Mathematics for Engineers and Technologists

7

Sequences and series

Summary

This chapter introduces the idea of sequences, such concepts proving particularly relevant in considerations of digital signals which can be thought of as sequences of pulses. The main aspect of the chapter is, however, series and the use of the Fourier series to represent non-sinusoidal signals.

Objectives

By the end of this chapter, the reader should be able to:

• understand what is meant by a sequence and uses the idea to describe digital signals;

• recognise arithmetic and geometric series;

• recognise that some series can converge to a limit, determining the sums of such series;

• recognise the binomial series and uses it in engineering problems;

• represents waveforms by Fourier series and applies the ...