Wolaita Sodo University

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Signals and Systems Analysis (ECEG-3091)

By

Tsega Teklewold
Course Learning Outcome (CLO): At the end of the
course the student will be able to do:
 CLO1: Understand representation and classification of signals
and systems, convolution, differential equation representation
of LTI systems
 CLO2: Analyze continuous-time signals and systems using
Fourier Series and Fourier Transforms
 CLO3: Analyze continuous-time and Continuous-time systems
using the Laplace transform
 CLO4: Analyze discrete-time signals and systems using the Z-
transform

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Course Contents:
 Chapter 1: Fundamental Concepts of Signals and Systems
 Chapter 2: Time-Domain Analysis of LTI Systems
 Chapter 3: Frequency Domain Analysis of Continuous-Time Signals and
Systems
 Chapter 4: Laplace Transform and Its Inverse
 Chapter 5: Z-transform and Its Inverse

 References:
 Oppenheim - Signals And Systems
 Schaums-Signals and Systems
 Signals and Systems (2nd Ed) -Simon Haykin & Barry Van Veen

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Signals and Systems Analysis (ECEG-3105)

Chapter One

Fundamental Concepts of Signals and Systems

Fundamental Concepts of Signals and Systems
Outline
 Introduction
 Continuous-time and Discrete-time Signals
 Basic Operations on Signals
 Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals
 Classification of Signals
 Systems and Classification of Systems
 Applications

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 Introduction
• Deals with the properties, characterization of signals,
Analyzing, characterizing the properties of systems, and their
interaction with various systems, modelling the systems,
characterizing the behavior of these systems, and ultimately
designing systems.

– Which is fundamental to several applications

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Introduction
 A signal is any physical quantity that varies as a function of
some independent variable.
 The independent variable is usually time.
 We encounter many types of signals in various applications.
 Electrical signals: voltage, current, magnetic and electric
fields,…
 Mechanical signals: velocity, force, displacement,
pressure…
 Thermodynamic signals: temperature, enthalpy, entropy, …
 Acoustic signals: sound, vibration,…
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Summary: Signal Definition
• A signal is a function representing a physical
quantity or variable, and typically it contains
information about the behavior or nature of the
phenomenon.
• For instance, in a RC circuit the signal may
represent the voltage across the capacitor or the
current flowing in the resistor.
• For instance, EM wave, which is the signal that is
transmitted over the air, carries information about
the communication between two individuals.
• Mathematically, a signal is represented as a
function of one or more independent variable t or
n. Usually t/n represents time. Thus, a signal is
denoted by x(t) or x(n)
• Signals are functions of one or more independent variables that carry
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information. For example:
 Speech Signal

The ECG Signal

EM wave signal

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 Continuous-time and Discrete-time Signals

i. Continuous-time signals
 If a signal is defined for all instants of time, then it is known
as a continuous-time signal.
 A continuous-time signal is written as:
x(t ) ,  t 
 Most signals in nature are continuous-time signals.

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 Continuous-time and Discrete-time Signals…..

ii. Discrete-time signals

 If a signal is defined only at specific instants of time, then it is
known as a discrete-time signal.
 A discrete-time signal is written as:

x ( n) , n : is an integer
 Discrete-time signals are rare in nature and mostly obtained by
sampling continuous-time signals.
1 , n  3, 0, 2

Eg. x(n) 2, n  2,  1, 4

0 , otherwise
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 Sampling

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 Basic Operations on Signals

i. Amplitude-scaling
 Consider a continuous-time signal denoted by x(t). The signal
y(t) obtained by scaling the amplitude by a factor A is given by:
y (t )  Ax(t )

where :

A is the amplitude - scaling factor

 The value of y(t) is obtained by multiplying the corresponding
value of x(t) by the scalar A.

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 Basic Operations on Signals……

 A physical example of a device that performs amplitude scaling

is an electronic amplifier.
 Similarly, consider a discrete-time signal denoted by x(n). The
signal y(n) obtained by scaling the amplitude by a factor A is
given by:
y (n)  Ax(n)

where :

A is the amplitude - scaling factor

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 Basic Operations on Signals……

ii. Time-scaling
 Consider a continuous-time signal denoted by x(t). The signal
y(t) obtained by scaling the time t by a factor a is defined as:

y (t )  x(at )
where :
a is the time - scaling factor
 If a  1 , the signal y(t) is a compressed version of x(t).
 If a  1 , the signal y(t) is an expanded version of x(t).

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 Basic Operations on Signals……

 Similarly, consider a discrete-time signal denoted by x(n). The

discrete-time signal y(n) obtained by scaling the time n by a
factor a is defined as:

y (n)  x(an)
where :
a is the time scaling factor

 If a  1 , then some values of the time-scaled discrete-time

signal y(n) are lost.

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 Basic Operations on Signals……

Example:
Consider a triangular signal x(t) shown in the figure below.

Find and sketch the time-scaled version signals of x(t) given by:
1 
a. y (t )  x(2t ) b. y (t )  x t 
2 
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 Basic Operations on Signals……

Solution:
The resulting time-scaled version signals of x(t) are shown in
the figure below.

Fig. Time-scaling operation

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 Basic Operations on Signals……

Exercise:
The discrete-time signal x(n) is given by:

1 , n  2 ,  1 , 0


x ( n )   1 , n 1 , 2


0 , otherwise

Sketch and label the time-scaled signals given by:

1 
a. y (n)  x(2n) b. y (n)  x n 
2 
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 Basic Operations on Signals……

iii. Time-reflection or reversal

 Consider a continuous-time signal denoted by x(t).
 The time-reflected version of x(t) is obtained by replacing the
time t with –t and is given by:

y (t )  x( t )

 Similarly, the time-reflected version of the discrete-time signal

x(n) is given by:

y ( n)  x (  n)
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 Basic Operations on Signals……

Example:
Consider a continuous-time signal x(t) shown in the figure
below.

Sketch and label the time-reflected version the above signal.

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 Basic Operations on Signals……

Solution:
The time- reflected version of the given continuous-time
signal x(t) is given below.

Fig. The time-reflected version of the original signal x(t)

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 Basic Operations on Signals……

Exercise:
The discrete-time signal x(n) is given by:

1 , n  2 ,  1


x ( n )  2 , n 0 , 1 , 2


0 , otherwise

Sketch and label the time-reflected version the above signal

carefully.

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 Basic Operations on Signals……

iv. Time-shifting
 Consider a continuous-time signal denoted by x(t). The time-
shifted version of x(t) is defined as:

y (t )  x(t  t 0 )
where :
t 0 is the time shift

 If t  0 , then x(t) is shifted to the right.

0
 If t  0 , then x(t) is shifted to the left.
0

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 Basic Operations on Signals……

 Similarly, for a discrete-time signal x(n), the time-shifted

version is written as:

y ( n)  x ( n  n0 )
where :
n0 is the time shift

 If n0  0, then x(n) is shifted to the right.

 If n0  0, then x(n) is shifted to the left.

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 Basic Operations on Signals……

Example:
Consider a rectangular pulse x(t) shown in the figure below.

Sketch the time-shifted version of x(t) given by:

y (t )  x(t  2)
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 Basic Operations on Signals……

Solution:
The resulting rectangular pulse y(t) is obtained by time-shifting
x(t) by 2 units to the right. This time-shifted version signal is
shown in the figure below.

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 Basic Operations on Signals……

Exercise:
The discrete-time signal x(n) is given by:

1 , n 1 , 2

x ( n )   1 , n  1 ,  2
0 , otherwise

Sketch and label the time-shifted signals given by:

a. y (n)  x(n  3)
b. y (n)  x(n  1)
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 Basic Operations on Signals……

v. Addition
 Let x1(t) and x2(t) be two continuous-time signals.

 The signal y(t) obtained by the addition of x1(t) and x2(t) is

defined as:
y (t )  x1 (t )  x 2 (t )
 Similarly, for discrete-time signals we have:
y (n)  x1 (n)  x 2 (n)
 A physical example of a device that adds signals is an audio
mixer which combines music and voice signals.

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 Basic Operations on Signals……

vi. Multiplication
 Let x1(t) and x2(t) denote a pair two continuous-time signals.

 The signal y(t) resulting from the multiplication of x1(t) by

x2(t) is defined as:
y (t )  x1 (t ) x 2 (t )

 Similarly, for discrete-time signals we have:

y (n)  x1 (n) x 2 (n)
 A physical example of a device that multiplies signals is a
radio amplitude modulator (AM).
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 Basic Operations on Signals……

vi. Combined signal operations

 Given a continuous-time signal x(t), we can define another
continuous-time signal y(t) by applying two or more signal
operations as:
y (t )  Ax(at  t 0 )
where :
A : amplitude - scaling factor
a : time - scaling factor
t 0 : the time shift
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 Basic Operations on Signals……

 Similarly, given a discrete-time signal x(n), we can define

another discrete-time signal y(n) by applying two or more
signal operations as:
y (n)  Ax(an  n0 )

where :
A : the amplitude - scaling factor
a : the time - scaling factor
n0 : the time shift

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 Basic Operations on Signals……

Exercise:
1. Consider the rectangular continuous-time pulse signal x(t)
shown in the figure below.

Find and sketch the time-shifted signals given by:

a. y (t )  x(2t  3) b. y (t ) 3 x(4  t )
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 Basic Operations on Signals……

2. Consider the discrete-time signal x(n) defined by:

1 ,  2 n 2
x(n) 
0 , otherwise

Find and sketch the time-shifted signals given by:

a. y (n)  x(3n  2)

b. y (n) 2 x(1  n)

1
c. y (n)  x( n  4)
3
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 Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals

 There are several elementary signals that are important in the

study of different complex signals and systems. These include:
i. Unit step function
ii. Unit impulse function
iii. Unit ramp function
iv. Sinusoidal signals
v. Real exponential signals
vi. Complex exponential signals

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 Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

ii. Unit step function

 The continuous-time unit step function, denoted by u(t), is
defined as:

𝑢 (𝑡)=
{ 1,𝑡>0
¿0,𝑡<0

 Similarly, the shifted continuous-time unit step function is

defined as:

𝑢 (𝑡 − 𝑡 0)=
1 ,𝑡
{
> 𝑡 0
¿ 0 , 𝑡 < 𝑡0

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 Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

 The continuous-time unit step and shifted unit step functions

are shown in the figure below.

Fig. Continuous-time unit step and shifted unit step functions

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 Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

 Similarly, the discrete-time unit step function, denoted by

u(n), is defined as:

1 , n 0
u ( n) 
0 , n0

 The time-shifted discrete-time unit step function is defined as:

1 , n n0
u ( n  n0 ) 
0 , n  n0

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 Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

 The discrete-time unit step and shifted unit step functions are
shown in the figure below.

Fig. Discrete-time unit step and shifted unit step functions

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 Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals ……

i. Unit impulse function

 The continuous-time unit impulse function, denoted by  (t ) , is
defined as:

 The time-shifted continuous-time unit step function is defined

as:

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 Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

 The continuous-time unit impulse and shifted unit impulse

functions are shown in the figure below.

Fig. Continuous-time unit impulse and shifted unit impulse functions

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 Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

 Similarly, the discrete-time unit impulse function, denoted

by  (n) , is defined as:

1 , n 0

 ( n) 
0 , n 0
 The time-shifted discrete-time unit impulse function is defined
as:

1 , n n0

 ( n  n0 ) 
0 , n  n0

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 Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

 The discrete-time unit impulse and shifted unit impulse

functions are shown in the figure below.

Fig. Discrete-time unit impulse and shifted unit impulse functions

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Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

iii. Unit ramp function

 The continuous-time unit ramp function, denoted by r(t), is
defined as:

t , t 0
r (t ) 
0 , t 0

 Similarly, the shifted continuous-time unit ramp function is

defined as:
t , t t 0
r (t  t 0 ) 
0 , t  t0
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Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

 The continuous-time unit ramp and shifted unit ramp functions

are shown in the figure below.

Fig. Continuous-time unit ramp and shifted unit ramp functions

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Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

 The discrete-time unit ramp function, denoted by r(n), is

defined as:

n, n 0
r ( n) 
0 , n0

 Similarly, the shifted discrete-time unit ramp function is

defined as:

n , n n0
r ( n  n0 ) 
0 , n  n0

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Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

 The discrete-time unit ramp and shifted unit ramp functions

are shown in the figure below.

Fig. Discrete-time unit ramp and shifted unit ramp functions

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Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

iv. Sinusoidal signals

 The continuous-time sinusoidal signal is given by:

x(t )  A cos(t   ) or
x(t )  A sin(t   )

 Similarly, the discrete-time sinusoidal signal is written as:

x(n)  A cos(n   ) or
x(n)  A sin( n   )

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Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……
v. Real exponential signals
 The continuous-time real exponential signal is written as:
x(t )  Ke at

If a  0  Decaying exponentia l signal

If a  0  Growing exponentia l signal

 Similarly, the discrete-time real exponential signal is given by:

x ( n)  K ( r ) n

If 0  r  1  Decaying exponentia l signal

If r  1  Growing exponentia l signal

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Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

vi. Complex exponential signals

 The continuous-time complex exponential signal is given by:

x(t ) e j0t

 Similarly, the discrete-time complex exponential signal is

written as:

x ( n ) e j 0 n

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Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

Relationship b/n sinusoidal & complex exponential signals:

 From Euler’s formula, the continuous-time complex
exponential signal can be written as:

e j0t cos( 0 t )  j sin( 0 t ) ..........(i )

And ,

e  j0t cos( 0 t )  j sin( 0 t ) ...........(ii )

 We can write continuous-time sinusoidal signals in terms of
continuous-time complex exponential signals as :

cos( 0 t ) Re e j0t  and sin( 0 t ) Im e j0t  
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Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

 Adding equations (i) and (ii), we get:

e j0t  e  j0t 2 cos( 0 t )

e j 0 t  e  j  0 t
 cos( 0 t ) 
2
 Similarly, subtracting equation (ii) from equation (i), we
obtain:
e j0t  e  j0t 2 j sin( 0 t )

e j 0 t  e  j 0 t
 sin( 0 t ) 
2j
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Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

 Similarly, for discrete-time complex exponential signals:

e j0 n cos( 0 n)  j sin(  0 n) ..........(i )

And ,
 j 0 n
e cos( 0 n)  j sin(  0 n) ..........(ii )
 We can write discrete-time sinusoidal signals in terms of
discrete-time complex exponential signals as :

cos( 0 n) Re e j0 n   and sin(  0 n) Im e j0 n 

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Basic Continuous and Discrete-time Signals……

 Adding equations (i) and (ii), we get:

e j0 n  e  j0 n 2 cos( 0 n)

e j 0 n  e  j  0 n
 cos( 0 n) 
2
 Similarly, subtracting equation (ii) from equation (i), we
obtain:
e j0 n  e  j0 n 2 j sin(  0 n)

e j 0 n  e  j 0 n
 sin(  0 n) 
2j
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01/23/2025 55
Exercise
1. Consider a triangular continuous-time signal x(t) shown in the
figure below.

Sketch each of the following signals derived from x(t).

a. y (t )  x(3t ) d . y (t )  x(2t  4)

b. y (t )  x(3t  2) e. y (t )  x(4  2t )

c. y (t ) 2 x( 2t  1) f . y (t )  x(3t )  x(3t  2)

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Exercise……
2. Consider a continuous-time signal x(t) shown in the figure
below.

Sketch and label each of the

following signals derived
from x(t) carefully.

 t
a. y (t )  x(t  1) d . y (t )  x 4  
 2
b. y (t )  x(2  t ) e. y (t )  x(t )u (1  t )

c. y (t )  x(2t  1) d . y (t )  x(t )u (t  1)
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Exercise……
3. Consider a discrete-time signal x(n) shown in the figure below.

Sketch and label each of the

following signals derived
from x(n) carefully.

a. y (n)  x(n  2) d . y (n)  x n  2 

b. y (n)  x(2n) e. y (t )  x(n)u (n  3)

c. y (n)  x( n) f . y (t )  x(n  2)u (4  n)

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Exercise……
4. Express the following signals in terms of unit step functions.

a. Continuous-time signal b. Discrete-time signal

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Exercise……

5. Sketch and label each of the following signals carefully.

a. x(t ) u (t )  u (t  2)

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

c. x(t )  u (t  3)  2u (t  1)  2u (t  1)  u (t  3)

d . x(n) u (n  2)  u (n  1)  2u (n  4)

e. x(n) u (n  3)  u (n  3)

f . x(n)  (n  1)  2 (n)   (n  1)

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