt{\frac{1}{4}\cdot1+1}$ This is wrong, why?
WinstonCherf
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Period of a function. Help.

How would we find the period of $$(-1)^{\operatorname{floor}(2x/\pi)}?$$ Please explain in a simple way. I graphed it on Geogebra. The period turns out to be $\pi$. But I still don't quite unserstand the nature of the function.
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Periodic function notation, need help with a fundamental concept

Given the periodic function $x(t) = x(t+T)$, I would like to ask the following: The textbook says that if the above function is valid then it is also valid for any $t$, that is $t+(k-1)T$. If I could use an animation of a Cartesian axis to get a…
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Determing period in PDE

I am trying to find the period of, $$f(x) = (\sin2x)^2$$ So I know how to determine the period of $ f(x) = \sin2x $ by the following, $$f(x) = 2(\sin x)$$ Using the formula $P = \dfrac{2\pi}{|B|}$ here $B$ would be $2$ so, $P = \dfrac{2\pi} 2 =…
user104
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Is this function periodic function?

Let $f:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$, where $f(x)=1$ if $x$ is rational number and $0$ if $x$ is irrational number. Is $f$ a periodic function. A hour ago, in this post, I said that this function is not periodic, then Kenny Lau told that I am…
MAN-MADE
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Proving the periods of a periodic function

Let $f(t)$ be non-constant continuous periodic function. Then there exists a real number $p > 0$ such that the set of periods of $f(t)$ is given by: $\{p, 2p, 3p, 4p,\cdots \}$ I can understand the proof graphically but i cannot seem to be able to…
T7otmos
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Overlap of two periodic step functions

Say I have two periodic step functions with different periods ($T_n$) where the second is at an offset $\phi$ from the first one. That is, taking $t>0$ we can write the two functions as : $$f(t) = \begin{cases} 1, & t < \frac{T_1}{2} \\ -1, &…
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How do I find the period if this function?

I need to find the period of $\frac{\cos 3x}{1+\cos2x}$. I know that $\cos3x$ has the period $\frac{2\pi}{3}$ and $\cos2x$ has the period $\pi$, but how do I find the period of that function?
Ghost
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What Would be a Sinusoidal Function that can Only Have Roots at all the Points I Have Highlighted?

I am interested in a function which can represent the roots of the two functions which they do not share in common. The red function is y=sin((pi/2)x) and the green one is y=sin((pi/3)x) If anyone could provide help that would be awesome. The sketch…
Jack
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Period of two periodic functions with same period

Let's say I have a two periodic functions f(x) and g(x) each with the same period of p. Is it always the case that the sum of these two functions will also have the period of p? Is there any counter example?
Patrick
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