Uniform convergence of a Fourier series and calculating and infinite series

fourier analysisfourier seriesreal-analysissequences-and-seriesuniform-convergence

I was given the function $f(x) = |x|$, for $-\pi < x < \pi$.

I was able to find the Fourier series corresponding to f and I obtained that
$$f\sim\frac{\pi}{2} + \frac{2}{\pi} \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{(-1)^n-1}{n^2}cos(nx)$$
I was also able to conculde that the Fourier series of this function uniformly converges to $f$ using the Weierstrass M test.

Now I am asked to show that $\frac{\pi^2}{8} = 1 + \frac{1}{3^2} + \frac{1}{5^2} +…$ using the uniform convergence of the Fourier series of $f$.

I recognize the right term of the last expression is $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{(2n+1)^2}$, and I'm also familiar with the Parseval's Identity but I haven't been able to put all of this information toghether in order to get to the desired conclusion.

Thanks in advace!

Best Answer

Substituting $x=0$ for the function and it's fourier expansion we get:

$$0 = \frac{\pi}{2} + \frac{2}{\pi}\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{(-1)^n-1}{n^2}$$

Since $cos(0)=1$.

Now, notice that the term $(-1)^n-1$ will be zero whenever $n$ is odd, and will be $-2$ if $n$ is even. Therefore we can ignore the even terms and subtitute $n=2k+1$ summing over $k$, going from zero to infinity.

$$0 = \frac{\pi}{2} + \frac{2}{\pi}\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}\frac{-2}{(2k+1)^2}$$

Rearranging terms:

$$0 = \frac{\pi}{2} - \frac{4}{\pi}\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}\frac{1}{(2k+1)^2}$$

And finally:

$$\frac{\pi^2}{8} = \sum_{k=0}^{\infty}\frac{1}{(2k+1)^2}$$

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