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Duke University
Edmund T. Pratt, Jr. School of Engineering

ECE 280 Fall 2024 Test I

Name (please print): NetID (please print):

In keeping with the Community Standard, I have neither provided nor received any assistance on this test. I understand
if it is later determined that I gave or received assistance, I will be brought before the Undergraduate Conduct Board and, if
found responsible for academic dishonesty or academic contempt, fail the class. I also understand that I am not allowed to
communicate with anyone except the instructor about any aspect of this test until the instructor announces it is allowed. I
understand if it is later determined that I did communicate with another person about the test before the instructor said it
was allowed, I will be brought before the Undergraduate Conduct Board and, if found responsible for academic dishonesty or
academic contempt, fail the class.

Instructions
First - please turn off any cell phones or other annoyance-producing devices. Vibrate mode is not enough - your
device needs to be in a mode where it will make no sounds during the course of the test, including the vibrate buzz
or those acknowledging receipt of a text or voicemail.
Only write on one side of any given page and please be sure that your name and NetID are clearly
written at the top of every page. If an answer box is provided, please be sure to put each answer in the
correct box. If you absolutely need more space for a particular problem, or want to show work, put that work on
one side of its own piece of paper, clearly write your name, NetID, and the problem number (in either Arabic or
Roman numerals) at the top center of that page and submit those extra pages in problem-order after all preprinted
pages of the test. Also, in the box for the problem, write a note that says “see extra page.”
You will not be stapling your test but instead will be turning in your test in its original folder. Carefully stack
the test pages in order (with any additional pages properly labeled and after all the original test pages), put
them in the folder you received with the test, and bring the folder to the front of the room.
Note that there may be people taking the test after you, so you are not allowed to talk about the test - even to
people outside of this class - until I send along the OK. This includes talking about the specific problem types, how
long it took you, how hard you thought it was - really anything. Please maintain the integrity of this test.

Notes
If you need to use convolution to solve a problem, you must evaluate the convolution. Your answers cannot be left
in terms of convolution, the convolution integral, or the convolution sum. Also, unless otherwise specified:
• The · symbol means multiplication
• The * symbol means convolution
• δ(t) is the unit impulse function
• h(t) is the impulse response and both sr (t) and ystep (t) represent the step response
• u(t) is the unit step
• r(t) is the unit ramp t · u(t)
• q(t) is the “unit” quadratic 12 t2 · u(t)
• c(t) is the “unit” cubic 16 t3 · u(t)
• δ[n] is the unit impulse function
• h[n] is the impulse response and both sr [n] and ystep [n] represent the step response
• u[n] is the unit step
• r[n] is the unit ramp (n + 1) · u[n]
• q[n] is the “unit” quadratic (n+1)(n+2)
2 · u[n]
• c[n] is the “unit” quadratic (n+1)(n+2)(n+3)
6 · u[n]
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Name (please print):

Community Standard (print NetID):

Problem I: [20 pts.] Signals 1

Given the following graph of x(t), and noting that x(t) = 0 for t ≤ −3 and x(t) = −2 for t ≥ 2,

1. Write an equation for the signal using singularity functions:

x(t) =

2. Does x(t) represent an energy signal, a power signal, or neither? If it is an energy signal, also give its total
energy E∞ ; if it is a power signal, calculate its overall average power P∞ .
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Name (please print):

Community Standard (print NetID):

3. Make a graph of the even part of x(t), xe (t); be sure to label the axes and indicate values.

4. Make a graph of the odd part of x(t), xo (t); be sure to label the axes and indicate values.

5. For the following graph of y(t) = a x(b(t − c)) + d find a, b, c, and d:

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Name (please print):

Community Standard (print NetID):

Problem II: [15 pts.] Signals 2

1. For each of the following signals, determine if it is periodic or not. If it is periodic, state the period:
(a) a(t) = sin(4t) − cos(10t) + 1
(b) b(t) = sin(6t) · sin(15t)

2. Sketch each of the signals below (sketch at least two periods if it is periodic), then determine if each is an
energy signal, a power signal, or neither. If a signal is an energy signal, also give its total energy E∞ ; if a signal
is a power signal,
P∞ calculate its overall average power P∞ .
(k) k(t) = n=−∞ (t − 3n) · (u(t − 3n) − u(t − 2 − 3n))
(l) l(t) = r(t + 1) − r(t) − u(t − 3)
(m) m(t) = u (cos (π t))
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Name (please print):

Community Standard (print NetID):

Problem III: [25 pts.] System Classifications

1. For the following system equations, determine if the system represented is linear, time-invariant, stable, mem-
oryless, and/or causal. You may show any work on an additional piece of paper, but clearly indicate which
system and system property you are working with.

System Linear? Time Inv.? Stable? Memoryless? Causal?

p
y(t) = 3 x(|t|)

R t+4
y(t) = t−4
x(τ ) dτ

y(t) = x(t) r(t + 1)

y[n] = x[2(n − 1)]

y[n] = 2x[n] − 1

1
y[n] = x[n]

2. Assuming the following systems are each linear and time invariant, determine if the system represented is
stable, memoryless, and/or causal based on the impulse response (hi (t) or hi [n]) or the step response (sr,i (t) or
sr,i [n]). You may show any work on an additional piece of paper, but clearly indicate which system and system
property you are working with.

System Stable? Memoryless? Causal?

h1 (t) = r(t) − r(t − 1) − u(t − 2)

h2 [n] = 4 δ[n]

sr,3 (t) = r(t + 1)

 
1 n+1


sr,4 [n] = 2 1 − 2
u[n]
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Name (please print):

Community Standard (print NetID):

Problem IV: [15 pts.] Convolution

1. Given:
x(t) = u(t) − u(t − 2) h(t) = e−t u(t)
find y(t) = x(t) ∗ h(t) where ∗ is the convolution operator. Remember, you cannot leave unevaluated summa-
tions or integrals.

2. Given x[n] and h[n] below:

Sketch or make a table of the non-zero values of y[n] = x[n] ∗ h[n] where ∗ is the convolution operator.
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Name (please print):

Community Standard (print NetID):

Problem V: [25 pts.] System Analysis

A linear, time-invariant system S has an impulse response of:

h(t) = e−2t (u(t) − u(t − 1))

1. Make a sketch of h(t).

2. Is the system stable? Why do you believe that to be the case?

3. Is the system causal? Why do you believe that to be the case?

4. Determine an expression for the step response of the system, sr (t) (a.k.a. ystep (t))
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Name (please print):

Community Standard (print NetID):

5. Determine an expression for the output of this system to the input

x1 (t) = u(t + 1) − u(t − 2)
and call this output y1 (t). Remember, you cannot leave unevaluated integrals or convolutions but you can use
the singularity functions defined on the cover page. You can also use any previously defined functions in this
problem.

6. Determine an expression for the output of this system to the input

x2 (t) = e−3t u(t)
and call this output y2 (t). Remember, you cannot leave unevaluated integrals or convolutions but you can use
the singularity functions defined on the cover page.
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Additional Math Formulae

Summation Formulae
N −1 ∞
Nk − kN

α=1 1
if |α| < 1
X X
αn = α −α
α 6= 1 αn =
1−α n=0
1−α
n=k
∞ k ∞
α α
if |α| < 1 if |α| < 1
X X
αn = nαn =
1−α n=0
(1 − α)2
n=k

Trigonometric Identities

sin(α ± β) = sin(α) cos(β) ± cos(α) sin(β) cos(α ± β) = cos(α) cos(β) ∓ sin(α) sin(β)
1 1
cos(α) cos(β) = (cos(α − β) + cos(α + β)) sin(α) sin(β) = (cos(α − β) − cos(α + β))
2 2
1
sin(α) cos(β) = (sin(α − β) + sin(α + β)) cos2 (θ) + sin2 (θ) = 1
2
1 + cos(2θ) 1 − cos(2θ)
cos (θ) =
2
sin2 (θ) =
2 2
ejθ = cos(θ) + j sin(θ) e−jθ = cos(θ) − j sin(θ)
1 jθ 1 jθ
cos(θ) = e + e−jθ sin(θ) = e − e−jθ



2 j2
Energy and Power
Z ∞ ∞
Total Energy
X
E∞ = |x(t)|2 dt E∞ = |x[n]|2
−∞ n=−∞
Z
Energy for one period
X
Eperiod = |x(t)|2 dt Eperiod = |x[n]|2
T n=<N >
∆t
Energy for a trapezoidal signal H12 + H1 H2 + H22 E = Not simple


E=
3
N /2
1 T /2
Z
1
Avg. Power; Integral or sum over T or N + 1 P∞ = lim P∞ = lim
X
|x(t)|2 dt |x[n]|2
T →∞ T −T /2 N →∞ N + 1
n=−N /2
Z T N
1 1
Avg. Power; Integral or sum over 2T or 2N + 1 P∞ = lim P∞ = lim
X
|x(t)|2 dt |x[n]|2
T →∞ 2T −T N →∞ 2N + 1
n=−N
Z
1 1
Avg. Power for one period
X
Pperiod = |x(t)|2 dt Pperiod = |x[n]|2
T T N
n=<N >

Convolution
Z ∞ ∞
Convolution
X
x(t) ∗ y(t) = x(τ ) y(t − τ ) dτ x[n] ∗ y[n] = x[ν] y[n − ν]
−∞ ν=−∞