Signals and Systems: Solution for Assignment 2

Problem 3.24. [30pt] Let (

t 0≤t≤1
x(t) =
2 − t, 1≤t≤2
be a periodic signal with fundamental period T = 2 and Fourier coefficients ak .
(a) Determine the value of a0 .
Sol )
Z 2 Z 1 Z 2 
1 1
a0 = x(t) dt = t dt + 2 − t dt
2 0 2 0 1
"  #
1
1 2 2

1 1 2 1
= t + 2t − t = .
2 2 0 2 1 2

(b) Determine the Fourier series representation of dx(t)/ dt.

Sol ) g(t) = dx(t)/ dt is also periodic with fundamental period T = 2 and fundamental frequency
ω0 = 2π/T = π. g(t) in 0 ≤ t ≤ 2 is given as
(
dx(t) 1 0≤t≤1
g(t) = =
dt −1 1 ≤ t ≤ 2.

Fourier coefficient bk of g(t) is defined as

1 2
Z
bk = g(t)e−jkω0 t dt
2 0
Z 1 Z 2 
1 −jπkt −jπkt
= e dt − e dt . (ω0 = π)
2 0 1
hR R2 i
1
When k = 0, b0 = 12 0 dt − 1 dt = 0.
When k ̸= 0,
Z 1 Z 2 
1 −jπkt −jπkt
bk = e dt − e dt
2 0 1
 
1 1 −jπkt
1
−jπkt
2
= · e −e
2 −jπk 0 1
1  −jπk 
= e − 1 − e−j2πk + e−jπk
−2jπk
1  
= 1 − e−jπk .
jπk
To sum up, FS coefficient of g(t) = dx(t)/ dt is
(
0 k=0
bk = 1 −jπk

(1)
jπk 1−e k ̸= 0.

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(c) Use the result of Item (b) and the differentiation property of the continuous-time Fourier series to help
determine the Fourier series coefficients of x(t).
FS FS
Sol ) Since x(t) ←→ ak and g(t) = dx(t)/ dt ←→ bk , by differentiation (integration) property
Z
FS 1
x(t) = g(t) ←→ bk .
jkω0

Therefore, from Eq. (1), (

1 0 k=0
ak = bk =
− π21k2 1 − e−jπk


jπk k ̸= 0.

2
Problem 3.42. [20pt] Let x(t) be a real-valued signal with fundamental period T and Fourier series coefficients
ak .

(a) Show that ak = a∗−k and a0 must be real.

FS
Sol ) Using conjugation property, x∗ (t) ←→ a∗−k . Since x(t) is a real-valued signal, x(t) = x∗ (t) and
ak = a∗−k . Putting k = 0, a0 = a∗0 and a0 is real.

(b) Show that if x(t) is odd, then its Fourier series coefficients are imaginary and odd and a0 = 0.
FS
Sol ) Again, x(t) ←→ ak .
FS
Using time reversal property, x(−t) ←→ a−k .
FS
Using linearity property, −x(−t) ←→ −a−k .
Since x(t) is odd, x(t) = −x(−t) and thus

ak = −a−k , (2)

i.e., ak is odd.
Let us denote ak = Re(ak ) + jIm(ak ). From the answer of Item (a) and Eq. (2), ak = a∗−k = −a−k thus

Re(a−k ) − jIm(a−k ) = −Re(a−k ) − jIm(a−k ) ⇔ Re(a−k ) = −Re(a−k )

⇔ Re(a−k ) = 0.

Therefore, ak = Im(ak ), i.e., ak is purely imaginary.

Putting k = 0 in Eq. (2), a0 = −a0 = 0.

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Problem 3.46. [30pt] In this problem, we derive two important properties of the continuous-time Fourier
series: the multiplication property and Parseval’s relation. Let x(t) and y(t) both be continuous-time periodic
signals having period T0 and with Fourier series representations given by
+∞
X +∞
X
x(t) = ak ejkω0 t , y(t) = bk ejkω0 t . (3)
k=−∞ k=−∞

(a) Show that the Fourier series coefficients of the signal

+∞
X
z(t) = x(t)y(t) = ck ejkω0 t
k=−∞

are given by the discrete convolution

+∞
X
ck = an bk−n .
n=−∞

Sol ) z(t + T0 ) = x(t + T0 )y(t + T0 ) = x(t)y(t) = z(t), thus z(t) is periodic with fundamental period T0
and fundamental frequency ω0 .
The Fourier series coefficient ck of z(t) is defined as
Z
1
ck = z(t)e−jkω0 t dt
T0 T0
Z
1
= x(t)y(t)e−jkω0 t dt
T0 T0
∞ ∞
Z ! !
1 X X
= an e jnω0 t
· bl ejlω0 t
· e−jkω0 t dt
T0 T0 n=−∞
l=−∞
∞ ∞ Z
1 X X
= an bl ej(n+l)ω0 t e−jkω0 t dt
T0 n=−∞ T0
l=−∞
∞ ∞
( !
Z T
1 X X T k=m
= an bl · T0 δ(k − (n + l)) ej(m−k)ω0 t dt =
T0 n=−∞ l=−∞ 0 0 j ̸= m
+∞
X
= an bk−n . (Putting l = k − n)
n=−∞

(b) Suppose that y(t) in Eq. (3) equals x∗ (t). Express the bk in the equation in terms of ak , and use the
result of Item (a) to prove Parseval’s relation for periodic signals – that is,
Z T0 +∞
1 2
X
|x(t)| dt = |ak |2 . (4)
T0 0 k=−∞

Sol ) Since y(t) = x∗ (t) from the assumption,

bk = a∗−k , (5)

using conjugation property.

From the answer of Item (a) and Eq. (5), we can derive the Fourier Series coefficient ck of z(t) =
x(t)x∗ (t) = |x(t)|2 as follows

4
 +∞
X +∞
X
ck = an bk−n = an a∗n−k .
n=−∞ n=−∞

From the definition of Fourier Series coefficients (Fourier Series analysis equation),
Z T0 +∞
1 X
ck = 2
|x(t)| dt = an a∗n−k . (6)
T0 0 n=−∞

Putting k = 0 in Eq. (6),

Z T0 +∞ +∞
1 X X
|x(t)|2 dt = an a∗n = |an |2 ,
T0 0 n=−∞ n=−∞

thus we have derived Parseval’s relation in Eq. (4) by changing the index n to k.

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Problem 3.32. [20pt] Consider the signal x[n] depicted in Fig. 1. This signal is periodic with period N = 4.
The signal can be expressed in terms of a discrete-time Fourier series as
3
X
x[n] = ak ejk(2π/4)n . (7)
k=0

Figure 1

One way to determine the Fourier series coefficients is to treat Eq. (7) as a set of four linear equations (for
n = 0, 1, 2, 3) in four unknowns (a0 , a1 , a2 , and a3 ).

(a) Write out these four equations explicitly, and solve them directly using any standard technique for
solving four equations in four unknowns. (Be sure first to reduce the foregoing complex exponentials to
the simplest form.)

Sol ) Eq. (7) is explicitly expressed for n = 0, 1, 2, 3 as below:

a0 + a1 + a2 + a3 = 1, a0 + ja1 − a2 − ja3 = 0,
a0 − a1 + a2 − a3 = 2, a0 − ja1 − a2 + ja3 = −1.

Solving the equations, we have a0 = 21 , a1 = − 1+j 1−j

4 , a2 = 1, a3 = − 4 .

(b) Check your answer by calculating the ak directly, using the discrete-time Fourier series analysis equation
3
1X
ak = x[n]e−jk(2π/4)n . (8)
4
n=0

Sol ) By directly calculating Eq. (8),

1h i
ak = 1 + 2e−jkπ − e−jk3π/2 . (9)
4
Plugging k = 0, 1, 2, 3 in Eq. (9), we get the same result in Item (a).