# Identifying the three frequencies using fourier transform

The following simple function has clearly three frequency components:

 fun[x_] = Cos[ x] + Cos[2 x] + Cos[3 x];
data = Table[fun[x], {x, 0, 2 \[Pi], 0.1}];
ListPlot[data, ImageSize -> 200]


How can one show these frequencies using the Fourier transform? I tried the following

ListLinePlot[Abs[Fourier[data]], PlotRange -> All, ImageSize -> 200]


Edit: I would expect the Fourier plot to show three peaks corresponding to three frequencies in the ratio 1:2:3.

• Try ListPlot instead of ListLinePlot and you'll see the both frequencies! – Ulrich Neumann Sep 18 at 9:39
• @UlrichNeumann, thanks. With two frequencies, it was looking suspicious to me. Now with three frequencies, it is still showing two peaks with ListPlot. – Patrick Sep 18 at 10:00
• I have put some basic information on Fourier here which may help. Your three frequencies are a perfect match to your time interval and are multiples of the fundamental frequency so you get the first three points in the spectrum. – Hugh Oct 18 at 16:50

ListPlotshows the frequencies:
fun[x_] = Cos[ x] + Cos[2 x] + Cos[3 x];

• @Patrick No there are only three frequencies for your signal. More details you might find in Nyquist–Shannon sampling theorem – Ulrich Neumann Sep 18 at 11:12