8 Comprehensive problems

8.1 Motivation

In this book, the tutorial questions in each chapter are designed basically for helping
students further understand the contents in the chapter only and hence these prob-
lems are chapter oriented. Such a kind of arrangement follows the traditional peda-
gogy but may take the risk of making most of the students problem-result-oriented and
losing the real purpose of learning. Our ultimate objective in this book, as pointed in
the preface, is to teach students how to analyze and eventually to solve more compli-
cated problems in a wider scene based on all the concepts and skills that have been
mastered before, not just those in a particular chapter.
This chapter is designed to serve this objective by setting a number of compre-
hensive problems. To solve these problems, one needs either the knowledges in sev-
eral chapters or a profound study based on what have been learnt from the first seven
chapters.
Another feature of the problems set in this chapter is that some of them are
adopted with proper modifications from the entry examination papers of top uni-
versities in China for post-graduate study. They are usually the ‘stings’ in the papers,
which are intended for the top students to accomplish. We wish that the students, par-
ticularly those who want to have a profound study in signal processing and system
theory, and to pursuit their post-graduate study will find this chapter helpful.

8.2 Problems

Problem 8.1: Let S be a system with I/O relationship given by

α −β t

y(t) = ∫ x(τ )dτ ,

−∞

where α and β ≠ 0 are constant.

(a) Is the system LTI?
(b) Let X(jω ) be the FT of x(t). Find out the FT of y(t) in terms of X(jω ).

Problem 8.2: Let y(t) be the response of an LTI system to the input x(t) = x1 (t) + x2 (t),
where x1 (t) is unknown. Given that i) when x2 (t) = u(t), y(t) = 4e−3t u(t); ii) when
x2 (t) = −2u(t), y(t) = e−3t u(t) − 3u(t).
(a) Determine the unit impulse response h(t) of this system.
(b) What is the output of the system when excited with x1 (t) ?
(c) Find out all possible x1 (t).
248 | 8 Comprehensive problems

Problem 8.3: Consider the following two questions:

(a) Show that the FT of 12 sgn(t) is − ωj and then find out the FT of x(t) = sin(250t)
t2
;
(b) Let X(ejΩ ) be the DTFT of x[n]. Assume that X(ejω ) = X(ejmΩ ), ∀ Ω holds for some
positive integer m > 1. Find out the corresponding x[n].

Problem 8.4: Let X(z) be the z-transform of an even sequence x[n] with x[0] = 1.
Assume that X(z) has only two (finite) zeros and one (finite) pole. Given that the pole
is located at z = 0, while one of the zeros is at z = 1/2. Determine x[n].

Problem 8.5: Assume that the I/O relation of a stable LTI system S1 : w(t) → y(t) is
given by
dy(t)
+ y(t) = w(t).
dt
(a) Determine the unit impulse response h1 (t) of this system.
(b) Assume that the input of the system S1 is given by
+∞

w(t) = ∫ g(t − τ − 2)x(τ )dτ ,

−∞

where g(t) is a given function. Is the system S :x(t) → y(t) LTI ? Find out the unit
impulse response h(t) of S in terms of g(t).
(c) Sppose g(t) has a Laplace transform G(s) with ROCg = {s : σr < Re (s) < σl }. When
is the system S stable with a two-sided h(t)?

Problem 8.6: Let x[n] be the input of a discrete-time system and y[n], the correspond-
ing output. Furthermore, let X(ejΩ ), Y(ejΩ ) and H(ejΩ ) be the DTFT of x[n], y[n] and the
system unit impulse response h[n]. Assume that the following equation holds

dX(ejΩ )
Y(ejΩ ) = 3X(ejΩ ) + e−j2Ω X(ejΩ ) + .
dΩ
(a) Determine the unit impulse response h[n].
(b) Is this system LTI ? Justify your answer.

Problem 8.7: Let X(ejΩ ) be the DTFT of signal x[n].

x[n], n = 2m. ∀ m
(a) Define x1 [n] ≜ x[2n], x2 [n] ≜ { . Derive the expressions for
0, n = 2m + 1
the DTFT of x1 [n] and x2 [n] in terms of X(ejΩ ).
(b) Let xe [n] ≜ x[n]+x[−n]
2
, xo [n] ≜ x[n]−x[−n]
2
. Derive the expressions for the DTFT of xe [n]
jΩ
and xo [n] in terms of X(e ).

Problem 8.8: Consider an LTI system whose output is y[n] in response to the input
x[n]. Given that i) y[n] = 0, when x[n] = 1; ii) y[n] = 6/7, when x[n] = −1; and iii)
 8.2 Problems | 249

x[n] = 0.75n u[n], y[n] = δ [n] + βα n u[n]. Specify the transfer function H(z) of this
system and the unit impulse response h[n] of this system.

Problem 8.9: Consider a real-valued periodic and even signal x(t) that has a Fourier
series of form
+∞
x(t) = ∑ c[k]ejkω0 t ,
k=−∞
T /5
where ω0 = 2π/T0 with T0 the fundamental period. Assume that i) ∫−T0 x(t)dt =
0 /5
3T0 /5
1; ii) ∫T x(t)dt = −2; and iii) c[k] = c[k + 4]. Specify the signal x(t).
0 /5

Problem 8.10: An LTI system, when excited by x[n] = x[n] ̃ + u[n], yields an output
̃
y1 [n] = 12 [3n+2 − 1]u[n] and when the input is x[n] = x[n] + u[n − 1], the output is
y2 [n] = 72 [3n − 17 ]u[n].
(a) Determine the unit impulse response h[n] of this system;
̃
(b) What is the system output in rsponse to the input x[n] = x[n]? ̃
Find out x[n].

Problem 8.11: Consider a causal LTI system described with

d2 y(t) dy(t)
+2 + y(t) = x(t).
dt2 dt
(a) Calculate the unit impulse response h(t) of this system.
(b) Determine the initial conditions dy(t) |
dt t=0−
and y(0− ) such that the zero-input re-
sponse is yzi (t) = δ (t).
(c) Under what constraints on the initials dy(t) |
dt t=0−
and y(0− ) the complete response
̄ = u(t) when the (future) input is x(t)
y(t) ̂ = u(t) ?

Problem 8.12: Consider two causal LTI systems of real-valued unit impulse responses
z−1 1+β z−1
h1 [n] and h2 [n]. Let H1 (z) = κ1 1−α
1+α z−1
and H2 (z) = κ2 1−β z−1
, where κ1 , κ2 and α , β are all
constant with 0 < |α | < |β | < 1.
(a) Determine a causal sequence g[n] such that h2 [n] = g[n]h1 [n] and

1 N
lim ∑ |g[n]|2 = 16.
N→ ∞ N n=0

(b) Find all possible g[n] such that h2 [n] = g[n] ∗ h1 [n].

Problem 8.13: Assume that ek [n] = e−|k|+jα n is the response of a linear system when
the input is δ [n − k].
(a) Derive the expression for the output y[n] of the system excited by x[n].
(b) Is it true that a linear system, when excited by x[n] = ejΩ n , yields an output of form
y[n] = κ ejΩ n , where both Ω and κ are indpendent of n. Justify your answer.
250 | 8 Comprehensive problems

Problem 8.14: Consider an LTI system x(t) → y(t). Given that x(t) = 2e−3t u(t − 1) and
dx(t)
dt
→ −3y(t) + 2e−2t u(t).
(a) Determine the unit impulse response h(t) of the system.
(b) Find out the output y(t).

Problem 8.15: An LTI system, when excited with x(t) = x1 (t) + x2 (t), yields an output
y(t) = (2e−t − e−3t )u(t). Given that x(t) = x1 (t) + 0.5x2 (t) → (e−t − 2e−3t )u(t).
(a) Determine the output of the system when excited by 2x1 (t − 1).
(b) Assume x2 (t) = e−2t u(t). Find out the corresponding x1 (t).

Problem 8.16: Consider a causal LTI system. Given that when the input for n ⩾ 0
is u[n], the complete response of the system is ȳ1 [n] = 2u[n], and that with the same
initial conditions, the complete response is ȳ2 [n] = (n−1)u[n] when the input for n ⩾ 0
is 0.5u[n − 1].
(a) Determine the unit impulse response of the system.
(b) Find out the initial conditions.

Problem 8.17: Consider a system whose input-output relationship is given by

d2 y(t) dy(t) dx(t)

+5 + 6y(t) = 2 + 5x(t).
dt2 dt dt

(a) Assume that y(0− ) = 2, dy(t) |

dt t=0−
= 0. Specify the response of the system y(t) when
−t
x(t) = e u(t).
(b) Suppose that the system is a causal LTI system. When it is excited with an input
̃ + e−t u(t), the output y(t) is the one obtained in part (a). Determine x(t).
x(t) = x(t) ̃

z+3
Problem 8.18: A causal LTI system has a transfer function H(z) = z2 +3z+2 .
(a) Draw the parallel structure of the system, in which each subsystem is imple-
mented using the direct-form.
(b) Determine the state-space equations corresponding to the structure obtained in
part (a).

s−z1
Problem 8.19: Let H(s) = (s−p1 )(s−p2 )
be the Laplace transform of x(t) with ROCx = {s :
1
Re (p1 ) < Re (s) < Re (p2 )} and Y(s) = (s−q )(s−q be the Laplace transform of y(t) with
1 2)
ROCy = {s : Re (q1 ) < Re (s) < Re (q2 )}, where z1 , p1 , p2 , q1 and q2 are all constant
with Re (z1 ) < Re (p1 ). Assume that y(t) is the output of an LTI system of unit impulse
response h(t) when excited with x(t).
(a) Determine all possible h(t)
(b) Under what condition is the system causal? Work out the corresponding LTI in-
verse system(s) of such a h(t).
 8.2 Problems | 251

Problem 8.20: Let x[n] = −α n u[−n − 1] + βα n−1 u[−n] and y[n] = 𝛾n u[n], where 𝛾, α and
β are all constant with α ≠ β .
(a) Determine all possible signals g[n] such that x[n] ∗ g[n] = δ [n − m], where m is a
given integer.
(b) If y[n] is the output of an LTI system excited with x[n], find out all possible systems.

Problem 8.21: Let xa (t) be a real-valued signal, having a bandpass spectrum centered
at ω0 = mB with a spectral bandwidth of 2B.
(a) Assume m = 2p + 1 with p some positive integer. If xa (t) is sampled with a sam-
pling frequency ws = 2B, is it possible to reconstruct xa (t) from its discrete-time
counterpart?
(b) Answer the same question as part (a) for m = 2p.

Consider a more general case, where xa (t) is the same as above excpet w0 ≫ 2B intead
of multiples of the bandwidth. Can you formulate the problem of finding the largest
sampling period Ts with which the analog signal xa (t) can be recovered from its sam-
ples obtained?

Problem 8.22: consider a signal xa (t) = s(t) cos(ωc t), where s(t) is the signal of source
information which is bandwidth limited to ωM in radians per second and ωc is the so-
called carrier frequency, ususally ωc ≫ ωM . Let x[n] ≜ xa (nTs ).
(a) What is the Nyquist (angular) frequency ωN of xa (t)?
(b) Determine the smallest sampling frequency ωs such that s(t) can be recon-
structed from the samples x[n].

Problem 8.23: One has an LTI system described with the following I/O relationship
d2 y(t) dy(t) dx(t)
+ 5α + 6α 2 y(t) = − α x(t),
dt2 dt dt
where α > 0 is constant.
(a) Determine the unit impulse response h(t) of each of all the possible systems.
t
(b) Assume that h(t), obtained above, is causal. Let g(t) ≜ e−α t ∫−∞ h(τ )dτ be the unit
impulse response of a system. Work out the Laplace transform G(s) of g(t) and
determine the poles and zeros of G(s).

Problem 8.24: Let x(t) ↔ X(jω ) = XR (ω ) + jXI (ω ) be an FT pair, where XR (ω ) and

XI (ω ) are the real and imaginary parts of X(jω ).
(a) Show that both xe (t) ≜ x(t)+x(−t)
2
and xo (t) ≜ x(t)−x(−t)
2
are even and odd, and
xe (t) ↔ XR (ω ), xo (t) ↔ jXI (ω ).
(b) If x(t) = 0, ∀ t < 0 (and hence xo (t) = xe (t)sgn(t)), then show
1 1
XR (ω ) = XI (ω ) ∗ , XI (ω ) = −XR (ω ) ∗ ,
πω πω
̂ ) ≜ f (τ ) ∗
where f (τ 1
is called the Hilbert transform of f (τ );
πτ
252 | 8 Comprehensive problems

(c) Show that Hilbert transform can be considered as an LTI system. Find out the fre-
quency response of this system.

Problem 8.25: Let x(t) be real with X(jω ) = XR (ω ) + jXI (ω ) its FT, where XR (ω ) and
̃ ≜ x(t) + jx(t).
XI (ω ) are the real and imaginary parts of X(jω ), respectively. Define x(t) ̂
̃ is called an analytical signal and popularly used in communication engi-
Such a x(t)
̃
neering. Let x(t) ̃
↔ X(jω ̃
). Show X(jω ) = 0, ∀ ω < 0.

Problem 8.26: Let A(z) = 1 + α1 z−1 + ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ + αk z−k + ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ + αN z−N . Assume that zN A(z)
has no roots on |z| = 1. Define

zm A∗ (1/z∗ )
H(z) = ,
A(z)
where ∗ denotes the complex conjugate operator.
Show that
(a) the system with transfer function H(z) is all-pass for any constant m;
(b) if pk is a pole of the system, the system has a zero at z = 1/p∗k .

Problem 8.27: Given that Hap (z) is a causal all-pass system. Let y[n] be the output of
this system excited by x[n] = x0 [n]u[n], where x0 [n] is an arbitrary signal. Show that
the following holds for any n ⩾ 0:
n n
∑ |y[m]|2 ⩽ ∑ |x[m]|2 .
m=0 m=0

Problem 8.28: A causal LTI system has a certain initial state (corresponding to 0− )
and is excited by x(t) after t = 0− . Let y(t) be the complete response of the system.
Given that (i) x(t) = u(t) → y(t) = 2e−t u(t); (ii) x(t) = δ (t) → y(t) = δ (t).
(a) Determine the unit impulse response of this system.
(b) Identify the zero-input response as well as the initial conditions.

Problem 8.29: Consider a system S: x(t) → y(t), characterized with the following
equation:
y(t) ∗ g(t) = f (t) ∗ x(t),

where g(t) and f (t) are two signals given.

(a) Assume that there exists a signal h(t) such that g(t) ∗ h(t) = δ (t). Show that the
system S is LTI. What is the unit impulse response of this system?
(b) Suppose that g(t) = e−2t u(t), f (t) = e−5t u(t). Is S a causal LTI system?