SIGNALS AND SYSTEMS

Academic year 2024-2025. Instructor: Dr. Marco Fabris.

Solved exercises - Part 1
1. Express the real part of x(t) = e(−1+j20)t 2j, t ∈ R in the form Ae−at cos(ωt + φ), with
A, a, ω, ϕ being real-valued constants such that A > 0 and −π < ϕ ≤ π.
Solution. By applying Euler formula we obtain
x(t) = e(−1+j20)t 2j = 2je−t ( cos 20t + j sin 20t) = 2e−t (j cos 20t − sin 20t);
hence
Re{x(t)} = −2e−t sin 20t = 2e−t cos(20t + π2 ).
Therefore, the parameters we are seeking are yielded by
2 = 1, a = 1, ω = 20, ϕ = π2 .
π
2. Consider the signal x(t) = sin( π4 t) − 2ej 6 t + π5 , t ∈ R.

a. Determine both the even part and odd part of x(t).

b. Is the signal x(t) Hermitian?

Solution. [a.] even part = −2 cos( π6 t) + π5 , odd part = sin( π4 t) − 2j sin( π6 t)

[b.] the signal is not Hermitian. We can realize this fact just by observing that the its
real part Re{x(t)} = sin( π4 t) − 2 cos( π6 t) + π5 is not even.
3. Determine E∞ and P∞ for the following signals:
a. x1 (t) = e−2t u(t − 1), t ∈ R, where
(
1, t ≥ 0,
u(t) = 1l(t) =
0, t < 0
is the signal unit step.
b. x2 (n) = sin π3 n, n ∈ Z.
Solution. a. The energy E∞ (x1 ) of the signal x1 (t) over the whole real axis can be
computed as
Z ∞ Z ∞
e−4
E∞ (x1 ) = |x1 (t)|2 dt = e−4t dt = .
−∞ 1 4
Since E∞ (x1 ) is finite, the corresponding power P∞ (x1 ) is zero.
b. The signal x2 (n), which is identically non-zero, is periodic with normalized angular
frequency θ2 = π3 = 16 2π and fundamental period N02 = 6. So, its energy E∞ (x2 )
is infinite, whereas its average power P∞ (x2 ), which is finite and different from zero,
coincides with the average power computed over one period. Hence,
02 −1
1 NX 1X 5
2 π 1 3 3 3 3 1
 
2
P∞ (x2 ) = |x2 (n)| = sin ( n) = 0+ + +0+ + = .
N02 n=0 6 n=0 3 6 4 4 4 4 2

The following result holds in general: for any normalized angular frequency θ ̸= 0 and
phase ϕ, the average power of the sinusoidal discrete-time signal x(n) = sin(θn + ϕ) is
equal to
N N
1 2 1 1
sin2 (θn + ϕ) = .
X X
P∞ (x) = lim |x(n)| = lim
N →∞ 2N + 1 N →∞ 2N + 1 2
n=−N n=−N

It is worth to notice that it is not required for x(n) = sin(θn + ϕ) to be periodic.

4. Sketch the plot and compute the energy and average power over (−∞, ∞) for the following
continuous-time signal defined for all t ∈ [−1, 3)
(
6, se −1 ≤ t < 0
x(t) =
−2, se 0 ≤ t < 3

having period T = 4.
Solution. In the figure below it is reported the plot of the “square wave” signal x(t) =
∞
X
rep4 x0 (t) = x0 (t − 4k), where x0 (t) is equal to x(t) over the period [−1, 3) but it is
k=−∞
zero elsewhere.

x(t) 6

-
−13−12 −9−8 −5−4 −1 3 4 7 8 11 12 15 16 t
−2

Being periodic and identically non-zero, the signal x(t) has infinite energy and finite
average power (different from zero) over (−∞, ∞). Such a power coincides with the
average power computed over one period and, thus,
1Z 3
Z 0 Z 3
1 1

P (x) = |x(t)|2 dt = 2
6 dt + 2
(−2) dt = [1 · 36 + 3 · 4] = 12.
4 −1 4 −1 0 4
3π
5. Consider the continuous-time signal x(t) = ej 2
t
cos( 5π
2
t) + j sin(πt).

a. Verify that x(t) is periodic and compute its fundamental period.

b. Compute both the average value and the average power of the signal x(t).

Solution. a. The signal x(t) is the sum of two terms. The second term is the sinusoidal
signal x2 (t) = j sin(πt) = 12 (ejπt −e−jπt ) having angular frequency ω2 = π and fundamental
3π
period T02 = |ω2π2 | = 2. Instead, the first term is the product x1 (t) = ej 2 t cos( 5π
2
t), whose
3π
first exponential factor x11 (t) = ej 2 t has angular frequency ω11 = 3π 2
and fundamental
period T011 = |ω11 | = 3 , while the second cosinusoidal factor x12 (t) = cos( 5π
2π 4
2
t) has angular
5π 2π 4
frequency ω12 = 2 and fundamental period T012 = |ω12 | = 5 .
Since the period ratio TT011
012
= 35 is a rational number, the product x1 (t) = x11 (t)x12 (t) is
also periodic, with period T1 = lcm (T011 , T012 ) = 3T011 = 5T012 = 4. However, this is
3π 5π 5π
not the fundamental period of x1 (t). Indeed, rewriting x1 (t) = ej 2 t [ 12 (ej 2 t + e−j 2 t )] =
1 j4πt
2
(e + e−jπt ) as the sum of two exponential functions, we find the fundamental period
T01 = 2, which coincides with T02 . The fundamental period of the signal

x(t) = 12 (ej4πt + e−jπt ) + 12 (ejπt − e−jπt ) = 12 ejπt + 12 ej4πt (1)

is, therefore, T0 = 2.
 b. Since the signal x(t) is periodic, its average value and power can be calculated over
one period. One obtains
Z T0 Z 2
1 1
mx = mx (T0 ) = T0
x(t) dt = 2
( 21 ejπt + 12 ej4πt ) dt = 0 + 0 = 0,
0 0

Z T0 Z 2
Px = Px (T0 ) = 1
T0
|x(t)|2 dt = 1
2
( 21 ejπt + 12 ej4πt )( 21 e−jπt + 12 e−j4πt ) dt
0 0
Z 2
= 1
2
( 41 + 14 ej3πt + 41 e−j3πt + 14 ) dt = 1
4
+0+0+ 1
4
= 12 .
0

6. For each of the following (continuous-time or discrete-time) signals state whether it is

periodic and, if so, find its fundamental period:
π
a. x1 (t) = ej 3 − e−j4t sin 3t, t ∈ R,
3π j( π3 n− π4 )
b. x2 (n) = cos 5
n +e , n ∈ Z.

Solution. a. The continuous-time signal x1 (t) is the sum of two terms. The first one is
a constant, thus it is periodic of any period. While the second one is the product of two
signals, which are periodic as well. Indeed, the exponential function having imaginary
exponent x11 (t) = e−j4t is characterized by angular frequency ω1 = −4 and fundamental
period T01 = |ω2π1 | = π2 . Whereas, the sinusoidal factor x12 (t) = sin 3t is characterized by
angular frequency ω2 = 3 and fundamental period T02 = |ω2π2 | = 2π 3
.
Now, since the period ratio TT02 01
= 34 is a rational number, we can conclude that the
product x11 (t)x12 (t) and, consequently, the signal x1 (t) are also periodic; in addition, we
can deduce that the least common multiple T = lcm (T01 , T02 ) = 4T01 = 3T02 = 2π is one
of their periods. By chance, the latter turns out to be the fundamental period of x1 (t).
b. The discrete-time signal x2 (n) is periodic, as it is the sum of two periodic signals (with
integer periods necessarily, which can be written as a rational ratio). x21 (n) = cos 3π
5
n has
normalized angular frequency θ1 = 3π 5
= 3
10
2π and fundamental period N01 = 10, while
j( π3 n− π4 ) π 1
the second term x22 (n) = e has normalized angular frequency θ2 = 3 = 6 2π and
fundamental period N02 = 6. A possible period for x2 (n) is given by the least common
multiple N = lcm (N01 , N02 ) = 30, which is also, in turn, the fundamental period.
6
7. For the a. continuous-time signal x1 (t) = cos( 17 πt) and b. discrete-time signal x2 (n) =
6
cos( 17 πn), discuss their periodicity and compute, if it exists, their fundamental period.

Solution. Concerning continuous time, a sinusoidal signal having angular frequency ω0 ̸= 0

is always periodic, and its fundamental period is given by T0 = |ω2π0 | . For the signal
6 6
x1 (t) = cos( 17 πt) we have ω0 = 17 π and hence T0 = |ω2π0 | = 17
3
.
Concerning discrete time, a sinusoidal signal of normalized angular frequency θ0 is periodic
θ0 θ0
if and only if the ratio 2π is rational. In that case, writing 2π = Nm0 with N0 > 0 and the
fraction reduced to the lowest terms, the fundamental period is yielded by N0 . For the
6 6 θ0 3
signal x2 (n) = cos( 17 πn) we have θ0 = 17 π, so that from 2π = 17 = Nm0 the periodicity
follows, with N0 = 17.

8. For each of the following (continuous-time or discrete-time) signals, determine whether it

is periodic and, if so, find its fundamental period:
  π
a. x1 (t) = 2π − 3 + sin − π5 t + π
3
− ej 4 t+2 , t ∈ R,
b. x2 (n) = cos(2n) − ej4πn , n ∈ Z.
 Solution. a. The continuous-time signal x1 (t) is the sum of three terms, the first of which,
x10 (t) = 2π − 3, is constant
 and therefore periodic with any period. The second term,
x11 (t) = sin − 5 t + 3 , is sinusoidal with angular frequency ω1 = − π5 and fundamental
π π
π π
period T01 = |ω2π1 | = 10. The third term, x12 (t) = −ej 4 t+2 = −e2 ej 4 t , is the exponential
function with angular frequency ω2 = π4 and fundamental period T02 = |ω2π2 | = 8.
Now, since the period ratio TT02 01
= 54 is a rational number, it follows that the sum x1 (t) =
x10 (t) + x11 (t) + x12 (t) is also a periodic signal, and one of its periods is the least common
multiple T = lcm (T01 , T02 ) = 4T01 = 5T02 = 40. This is indeed the fundamental period
of x1 (t).
b. The discrete-time signal x2 (n) is not periodic, as it is the sum of an aperiodic signal
and a constant signal. Indeed, the first term, the cosine signal x21 (n) = cos(2n), has
a normalized angular frequency θ1 = 2, which is not in a rational relationship with 2π.
Instead, the second term x22 (n) = ej4πn ≡ 1 is constant (and therefore periodic with
fundamental period N02 = 1).

9. Determine the fundamental period T0 of the continuous-time signal

   
x(t) = 2 sin − 9π
7
t − cos 6π
7
t + π
4
.
 
Solution. The sinusoidal term x1 (t) = 2 sin − 9π
7
t has angular frequency ω1 = − 9π
7
and
 
period T1 = |ω2π1 | = 14
9
, while the term x2 (t) = − cos 6π
7
t + π4 has angular frequency
ω2 = 7 and period T2 = |ω2π2 | = 37 . Since the ratio TT21 =
6π 2
3
is rational, as is, of course, the
|ω1 |
reciprocal |ω2 |
= 23 , the signal x(t) = x1 (t) + x2 (t) is also periodic, with angular frequency
ω = gcd(|ω1 |, |ω2 |) = |ω31 | = |ω22 | = 3π
7
and period T = 2π
ω
= lcm(T1 , T2 ) = 3T1 = 2T2 = 14
3
.
The latter is the fundamental period, as becomes clear using Euler’s identities to rewrite
the signal x(t) in the form:
9π 9π 6π π 6π π
e−j 7
t − ej 7
t ej( 7 t + 4 ) + e−j( 7 t + 4 )
x(t) = − =
j 2
π π ∞
ej 4 j 6π t e−j 4 −j 6π t j
9π
t −j
9π
t ak ejkω0 t .
X
= − e 7 − e 7 + je 7 − je 7 =
2 2 k=−∞

3π
Indeed, the fundamental angular frequency is recognized as ω0 = 7
, corresponding to
the period T0 = ω2π0 = 14
3
.

10. For each of the following (continuous-time or discrete-time) signals, determine whether it
is periodic and, if so, find its fundamental period:
π
 
π
a. x1 (t) = ej 4 t + cos 6
t + π5 , t ∈ R.
b. x2 (n) = 2 + e(2+j3π)n , n ∈ Z.

Solution. a. The continuous-time signal x1 (t) = x11 (t)+x12 (t)+x13 (t) is the sum of three
π
periodic signals. Indeed, the first term x11 (t) = ej 4 t is a complex exponential function
with angular frequency ω1 = π4 and fundamental period T1 = ω2π1 = 8. For the second
 
term x12 (t) = cos π6 t , the angular frequency is ω2 = π6 and the fundamental period is
T2 = ω2π2 = 12. Finally, the constant term x13 (t) = π5 is a periodic signal with a period
T3 ̸= 0 of any value.
 Thus, since the ratio of the periods TT21 = 23 is a rational number, we can conclude that
x(t) is also a periodic signal, and a possible period is the least common multiple T =
lcm(T1 , T2 ) = 3T1 = 2T2 = 24.
b. The discrete-time signal x2 (n) would be periodic if and only if the difference x22 (n) =
x2 (n)−2 = e(2+j3π)n were periodic. But x22 (n) = e2n ej3πn is not a periodic signal because,
if it were, so would be its magnitude. However, |x22 (n)| = e2n is strictly increasing in n
and therefore not periodic. It follows that x2 (n) itself is not periodic.

11. Sketch the plots of the signals

a. x1 (t) = x(−t + 2), t ∈ R,

 
t
b. x2 (t) = x 2
−1 , t ∈ R,

given that (
t − 2, if 2 < t ≤ 3
x(t) =
0, otherwise.

Solution.
x(t) 6

-
−2 −1 1 2 3 t

x1 (t) 6

@
1
@
@
@
@ -
−2 −1 1 2 3 t
 x2 (t) 6

-
−4 −2 2 4 6 8 t