Periodic function

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Revision as of 00:54, 11 September 2007 by imported>Jitse Niesen (fix sawtooth wave definition)
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Example of a periodic function, with period . If you choose any point on the function and then move to the left or right by , you will find the same value as at the original point.

In mathematics a periodic function is a function that repeats itself after a while, and indefinitely. The mathematical definition of this is that is periodic with period if

Common examples of periodic functions are and , which both have period .

A sawtooth wave is a periodic function that can be described by