Electrical and Computer Engineering
Signal and Systems Analysis
(ECEg3091)
Chapter 1
Introduction
By: Abdisa L
Nov, 2024
1
Chapter one
Introduction
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.
Mathematically, a signal is represented as a function of an independent variable t. Usually, t represents time.
Thus, a signal is denoted by x(t).
Classification of signals
A. Continuous-Time and Discrete-Time Signals:
A signal x(t) is a continuous-time signal if t is a continuous variable, A signal x(t) is a continuous-
time signal if t is a continuous variable
Cont ….
A discrete-time signal is often identified as a sequence of numbers, denoted by
{x,) or x[n], where n = integer.
Illustrations of a continuous-time signal x(t) and of a discrete-time signal x[n] are
shown in figure below.
B. Real and Complex Signals:
A signal x(t) is a real signal if its value is a real number, and a signal x(t) is a complex signal if its value is a
complex number.
A general complex signal 𝑥(𝑡)is a function of the form
C. Deterministic and Random Signals:
Deterministic signals are those signals whose values are completely specified for any given time. Thus, a
deterministic signal can be modeled by a known function of time t.
Random signals are those signals that take random values at any given time and must be characterized
statistically.
D. Even and Odd Signals:
A signal x(t) or x[n] is referred to as an even signal if
Cont..
A signal x(t) or x[n] is referred to as an odd signal if
E. Periodic and Nonperiodic Signals:
A continuous-time signal x(t) is said to be periodic with period T if there is a positive nonzero value of T for
which
Periodic discrete-time signals are defined analogously. A sequence (discrete-time signal) x[n] is periodic with
period N if there is a positive integer N for which
F. Energy and Power Signals:
For an arbitrary continuous-time signal x(t), the normalized energy content E of
x(t) is defined as
Similarly, for a discrete-time signal x[n], the normalized energy content E of x[n]
is defined as
Some Basic Signals
Basic continuous-time signals
A. The Unit Step Function:
The unit step function u(t), also known as the Heaciside unit function, is defined
as
The shifted unit step function u(t - to) is defined as
The Unit Impulse Function:
Where ∅(𝑡) is any regular function continuous at 𝑡 = 𝑡𝑜 . For convenience, ∅(𝑡)
and ∅(𝑡 = 𝑡𝑜 ) are depicted graphically as shown figure below
Basic discrete-time signals
The Unit Step Sequence:
The unit step sequence u[n] is defined as
Cont…
The Unit Impulse Sequence:
The unit impulse (or unit sample) sequence∅[𝑛]is defined as
which is shown
Elementary Operations on signal
The operation performed with time
Cont …
Systems and classification of systems
A. System Representation:
A system is a mathematical model of a physical process that relates the input (or excitation) signal to the output (or
response) signal.
Let x and y be the input and output signals, respectively, of a system.
Then the system is viewed as a transformation (or mapping) of x into y. This transformation is represented by the
mathematical notation
B. Continuous Time and Discrete-Time Systems:
Cont …
If the input and output signals x and p are continuous-time signals, then the system is called a continuous-
time system .
If the input and output signals are discrete-time signals or sequences, then the system is called a discrete-time
system
C Systems with Memory and without Memory
A system is said to be memoryless if the output at any time depends on only the input at that same time.
Otherwise, the system is said to have memory.
Cont..
An example of a memoryless system is a resistor R with the input x(t) taken as the current and the voltage
taken as the output y(t).
The input-output relationship (Ohm's law) of a resistor is
An example of a system with memory is a capacitor C with the current as the input x( t ) and the voltage as
the output y(t); then
A second example of a system with memory is a discrete-time system whose input and output sequences are
related by
D Causal and Noncausal Systems:
A system is called causal if its output y(t) at an arbitrary time 𝑡 = 𝑡𝑜 depends on only the input x(t) for 𝑡 ≤ 𝑡0
E Linear Systems and Nonlinear Systems:
If the operator T satisfies the following two conditions, then T is called a linear operator and the system
represented by a linear operator T is called a linear system:
F Time-Invariant and Time-Varying Systems:
A system is called rime-invariant if a time shift (delay or advance) in the input signal causes the same time
shift in the output signal.
Thus, for a continuous-time system, the system is time-invariant if
for any real value of T. For a discrete-time system, the system is time-invariant (or shift-invariant ) if
Stable Systems:
A system is bounded-input/bounded-output (BIBO) stable if for any bounded input x defined by
Note that there are many other definitions of stability.
Feedback Systems:
A special class of systems of great importance consists of systems having feedback
A continuous-time signal x(t) is shown in Figure. Sketch and label each of the
following signals.
(a) x(t - 2); (b) x(2t); (c) x(t/2); (dl x(-t)
Cont…
Cont…
Using the discrete-time signals x,[n] and x,[n] shown below , represent each of the
following signals by a graph and by a sequence of numbers.
Signal approximation
