Resumen de Harmonics and periodic functions: a computer-aided path to introduce Fourier analysis

María Teresa Galiza, María Mascarello

• In this work we will show a computer-aided path, leading from basic trigonometric concepts to periodic functions and Fourier polynomials. This path has been developed at the Politecnico of Torino, and it is given in the second course of Mathematical Analysis to 20 year-old students, as introduction to Fourier analysis. Having experimented it successfully for several years, we are encouraged to show it to colleagues, believing it useful in standing some fundamental concepts that are applied mainly to Fourier analysis, but also to many other topics, as Physics, Mechanics, Electronics and Computer Sciences.

  This path can be performed in any basic mathematics course, with the help of a P.C., using a Symbolic Mathematical System; we carry it out by DERIVE.