EE 470 – Signals and Systems
7. The Z-Transform
Prof. Yasser Mostafa Kadah
Textbook
Luis Chapparo, Signals and Systems Using Matlab, 2nd ed.,
Academic Press, 2015.
Z-Transform
• Just as with the Laplace transform for continuous-time
signals and systems, the Z-transform provides a way to
represent discrete-time signals and systems, and to
process discrete-time signals
▫ Although the Z-transform can be related to the Laplace
transform, the relation is operationally not very useful
• Representation of discrete-time signals by Z-transform is
very intuitive—it converts a sequence of samples into a
polynomial
▫ As with Laplace transform and convolution integral,
the most important property of the Z-transform is the
implementation of the convolution sum as a
multiplication of polynomials
Laplace Transform of Sampled Signals
• Consider a sampled signal:
• Then,
• Let , then this is called the Z-transform of x(n) :
Comments About Z-Transform
• Letting s=j, we find that the Fourier transform is a
special case when z=ej
▫ Periodic Fourier transform since x(t) is sampled
• While Laplace transform may have an infinite number of
poles or zeros—complicating the partial fraction
expansion when finding its inverse, the inverse Z-
transform can be readily obtained using the time-shift
property from the z polynomial:
z-Plane vs. s-Plane
• Connection between the s-plane and the z-plane
Forward Z-Transform Definitions
• Two-sided
• One-Sided
Region of Convergence
• The infinite summation of the two-sided Z-transform
must converge for some values of z
▫ For X(z) to converge it is necessary that:
• Poles and zeros
Poles and Zeros: Example
• Find the poles and zeros of the following Z-transforms:
ROC of Finite-Support Signals
• The ROC of the Z-transform of a signal x[n] of finite
support [N0,N1] where - < N0 < n < N1 < ,
is the whole z-plane, excluding the origin z= 0 and/or z=
± depending on N0 and N1
• Example:
ROC: Whole z plane except origin
ROC of Infinite-Support Signals
• Signals of infinite support are either causal, anti-causal,
or a combination of these or non-causal
• Z-transform of a causal signal xc[n]:
• Let R1 be the radius of the farthest-out pole of Xc(z),
• Anti-causal xa[n]: ROC is the opposite:
ROC of Infinite-Support Signals
• If the signal x[n] is non-causal, it can be expressed as,
• ROC: combination of causal and anti-causal ROCs,
ROC: Example
• Find ROC of the Z-transforms of the following signals:
Note: ROC for x1[n]+x2[n] is empty: Z-transform
does not exist for this sum !!
Linearity and Convolution
• Convolution: similar to Laplace and Fourier transforms
Convolution Sum As a Polynomial
Multiplication
• Consider and
• The convolution sum of the two sequences [1 a1 a2] and
[1 b1], formed by the coefficients of X1(z) and X2(z), is given
as [1 (a1+b1) (a2+b1 a1) a2], which corresponds to the
coefficients of the product of the polynomials X1(z)X2(z)
• Notice that the sequence of length 3 and the sequence of
length 2 when convolved give a sequence of length 3+2-1=4
Finite Impulse Response (FIR) Filter
• A finite-impulse response or FIR filter is implemented by
means of the convolution sum
• Consider an FIR with an input–output equation:
• Impulse response: let
• Hence,
Convolution Sum Length
• The length of the convolution sum of two sequences of
lengths M and N is M+N-1
• If one of the sequences is of infinite length, the length of
the convolution is infinite
• Thus, for an Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) or recursive
filters the output is always of infinite length for any input
signal, given that the impulse response of these filters is
of infinite length
Interconnecting Discrete-Time Systems
Initial and Final Value Properties
Use to check on your Z-Transform
or Inverse Z-Transform
Inverse Z-Transform (One-Sided)
• Method #1: If the Z-transform is given as a finite-order
polynomial, the inverse can be found by inspection
• Example:
Inverse Z-Transform (One-Sided)
• Method #2: Partial Fraction Expansion for rational
functions given as
• To find the inverse we simply divide the polynomial B(z)
by (z) to obtain a possible infinite-order polynomial in
negative powers of z-1
▫ Coefficients of this polynomial are the inverse values
• Disadvantage: it does not provide a closed-form solution
▫ Useful when interested to get a few initial values of x[n]
• Example:
Inverse Z-Transform (One-Sided)
• Method #3: Partial Fraction Expansion
▫ Similar to Laplace transform
• Example:
Solution of Difference Equations
• Use the shifting in time property of the Z-transform in
the solution of difference equations with initial
conditions
▫ Very similar to Laplace transform when solving
differential equations
Solution of Difference Equations:
Example 1
• Solve the following difference equation with zero initial
conditions and x[n]=u[n]
Solution:
Covered Material and Assignments
• Chapter 10 of Chaparro’s textbook
• Assigned Problem Set #7
