∫ l 0 ƒ(x) sin nπxdx = c ∫ ½ l 0 sin nπxdx − c ∫ l ½l sin nπxdx
l l l
= cl(cos nπ − 2 cos ½nπ + 1).

This vanishes if n is odd, and if n = 4m, but if n = 4m + 2 it is equal to 4cl / nπ; the series is therefore

4c( lsin 2πx+ 1sin 6πx+ 1sin 10πx+ ... ).
π 2l 3l 5l

For unrestricted values of x, this series represents the ordinates of the series of straight lines in fig. 1, except that it vanishes at the points 0, ½ l, l, 3⁄2 l ...

Fig. 1.

We find similarly that the same function is represented by the series

4c( cos πx 1cos 3πx+ 1cos 5πx− + ... )
π l3 l5 l

during the interval 0 to l; for general values of x the series represents the ordinate of the broken line in fig. 2, except that it vanishes at the points ½ l, 3⁄2 l ...

Fig. 2.