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.

4
 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.

6
 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.

7
 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.

10