Discrete Fourier transform

Question

I am currently trying to write some fourier transform algorithm. I started with a simple DFT algorithm as described in the mathematical definition:

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Answer 1

You are NOT getting the incorrect result for a non-periodic sinusoid. And they are not just "artifacts". Your result is actually the more complete DFT result which you don't see with a periodic sinusoid. Those other non-zero values contain useful information which can be used to, for example, interpolate the frequency of a single non-periodic-in-aperture sinusoid.

A DFT can be thought of as convolving a rectangular window with your sine wave. This produces (something very close to) a Sinc function, which has infinite extent, BUT just happens to be zero at every DFT bin frequency other than its central DFT bin for any sinusoid centered exactly on a DFT bin. This happens only when the frequency is exactly periodic in the FFT aperture, not for any other. The Sinc function has lots of "humps" which are all hidden in your first plot.