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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Period of the sum/product of two functions

Suppose that period of $f(x)=T$ and period of $g(x)=S$, I am interested what is a period of $f(x) g(x)$? period of $f(x)+g(x)$? What I have tried is to search in internet, and found following link for this. Also I know that period of $\sin(x)$ is…
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How to find period of this periodic function?

How can I find a period of this function? $$2\sin{3x} + 3\sin{2x}$$ Is here any way how to sum both sinuses?
user50222
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Period of sum of sinusoids

Say I have a sum of two sinusoids like so: $$ Acos(xt+\phi) + Bcos(yt+\delta) $$ How would I find the period? I know that for just one sinusoid the period would be: $$ Acos(xt+\phi) $$ $$ T = 2\pi/x $$ It can't be as simple as just adding the two…
codedude
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Reversing the process of taking the "sine of an arbitrary shape"

I'm sure we've all seen images such as the following, from wikipedia: link. They give us some nice intuition on what the sine and cosine functions are. Some people may also have seen images such as this one, or even this one, where instead of a…
syusim
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Period of $f(2x+3)+f(2x+7)=2$

I have a problem in finding the period of functions given in the form of functional equations. Q. If $f(x)$ is periodic with period $t$ such that $f(2x+3)+f(2x+7)=2$. Find $t$. ($x\in \mathbb R$) What I…
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Function with arbitrary small period

Is there a function f: $\mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ with arbitrary small period different from $f(x) = k$? ($\forall \epsilon >0 \exists a < \epsilon $ such that f(x) has a periodicity $a$) I think the function is the Dirichlet function but I don't…
Lance
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Is a broken clock right twice a day?

I was thinking about this expression, and I wondered if it holds true when the clock is slow. I can imagine a slow clock which is not right at all in the span of 12 hours—imagine a clock which ticks 5 minutes every 12 hours, which points to 11:59 at…
crf
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|f| is periodic implies f is periodic

I can think of an example where this wouldn't hold. Take 1,-1,1,-1,-1,1,-1,-1,-1,1,-1,-1,-1,-1. But I can also prove that the statement holds. Claim: $|f|$ is periodic then $f$ is periodic Proof: $|f(x+p)|=|f(x)|$ $f(x+p)=\pm f(x)$ if $f(x+p)=+f(x)$…
GRS
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How to make ANY function to repeat periodically?

I have some function, say, Gauss PDF Now I want it to repeat, say, every N units How to transform any function this way? I know I can sum function at each shift. But is it possible to convert argument only? I.e. apply some transform to $x$…
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Find the period of $f(x)$ with $f(x)f(y)=f(x+y)+f(x-y)$.

For any real $x$, $\;\;y$ $f(x)f(y)=f(x+y)+f(x-y)$ with $f(1)=1$ Find the period of $f(x)$.
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Triangular periodic tessellation in two variables

The simple function $f(x, y) = \cos(x) + \cos(y)$ is doubly periodic in a square tessellation. One feature of this surface is that cuts through the nearest extrema in either of two directions (e.g. $f(x,0)$ and $f(0,x)$) produce cosine curves. A…
jnm2
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Is signal periodic? What is the period?

Below is the signal : $$ y[n] = \sin\left( \frac{6\pi}{7} n + 1 \right) $$ According to me the Fundamental period is $7/3$ but is the signal periodic? I think it should satisfy this $\sin(6(\pi/7)n + 1 ) = \sin(6(\pi/7)n + 1 + 7/3 )$ , do I have to…
Anarkie
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Define: Period & Fundamental Period

How period of a periodic function is different from its fundamental period? Distinction & similarity between period & fundamental period. Authenticated definitions of period & fundamental period of a function. I know period of $sin(x) = 2n\pi$, $n$…
xclassmechluv
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Answer verification regarding fundamental period.

Question: $x(t)= -2 + 5cos(50\pi t +\frac{\pi}{3}) + 2sin(120\pi t)$, where t is in seconds. Find the fundamental period for this signal. What is its frequency in Hertz and in radians per second? My attempt: $$T_1 =…
Ahsan Yousaf
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If $c\in\mathbb R,$ then prove that $\sin(x)+\sin(cx)$ is periodic iff $c\in\mathbb Q.$

We know period of $\sin x$ is $2π.$ So period of $\sin cx$ will be $\frac{2π}{|c|}.$ Therefore period of $(\sin x+\sin cx)$ is: $\text{LCM of }\left(2π, \frac{2π}{|c|}\right)=\frac{\text{LCM of }(2π, 2π)}{\text{HCF of }(1,|c|)}.$ Now if $c\in\mathbb…
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