ECE 411 Signals, Spectra, and Signal Processing
Solutions to Problem Set (2 DT Signals and Systems)
1. A discrete-time signal x(n) is defined as
n
1 3 , 3 n 1
x(n) 1, 0n3
0, elsewhere
a) Determine its values and sketch the signal x(n).
b) Sketch the signals that results if we:
i. First fold x(n) and then delay the resulting signal by four samples.
ii. First delay x(n) by four samples and then fold the resulting signal.
Solution:
a) We use the tabular method to represent the signals values
n 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5
x(n) 0 0 1
3
2
3
1 1 1 1 0
1
2
3
1
3
n n
4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5
b.i) We first fold the signal x(n) to get x(n)
1
2
3
1
3
n n
4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5
Then we delay the resulting signal by four samples. Let m = n, then
TD4 x(m) x(m 4)
x(n 4)
1
2
3
1
3
n n
4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1
Solutions to Problem Set
(2 DT Signals and Systems)
b.ii) We first delay the signal by four units to obtain x(n 4)
1
2
3
1
3
n n
4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Then we fold the resulting signal. Let m = n 4, then
FDx(m) x( m)
x (n 4)
x ( m 4)
1
2
3
1
3
n n
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
This shows that operations on the time variable (folding, shifting) are not commutative.
2. Sketch and label the following signals:
a) x(n) = 2u(n 4)
b) x(n) = u(n + 3) u(n 4)
c) x(n) = 8(n 6)
d) x(n) = 2u(n + 6) 2ur(n + 2)
Solution:
a) We first take the elementary signal, the unit step function u(n).
1
n n
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
The folding operation takes priority over shifting. We first fold u(n) to obtain u(n).
1
n n
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
Solutions to Problem Set
(2 DT Signals and Systems)
Then we delay the resulting signal by four units to obtain u(n 4).
n n
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Finally we multiply the signal by 2 to get 2u(n 4).
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4
n n
5 6
b) The signal x(n) is composed of two components. The first one is a unit step signal
advanced by three units, u(n + 3), and the second one is a unit step signal delayed by
four units, u(n 4)
u(n + 3)
n n
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
u(n 4)
n n
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Subtracting the second one from the first gives us
n n
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
3
Solutions to Problem Set
(2 DT Signals and Systems)
The resulting signal can be represented as the function
1, 3 n 3
x ( n)
0, elsewhere
c) The signal is a unit impulse delayed by six units, with the amplitude multiplied by eight.
x(n) = 8(n)
n n
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
d) As with (b), the signal is composed to two subsignals. The first one is a unit step signal,
2u(n + 6).
2
n n
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4
For the second one, we start with a unit ramp signal ur(n)
4
3
2
1
n n
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4
We advance the unit ramp by two units: TD(2)[ur(n)] = ur(n + 2)
6
5
4
3
2
1
n n
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4
Then multiply the signals amplitude by two.
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Solutions to Problem Set
(2 DT Signals and Systems)
12
10
n n
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4
We then subtract this signal from the first one, resulting in
2
0 1 2 3 4
n n
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
2
4
10
3. Sketch and label carefully the following signals
n n
5
Solutions to Problem Set
(2 DT Signals and Systems)
a) x(n 2)
b) x(3 n)
c) x(n 1) u(n)
d) x(n 1) (n)
e) x(1 n) (n 2)
Solution:
a) The resulting signal is just a delayed version of the original.
x(n 2) 2
n n
b) To determine the value of the signal, we perform arithmetic operation on the time
variable n. We use a table for the values:
Let m = 3 n
n 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
m=3n 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4
x(m) 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0
We then plot x(m) with respect to the original time variable n.
x(m) = x(3 n) 2
n n
The arithmetic operation on the time variable is non-commutative, that is
x(3 n) x(n + 3). To prove that the two operations are not equal, we plot x(n + 3)
and compare.
To get x(n + 3) fold x(n) then advance the signal by three units.
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Solutions to Problem Set
(2 DT Signals and Systems)
x(n + 3) 2
n n
Clearly the two signals are not equal.
c) For x(n 1) u(n), we get the delayed version of x(n) then multiply every element to u(n).
x(n 1) 2
n n
u(n)
1
n n
This results in
x(n 1) u(n) 2
n n
2
Since the shifted signal is already causal, that is x(n) = 0 for n < 0, multiplying u(n)
(which is inherently causal), does not change the signal.
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Solutions to Problem Set
(2 DT Signals and Systems)
d) Similar to (c), but this time we multiply x(n 1) to the unit impulse signal (n).
x(n 1) 2
n n
(n)
1
n n
This results in a signal that is sampled at n = 0, or x(0).
x(n 1) (n) = x(0)
n n
e) Just like (b), we perform arithmetic operation on the time variable n.
Let m = 1 n
n 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
m=1n 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
x(m) 0 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0
Plot x(m) with respect to n, then multiply it to (n 2)
x(1 n) 2
n n
8
Solutions to Problem Set
(2 DT Signals and Systems)
(n 2)
1
n n
We get the signals value at n = 2 or x(2).
x(1 n) (n 2) = x(2)
n n
Multiplying any signal to a shifted unit impulse signal (n k) results in the value of the
signal at k, as with the example where k = 2, and thus x(2). This samples the value of
the signal at k. This is why the unit impulse signal is sometimes called a unit sample
signal.
4. A discrete-time signal x(n) is defined as
x(n) [5 5 3 2 3 5 0 9]
Decompose the signal into its even and odd components.
Solution:
To get the even and odd components, the signal must be symmetrical with respect to n = 0. We
pad zeros to the signal on the negative side of the timeline to balance the number of samples on
either side of n = 0.
x(n) [0 0 0 5 5 3 2 3 5 0 9]
The even (symmetrical) component of the signal is found by
xeven (n) 1
2 x ( n ) x ( n )
We fold x(n) to get x(n)
x( n) [ 9 0 5 3 2 3 5 5 0 0 0]
We add this to x(n) then divide the result by two.
1
x(n) x(n) 0(29) 0 0 ( 5 ) 5 ( 3) 5 2 3 3 2 ( 5 ) 3 5 5 0
0 9 0
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
xeven (n)
9
2 0 5
2 1 3
2 3
3
2 1 5
2 0 9
2
Indeed x(n) = x(n) for the even component.
9
Solutions to Problem Set
(2 DT Signals and Systems)
The odd (anti-symmetrical) component is
xodd (n) 1
2 x ( n ) x ( n )
Therefore
1
x(n) x(n) 0(29) 0 0 ( 5 ) 5( 3) 5 2 3 3 2 ( 5 ) 35 5 0
0 9 0
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
xodd (n)
9
2 0 5
2 4 7
2 0
7
2 4 5
2 0 9
2
This shows us that x(n) = x(n) for the odd component.
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