a transform, applied to a function, used to determine the function's frequency composition (temporal, spatial or otherwise); it has many scientific and industrial applications, especially in signal processing
In mathematical analysis, an integral transform useful in solving certain types of partial differential equations. A function's Fourier transform is derived by integrating the product of the function and a kernel function (an exponential function raised to a negative complex power) over the interval from - to +. The Fourier transform of a function g is given by