Concordia University

ELEC 264 --- Winter 2013

Signals and Systems I
Assignment 1 --- Due February 15, 2013
Solutions
______________________________________________________________________________

PURPOSE: This assignment will give you the opportunity to learn more about DT and
CT signals and systems, LTI systems, impulse and step response, and convolution.

TEAMS: The assignment must be done individually.

PREPARATION: Parts of this assignment require knowledge of concepts from chapters

1 and 2 of your textbook.
______________________________________________________________________________

Question #1 [10%]
Clearly sketch by hand the following signals (hand in your sketches):
1. x(t )  u (t )  u (t  1)  2u (t  2)
 1
2. x(t )  rect(t ) tri  t  
 2
3. x(t )  ramp(t ) u (t  2)
 2t  t
4. x(t )  2tri    3rect  
3 3
5
5. x[n]   k [ n  k ]
k 5

Solution:

1. x(t )  u (t )  u (t  1)  2u (t  2)

1.5

0.5

0
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3

ELEC 264 – Winter 2013 Page 1 of 13 Assignment 1

  1
2. x(t )  rect(t ) tri  t  
 2

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
-2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2

3. x(t )  ramp(t ) u (t  2)

-1

-2

-3

-4

-5
-5 0 5

 2t  t
4. x(t )  2tri    3rect  
3 3

0
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

ELEC 264 – Winter 2013 Page 2 of 13 Assignment 1

 5
5. x[n]   k [ n  k ]
k 5

-5
-5 0 5

Question #2: [4%]

Using MATLAB, plot the following signals (hand in your MATLAB plots):
2 t  
1. x(t )  e sin 10t   u (t ), | t | 5
 5
n
2
2. x[n]    u[n], n  5,...,5
3
Solution:
 
1. x(t )  e 2t sin 10t   u (t ), | t | 5
 5
1

0.5

-0.5
-5 0 5
.

ELEC 264 – Winter 2013 Page 3 of 13 Assignment 1

 n
2
2. x[n]    u[n], n  5,...,5
3
1

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
-5 0 5

Question #3: [6%]


3. Evaluate the integral  3e  t (t  2)dt


Answer:  3e  t (t  2)dt  3e 2 (shifting property)


  1 n 

4. Evaluate the sum  1      [ n  3]
  2  
n  

  1 n 
   1 n  7
Answer:  1      [n  3]  1      (shifting property)
  2  
n     2   n 3 8
 k
31
5. Evaluate the sum    u[k ] u[n  k ]
k  4  4 
Answer:
k k k n 1

31 
31 3 n 1 3  1  (1/ 4) n 1  1
   u[ k ] u[ n  k ]     u
k  4  4 
[ k ] u[ n  k ]      
k  4  4  1, k  0

   4 k 0  4  4  1  1/ 4 
  1  
4
, n0
1, k  n

Question #4: [20%]

Consider the systems described by the following input-output relations x[n]  y[n] or x(t )  y (t ) :
1. y[n]  ( x[n]  x[n  1]  x[n  2]) / 3
2. y (t )  (t  2) x (t  2)
3. y (t ) | t | x(t )
4. y (t )  x(t )2  x (t  1)

Determine if each of the following properties are satisfied and justify your answer:

ELEC 264 – Winter 2013 Page 4 of 13 Assignment 1

 Linearity
 Time Invariance
 Causality
 Memory
 Stability.

Solution:
1. Linear, time invariant, causal, not memoryless, stable.
 Linearity:
x1[n]  y1[n]  ( x1[n]  x1[n  1]  x1[n  2]) / 3
x2 [n]  y2 [n]  ( x2 [n]  x2 [ n  1]  x2 [ n  2]) / 3
For x[n]   x1[n]   x2 [n] , we have
y[n]  ( x[n]  x[n  1]  x[n  2]) / 3
 ( x1[ n]   x2 [ n]   x1[n  1]   x2 [n  1]   x1[n  2]   x2 [n  2]) / 3
  ( x1[n]  x1[n  1]  x1[ n  2]) / 3   ( x2 [n]  x2 [n  1]  x2 [ n  2]) / 3
  
y1 [ n ] y2 [ n ]

  y1[n]   y2 [n]
Hence, the system is linear
 Time invariance:
y[n  n0 ] is given by y[n  n0 ]  ( x[n  n0 ]  x[n  n0  1]  x[n  n0  2]) / 3
and if X [n]  x[n  n0 ] , then
Y [n]  ( X [n]  X [n  1]  X [n  2]) / 3  ( x[ n  n0 ]  x[ n  n0  1]  x[ n  n0  2]) / 3  y[ n  n0 ]
Hence, the system is time invariant.
 Causality: the output at time n depends on the inputs at times n , n  1 , and n  2 . That is, the output
does not depend on the future values of the input. Thus, the system is causal.
 Memory: The output depends on the past and the present values of the input. The system is not
memoryless. y[0]  ( x[0]  x[1]  x[2]) / 3 .
1
 Stability: assume that | x[n] | B, n . Thus, | y[n] | ( B  B  B )  B . The system is stable.
3
2. Linear, not time invariant, noncausal, not memoryless, not stable.
 Linearity:
x1 (t )  y1 (t )  (t  2) x1 (t  2)
x2 (t )  y2 (t )  (t  2) x2 (t  2)
For x(t )   x1 (t )   x2 (t ) , we have
y (t )  (t  2) x(t  2)  (t  2)  x1 (t  2)   x2 (t  2) 
  (t  2) x1 (t  2)   (t  2) x2 (t  2)   y1 (t )   y2 (t )
   
y1 ( t ) y2 ( t )

Hence, the system is linear.

ELEC 264 – Winter 2013 Page 5 of 13 Assignment 1

 Time invariance:
y (t  t0 ) is given by y (t  t0 )  (t  t0  2) x(t  t0  2)
and if X (t )  x(t  t0 ) , then Y (t )  (t  2) X (t  2)  (t  2) x (t  t0  2)  y (t  t0 )
Hence, the system is not time invariant.
 Causality: the output at time t depends on the input at time t  2 . That is, the output depends on the
future values of the input. Thus, the system is not causal.
 Memory: memoryless  causal. Hence, not causal  not memoryless.
 Stability: as t  , y (t )   for most bounded inputs due to the (t  2) multiplicative factor.
Hence, the system is not stable.

3. Linear, not time invariant, causal, memoryless, not stable.

 Linearity:
x1 (t )  y1 (t ) | t | x1 (t )
x2 (t )  y2 (t ) | t | x2 (t )
For x(t )   x1 (t )   x2 (t ) , we have
y (t ) | t | x(t ) | t |  x1 (t )   x2 (t )    | t | x1 (t )   | t | x2 (t )   y1 (t )   y2 (t ) . The system is linear.
    
y1 ( t ) y2 ( t )

 Time invariance:
y (t  t0 ) is given by y (t  t0 ) | t  t0 | x (t  t0 )
and if X (t )  x(t  t0 ) , then Y (t ) | t | X (t ) | t | x (t  t0 )  y (t  t0 )
The system is not time invariant.
 Causality: The output depends only on the present input and does not depend on the future values of
the input. Thus, the system is causal.
 Memory: The output depends only on the present values of the input. The system is memoryless.
 Stability: as t  , y (t )   for most bounded inputs due to the | t | multiplicative factor. Hence,
the system is not stable.

4. Not linear, time invariant, causal, not memoryless, stable.

 Linearity: the system is not linear due to the nonlinearity of the square term.
 Time invariance:
2
y (t  t0 ) is given by y (t  t0 )   x (t  t0 )   x(t  t0  1)
2
and if X (t )  x(t  t0 ) , then Y (t )  ( X (t )) 2  X (t  1)   x(t  t0 )   x (t  t0  1)  y (t  t0 )
The system is time invariant.
 Causality: the output at time t depends on the inputs at times t and t  1 . That is, the output does not
depend on the future values of the input. Thus, the system is causal.
 Memory: The output depends on the past and the present values of the input. The system is not
memoryless.
 Stability: the system is stable since | x (t ) | B | y (t ) | B( B  1) .

ELEC 264 – Winter 2013 Page 6 of 13 Assignment 1

 Question #5: [20%]
Consider the circuit shown below:
L=2 R=1

i(t) +
+
x(t) y(t)
-
-

1. Find the differential equation relating x(t ) and y (t ) .

2. Find the step response s (t ) of this circuit, i.e., solve the differential equation for x(t )  u (t ) and zero
initial conditions. Using MATLAB, plot the step response s (t ) .
3. Using the step response found in (2), find the impulse response h(t ) for this circuit. Using MATLAB,
plot the impulse response h(t ) .
Solution:
di (t ) 1
1. Summing voltages, x(t )  L  Ri (t ) . But output y (t )  Ri(t ) . Thus, i (t )  y (t ) . Therefore,
dt R
L dy (t ) dy (t ) R R dy (t ) 1 1
x (t )   y (t ) or  y (t )  x (t )   y (t )  x (t )
R dt dt L L dt 2 2

2. By definition of the step response, we have s(t )  T [u (t )] . So we need to solve the ODE:
ds (t ) 1 1
 y (t )  u (t ) . Recall that the solution to the general ODE: y  ay  bx is given by
dt 2 2
t
y (t )  e y (0)   be  a (t  ) x( )d
 at
0
1 t
In our case, we have a  12 , b  21 , and y (0)  0 . Thus, s (t )   e  (t  ) / 2u ( )d  1  e t / 2 u (t )
2 0
 
Step reponse
1

0.8

0.6
s(t)

0.4

0.2

0
0 2 4 6 8 10
t

3. The impulse response is the derivative of the step response h(t )  s '(t ) . Thus,

    
h(t )  s '(t )  1  e t / 2 u (t ) '  u (t )  e t / 2u (t ) '   (t )  e  t / 2 (t )  12 e  t / 2u (t )

ELEC 264 – Winter 2013 Page 7 of 13 Assignment 1

Using the sampling property: x(t ) (t )  x(0) (t )  e  t / 2 (t )  e 0 / 2 (t )   (t )
Therefore, h(t )  12 e t / 2u (t )
Impulse reponse
0.5

0.4

0.3
h(t)

0.2

0.1

0
0 2 4 6 8 10
t

Question #6: [10%]

A recent Concordia’s engineering graduate is now at age 25 and has started to invest money for an
eventual early retirement. On May 1, 2009, the graduate invested $5000 in a Tax Free Saving Account.
On average, the money earns 8% per year (compounded annually). This investment strategy can be
modeled as y[n  1]  (1  i) y[n] , where y[n] is the balance in the nth year, and i is the interest rate.
On May 1, 2010, the investor will have (1.08)*5000=5400. At that time, another $5000 is invested. This will
also be repeated on May 1, 2011. After that, there will be no further investment.

1. After 5 years, how much money does the investor have, assuming constant 8% interest rate?
2. After 40 years, how much does the investor have?

Hint: Think of the initial investment as an impulse 5000 [n] which has a response (1.08)n 5000 . The next
investment looks like 5000 [n  1] , and the final investment is another impulse at n  2.

Solution:

5000

4500

4000

3500

3000
x[n]

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0
2009 2010 2011
n

ELEC 264 – Winter 2013 Page 8 of 13 Assignment 1

x[n]  5000 [n]  5000 [n  1]  5000 [n  2]
The response to  [n] is h[n]  (1.08) n .

The response to x[n] is y[n]  x[n]* h[n]  5000 (1.08)n  (1.08)n1  (1.08)n 2 . 
1. n  5, y[5]  5000  (1.08)  (1.08)  (1.08)   20447.65
5 4 3

2. n  40, y[40]  5000  (1.08)  (1.08)  (1.08)   302325.47

40 39 38

Question #7: [5%]

Calculate the convolution y (t )  xi (t )  h(t ) for the impulse response h(t ) and each of the signals
xi (t ) shown in the figure below. Sketch by hand each response.

Solution:

Recall that the equation of a line passing through two points ( x1 , y1 ) and ( x2 , y2 ) is given by:
 y y  x y x y
y   2 1 t  2 1 1 2
 x2  x1  x2  x1

From the plot, we may express h(t ) in terms of unit step functions u (t ) as follows:

h(t )  (2t  2)[u (t  1)  u (t )]  (t  2)[u (t )  u (t  2)]

 2(t  1)u (t  1)  3tu (t )  (t  2)u (t  2)

Also recall the sifting property of the unit impulse function: x(t ) *  (t  a )   (t  a ) * x(t )  x (t  a )
a) y (t )  xa (t ) * h(t )  [ (t )   (t  6)]* h(t )   (t ) * h(t )   (t  6) * h(t )  h(t )  h(t  6)

ELEC 264 – Winter 2013 Page 9 of 13 Assignment 1

 2

1.5
y(t) = h(t)+h(t-6)

0.5

0
-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

b) y (t )  xb (t ) * h(t )  [ (t )   (t  2)]* h(t )  h(t )  h(t  2)

1.5
y(t) = h(t)+h(t-2)

0.5

0
-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

c) y (t )  xc (t ) * h(t )  [ (t )  2 (t  1)]* h(t )  h(t )  2h(t  1)

4
y(t) = h(t)+2h(t-1)

0
-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

ELEC 264 – Winter 2013 Page 10 of 13 Assignment 1

Question #8: [5%]

1. Convolve the following digital signals

Answer:

y[n]  0 n  1  2  n  3
y[3]  1 y[1]  1  1  2  0  4
y[2]  1  1  0 y[2]  1  2  3
y[1]  1  1  1  1 y[3]  2
y[0]  1  1  1  2  3 y[n]  0 n 2 1 n  3
4

3
v[n]=x[n]*h[n]

-1
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

2. Determine the impulse response of the system: y[n]  12 y[n  1]  x[n  1]

Answer: The impulse response h[n] corresponds to x[n]   [n] , that is

h[n]  12 h[n  1]   [n  1], with initial condition h[1]  0

....
n0 h[0]  12 h[0  1]   [0  1]  h[0]  12 h[ 1]   [ 1]  0  0  0
n 1 h[1]  12 h[1  1]   [1  1]  h[1]  12 y[0]   [0]  0  1  1
n2 h[2]  12 h[2  1]   [2  1]  h[2]  12 h[1]   [1]  12  0  1
2

n3 h[3]  12 h[3  1]   [3  1]  h[3]  12 h[2]   [2]  14  0  1

4

n4 h[4]  12 h[4  1]   [4  1]  h[4]  12 h[3]   [3]  18  0  18

n 1
1
Therefore, h[ n]    u[n  1] .
2
ELEC 264 – Winter 2013 Page 11 of 13 Assignment 1
Question #9: [20%]
Let y[n]  0.5 y[n  1]  x[n] be a discrete-time filter whose impulse response is given by
{1,1/ 2,1/ 4,1/ 8,1/16,...} . For this question, we will use only the first five elements, that is
h[n]  {1,1/ 2,1/ 4,1/ 8,1/16} .
1. Let x[n]  {4, 4,8, 8,8, 4} be the input to the filter. Clearly sketch by hand x[n] and h[n] .
2. Find and sketch by hand the product r[n]  x[n] h[n]
3. Find and sketch by hand the convolution v[n]  x[n]  h[n]
4. Using MATLAB, find and plot the convolution v[n]  x[n]  h[n]
5. Using MATLAB, find and plot the convolution w[n]  x[n]  h[n] when the input is
x[n]  {0, 0, 0,8, 8,16, 16,16, 8, 4, 4,8, 8,8, 4} .

Solution:
n
1
1. Note that h[ n]  {1,1/ 2,1/ 4,1/ 8,1/16}    u[ n]
2

0.8

0.6
h[n]

0.4

0.2

0
0 1 2 3 4

2
x[n]

-2

-4

-6

-8
0 1 2 3 4 5

ELEC 264 – Winter 2013 Page 12 of 13 Assignment 1

2. The product is given by: r[n]  x[n] h[n]  {4, 2, 2, 1,1/ 2, 0}

2
r[n]=x[n]h[n]

-1

-2
0 1 2 3 4 5

3. and 4. v[n]  x[n]  h[n]  {4, -2, 7, -9/2, 23/4, -5/4, -1/2, -1/2, 0, -1/4}

4
v[n]=x[n]*h[n]

-2

-4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
n

5. w[n]  x[n]  h[n]  {0, 0,0,8, 4,14, 9,11.5, 2.5,3, 3, 7, 5,5.75, 1.25, 0.5, 0.5, 0, 0.25}

15

10
w[n]=x[n]*h[n]

-5

-10
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
n

ELEC 264 – Winter 2013 Page 13 of 13 Assignment 1