Can any one explain in simple terms what a Fourie transform is?

Answer 1

The Fourier transform is a way to break a function down into a sum of infinitely many sinusoidal functions. This is useful because sine and cosine functions have certain properties that are useful in a variety of computational situations.

Answer 2

The Fourier transform is used in a lot of different applications. It has it's origins in thermodynamics.

My experience is in using it in electronics and signal processing. Here it is used to convert between the time domain and the frequency domain. This can be useful if I know the characteristics of a filter or system in terms of amplitude and frequency but I want to know it's effect on a particular signal that is described in terms of amplitude and time.

Answer 3

google the phrase Fourie transform and find a website that explains it. It's too complicated to explain with this limited space.

Answer 4

The Fourier transform is also used in probability theory, where it is usually called a characteristic function.

If X is a random variable, then its Fourier-transform is
k(t)=E(exp(i*t*X), where E means "expectation of" and i is the imaginary unit (a complex number).

The Fourier transform is a smart trick that is used to show limiting properties of probability distributions (e.g. the central limit theorem, which roughly states that the distribution of the sum of independent and identically distributed random variables is approximately normal if sufficiently many variables are added up). It is also used in the theory of stochastic processes, and to compute moments of random variables (e.g. mean, variance, skewness, kurtosis).

Its advantage over the Laplace transform and the moment generating function is that it always exists, however, one needs to do calculations with complex-valued functions in order to compute it.

Answer 5

A Fourier transform is a way of converting a function into a new function that depends on a different variable. (Simple enough?) They are very helpful in solving ODE's and PDE's.

Answer 6

Its when u have 4 and they operate and then you have 2. lol lol