5ESB0: Systems

Midterm exam with solutions

23 May 2018

I. Multiple choice (60 points)

Exercise I.1 (20 points)
Given is a system with impulse response h(t) = e−t 1(t). The input applied to this
system is 
 1 if 0 ≤ t < 1,
u(t) = −1 if 1 ≤ t ≤ 2,
0 elsewhere.


What is the output y(t) of the system for t ≥ 0?


 1 − e−t if 0 ≤ t < 1,
a) y(t) = e1−t − 1 if 1 ≤ t ≤ 2,
 1−t
e − e2−t if t > 2.

 1 − e−t if 0 ≤ t < 1,
b) y(t) = 2e 1−t −e −1
−t if 1 ≤ t ≤ 2,
 1−t
2e − e−t − e2−t if t > 2.
 1−t
 e − e−t if 0 ≤ t < 1,
c) y(t) = 2e1−t −e −1
−t if 1 ≤ t ≤ 2,
 1−t
2e − e−t − e−2t if t > 2.

d) y(t) = 1 − e−t − e−1

Solution
For t ∈ [0, 1), the output is
Z t Z t
y(t) = h(τ )u(t − τ ) dτ = h(τ ) dτ = 1 − e−t .
0 0

For t ∈ [1, 2], the output is

Z t Z t−1
y(t) = h(τ ) dτ − h(τ ) dτ = 2e1−t − e−t − 1.
t−1 0

1
For t ∈ (2, ∞), the output is
Z t Z t−1
y(t) = h(τ ) dτ − h(τ ) dτ = 2e1−t − e−t − e2−t .
t−1 t−2
Correct answer is b).

Exercise I.2 (10 points)

Which is the time function f (t) corresponding to the Laplace transform
s2 − 6s + 11
F (s) = ?
(s − 3)3
a) 1 + sin(2t)
b) (1 + 4t)e2t
c) e−2t + 2te−t
d) (1 + t2 )e3t

Solution
Observing that
1 2
F (s) = +
s − 3 (s − 3)3
and using the Laplace table yields:
f (t) = e3t + t2 e3t = (1 + t2 )e3t .
Correct answer is d).

Exercise I.3 (20 points)

Consider a linear system described by the differential equation:
ẏ(t) + 2y(t) = u(t); y(0) = 0.
Which is the step response of the system?
a) g(t) = 3e−2t 1(t)
b) g(t) = 12 (1 + e−2t )1(t)
c) g(t) = 12 (1 − e−2t )1(t)
d) g(t) = (1 − e−2t )1(t)

2
Solution
1
Applying Laplace transform and observing that U (s) = L{1(t)} = s yields:

1
Y (s) = .
s(s + 2)

Using the partial fraction decomposition yields:

C1 C2 1 1 11
Y (s) = + =− + .
s+2 s 2s+2 2s
Using the Laplace table yields:
1 1
y(t) = (− e−2t + )1(t)
2 2
Correct answer is c).

Exercise I.4 (10 points)

Which is the transfer function for the block diagram represented in Figure 1?

Figure 1: System interconnection.

G1 G3 +G2 G3
a) G(s) = 1+G3

G1 G3 +G2 G3
b) G(s) = 1+G3 +G1 G3 +G2 G3

G1 +G2
c) G(s) = 1+G1 G3 +G2 G3

G1 G3 +G2 G3
d) G(s) = 1+G1 G3 +G2 G3

3
Solution
G1 and G2 form a parallel connection, which is G1 + G2 , while G3 is in a closed
G3
loop with 1, which generates 1+G 3
.
G3
Then G1 + G2 and 1+G3 are in series, which gives

G3 (G1 + G2 )
Gs =
1 + G3
and finally the closed loop is

Gs G1 G3 + G2 G3
Gcl = = .
1 + Gs 1 + G3 + G1 G3 + G2 G3
Correct answer is b).

II. Substitution exercise (40 points)

Exercise II.1
Consider the differential equation underlying the input-output behavior of a sys-
tem:
ÿ(t) − ẏ(t) = u(t), (1)
where y(t) is the output of the system and u(t) is the input. Let y(0) = 0, ẏ(0) = 0
and u(t) = 1(t). Write over the dots the correct answer:

a) (10 points) The Laplace transform of the output y(t) described by (1) is

Y (s) = ........................................

b) (20 points) The partial fraction decomposition of Y (s) is

Y (s) = .......................................

c) (10 points) The response of system (1) is

y(t) = ........................................

4
Solution
1
Applying Laplace transform and observing that U (s) = L{1(t)} = s yields:

1 C1 C2 C3
Y (s) = = + 2 + .
s2 (s − 2) s s s−1

Calculating coefficients either with the formulas presented in Lecture 4 or with the
algebraic method taught at the board (bring to the same denominator and equate
coefficients of polynomials at the numerator) yields:

C1 = −1, C2 = −1, C3 = 1.

Using the Laplace table yields:

y(t) = −1 − t + et 1(t).