School of Electrical and Information Engineering

University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

Fourier Transform - Worked Examples - 2022

Question 1
Find the Fourier transform of the following common signals
(i) δ(t)
(ii) e−bt u(t) for where b > 0 is a constant, plot the magnitude and phase spectra
for b = 1
(iii) e−a|t| , where a > 0 is a constant
(iv) cos(ω0 t)
(v) u(t) − u(t − 1)

Question 2
Find the Fourier transforms of the following signals
(i) x1 (t) = x(2t), where the signal x(t) = u(t) − u(t − 1)
(ii) x(t) cos(ω0 t)
(iii) e−|t| cos(10t)

Question 3
Given the signal x(t) = e−at u(t)
(a) Compare its energy in
(i) Time domain
(ii) Frequency domain
and hence verify that Parseval’s theorem for x(t).
(b) Determine the frequency W (rad/s) so that the energy contributed by the spec-
tral components of all the frequencies below W is 95% of the signal energy
Ex .

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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

Question 4
(i) Determine the aperiodic function x(t) whose Fourier transform X(ω) is the
function shown in Figure 1

Figure 1: X(jω)

(ii) Given the following is a Fourier transform pair:

 
t  ωτ 
rect ⇔ τ sinc
τ 2π
Use the duality property to calculate the Fourier transform of
 
W Wt
x(t) = sinc
π π

Question 5
(i) Determine the frequency response function of the linear time invariant RL sys-
tem shown in Figure 2, where x(t) is the input to the system, y(t) is the output,
R > 0 is the resistance and L > 0 is the inductance.

Figure 2: A linear time invariant RL system

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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

(ii) The impulse response of the linear time invariant RC system shown in Figure
3 is given by
1 − t
h(t) = e RC u(t)
RC
where u(t) is the unit step function, R > 0 is the resistance and C > 0 is the
capacitance.

If the system is subject to a unit step input voltage x(t) = u(t), find the output
response of the system in:

(a) The frequency domain.

(b) The time domain.

and the output is y(t).

Figure 3: A linear time invariant RC system

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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

How to find the magnitude and phase spectrum

Given an generalized frequency response X(jω) of the form

a + jb
X(jω) =
c + jd
where a, b, c, d are constants, the magnitude and phase spectra for −∞ < ω < ∞ are
√    
a2 + b 2 −1 b −1 d
|X(jω)| = √ and ∠X(jω) = tan − tan
c2 + d 2 a c

P.T.O. for solutions

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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

Solutions
Question 1:
(i) Making use of the properties of the impulse function, i.e.
Z ∞ (
∞ t=0
δ(t) = 1, δ(t) = and δ(t − t0 )x(t) = δ(t0 )x(t0 )
−∞ 0 otherwise

One finds
Z ∞ Z ∞ Z ∞
−jωt −jωt j0
X(jω) = F [x(t)] = x(t)e dt = δ(t)e dt = e δ(t) dt = 1
−∞ −∞ −∞

The magnitude and phase spectra for −∞ < ω < ∞ are

√  
0
−1
|X(jω)| = 12 = 1 and ∠X(jω) = tan =0
1

The spectrum is plotted in Figure 4.

Figure 4: |X(jω)| and ∠X(jω)

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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

(ii) Let x(t) = e−bt u(t)

Z ∞ Z ∞ Z ∞
−jωt −bt −jωt
F {x(t)} = x(t)e dt = e e dt = e−(b+jω)t dt
−∞ 0 0
1  −(b+jω)t ∞
= e 0
−(b + jω)
1  −(b+jω)t ∞
=− e 0
b + jω
1  −∞
− e0

=− e
b + jω
1
=− [0 − 1]
b + jω
1
=
b + jω
To obtain the magnitude and phase spectra substitute b = 1 into X(jω)
1
X(jω) =
1 + jω
the magnitude and phase spectra are
√
12 1
|X(jω)| = √ =√
12 + ω 2 1 + ω2
 
0 ω  ω 
∠X(jω) = tan−1 − tan−1 = − tan−1
1 1 1
Plotting the spectrum in Figure 5
(iii) Let x(t) = cos(ω0 t), using the identity cos(θ) = (ejθ + e−jθ )/2
Z ∞ Z ∞  jω0 t
+ e−jω0 t −jωt

−jωt e
F {x(t)} = x(t)e dt = e dt
−∞ −∞ 2
Using the sifting property of the impulse function and the inverse Fourier trans-
form
Z ∞
−1 1 1 jω0 t
F {δ(ω − ω0 )} = δ(ω − ω0 )ejωt dω = e
2π −∞ 2π
Hence the Fourier transform
 
1 jω0 t
F e = δ(ω − ω0 )
2π

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University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

Figure 5: |X(jω)| and ∠X(jω)

1
Since 2π
is a constant, multiply both sides by 2π

F ejω0 t = 2πδ(ω − ω0 )


For −ω0 we obtain

F e−jω0 t = 2πδ(ω + ω0 )


Hence combining results

Z ∞
1 ∞  jω0 t
Z
−jωt
+ e−jω0 t e−jωt dt

F {cos(ω0 t)} = x(t)e dt = e
−∞ 2 −∞
1
= [2πδ(ω − ω0 ) + 2πδ(ω + ω0 )]
2
= πδ(ω − ω0 ) + πδ(ω + ω0 )

The spectrum is shown in Figure 6

(iv) Let x(t) = e−a|t|

(
e−at 0<t<∞
x(t) = e−at u(t) + eat u(−t) =
eat −∞ < t < 0

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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

Figure 6: X(jω)

The Fourier transform is

Z ∞ Z ∞ Z 0
−jωt −at −jωt
X(jω) = F [x(t)] = x(t)e dt = e ·e dt + eat · e−jωt dt
−∞ 0 −∞
Z ∞ Z 0
= e−(a+jω)t dt + e(a−jω)t dt
0 −∞
1  −(a+jω)t ∞ 1  (a−jω)t 0
= e 0
+ e −∞
−(a + jω) a − jω
1  −∞ 1  0
− e0 + e − e−∞
 
=− e
a + jω a − jω
1 1
=− [0 − 1] + [1 − 0]
a + jω a − jω
1 1
= +
a + jω a − jω
Finding a common denominator
a − jω a + jω
X(jω) = F [x(t)] = +
(a + jω)(a − jω) (a + jω)(a − jω)

Since j 2 = −1 we obtain
2a
X(jω) = F [x(t)] =
a2 + ω2

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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

(v) Let x(t) = u(t) − u(t − 1). Taking the Fourier transform
Z ∞ Z 1
−jωt
X(jω) = F [x(t)] = x(t)e dt = 1 · e−jωt dt
−∞ 0
1  −jωt 1
=− e 0
jω
1  −jω
− e−j0

=− e
jω
1 
1 − e−jω

=
jω

One can go further by factoring out ejω/2 ,

ejω/2 − e−jω/2
 
1  1
1 − e−jω = e−jω/2

X(jω) =
jω j2 ω/2

Using the identities sin(θ) = (ejθ − e−jθ )/j2 and the un-normalizes sinc identity
sinc(θ) = sin(θ)/θ

sin(ω/2) −jω/2 ω 
X(jω) = e = sinc e−jω/2
ω/2 2

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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

Question 2:
(i) Given that x1 (t) = x(2t), we can use the time scaling property for a = 2 together
with the result X(jω) from Question 1(v)
1 ω 
X1 (jω) = F {x1 (t)} = F {x(2t)} = X
|2| 2
 
1 ω/2 −j(ω/2)/2
= sinc e
2 2
1 ω 
= sinc e−jω/4
2 4
Compare x(t) vs x1 (t) and X(jω) vs X1 (jω) in Figure 7.

Figure 7: x(t) vs x1 (t) and X(jω) vs X1 (jω)

(ii) Let y(t) = x(t) cos(ω0 t) and using the identity cos(θ) = (ejθ + e−jθ )/2
Z ∞ Z ∞
+ e−jω0 t
 jω0 t 
−jωt e
Y (jω) = F {y(t)} = y(t)e dt = x(t) dt
−∞ −∞ 2
1 ∞
Z
x(t)ejω0 t + x(t)e−jω0 t dt

=
2 −∞
Using the frequency shifting property
1
Y (jω) = [X(ω − ω0 ) + X(ω + ω0 )]
2
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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

(iii) Let y(t) = e−|t| cos(10t), and x(t) = e−|t| . We can use the result from Question
1(iii) for a = 1, i.e.
2a 2
X(jω) = = (1)
a2 + ω2 a=1 1 + ω2

Therefore if y(t) = x(t) cos(10t), by the frequency shifting property we find

1
Y (jω) = F {y(t)} = [X(ω − 10) + X(ω + 10)]
2
Substituting Equation 1
 
1 2 2
Y (jω) = F {y(t)} = +
2 1 + (ω − 10)2 1 + (ω + 10)2
1 1
= 2
+
1 + (ω − 10) 1 + (ω + 10)2
The spectrum is shown in Figure 8 shows that x(t) in the frequency domain is
shifted from being centred at ω = 0 to |ω| = 10 by the carrier wave.

Figure 8: x(t), y(t), X(jω), Y (jω)

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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

Question 3:
(a) (i) The energy in the time domain is
Z ∞ Z ∞ Z ∞
−at 2
Ex = 2
|x(t)| dt = (e ) dt = e−2at dt
−∞ 0 0
1  −2at ∞
= e 0
−2a
1 −∞
− e0
 
=− e
2a
1
= − [0 − 1]
2a
1
=
2a

(ii) Using the tables, the Fourier transform pair of x(t) = e−at u(t) is given by
1
e−at u(t) ⇔
a + jω

The energy in the frequency domain is therefore given by (for positive

frequencies)

1 ∞ 1 ∞
Z Z
2 1
Ex = |X(ω)| dω = dω
π 0 π 0 a + ω2
2
 ∞
1 1 −1 ω
= tan
π a a 0
  
1 1 −1 ∞
  1 0
−1
= tan − tan
π a a a a
 
1 1π 1
= − (0)
π a2 a
1
=
2a
The results in (i) and (ii) are equal, verifying Parseval’s theorem for x(t).

(b) The energy is given by

Z π
1
Ex = |X(ω)|2 dω
π 0

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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

assuming the band [0, W ] contains 95% of the signal energy, that is Ex =
0.95/(2a) one can write

0.95 1
Z W
1

1  W  
−1 ω 1 −1 W
= dω = tan = tan
2a π 0 ω 2 + a2 aπ a 0 aπ a

Solving for W
 
0.95 −1 W
(aπ) = tan
2a a
 
W
tan(0.475π) =
a
W = tan(0.475π)a
∴ W = 12.706a

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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

Question 4:
(i) From Figure 1, one can find
(
1 |ω| ≤ W
X(ω) =
0 |ω| > W

Applying the inverse Fourier transform

Z ∞ Z W
−1 1 jωt 1
x(t) = F {X(jω)} = X(jω)e dω = 1 · ejωt dω
2π −∞ 2π −W
W
1 ejωt

=
2π jt −W
1  jW t
− e−jW t

= e
j2πt
1
= [2j sin(W t)]
j2πt
sin(W t)
=
πt  
W Wt
= sinc
π π

(ii) Interchanging the role of variables t and ω in the following Fourier transform
pair:
 
t  ωτ 
rect ⇔ τ sinc
τ 2π
we obtain
 
tτ  ω
X(t) = τ sinc and x(−ω) = rect − .
2π τ
Using the duality property, we obtain
   
tτ −ω
τ sinc ⇔ 2πrect
2π τ
Substituting τ = 2W
   
2W t −ω
2W sinc ⇔ 2πrect
2π 2W

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University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

dividing by 2π
   
2W Wt −ω
sinc ⇔ rect
2π π 2W

simplifying, taking into account the fact that rectangular pulse is an even func-
tion, i.e. rect(-a) = rect(a)
 
W Wt  ω 
sinc ⇔ rect
π π 2W

This is the same result Question 4(i).

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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

Question 5:
(i) Generally speaking, the output response of a system Y (ω) is given by the prod-
uct of the Fourier transform of the impulse response of the system, H(ω) =
F {h(t)} and the Fourier transform of the input X(ω) = F {x(t)}, that is

Y (ω) = H(ω)X(ω)

Thus, the frequency response, H(ω), is

Y (ω)
H(ω) =
X(ω)

The RL circuit dynamic equations are given by the ordinary differential equa-
tion:
di(t)
x(t) = Ri(t) + L
dt
the output response is the voltage across the inductor given by

di(t)
y(t) = L
dt
Taking the Fourier transform of the input and output equations (making use of
the differentiation and linearity properties), one obtains:
   
di(t) di(t)
F {x(t)} = F Ri(t) + L and F {y(t)} = F L
dt dt

Thus

X(ω) = RI(ω) + (jω)LI(ω) and Y (ω) = (jω)LI(ω)

The factorizing the input equation and solving for I(ω) in the output equation
we find
Y (ω)
X(ω) = [R + (jω)L] I(ω) and I(ω) =
(jω)L

Thus we obtain H(ω) by substituting I(ω) into X(ω). Solving for H(ω) we
obtain
Y (ω) (jω)L
H(ω) = =
X(ω) R + (jω)L

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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

(ii) The output response of an LTI system is given by the convolution of the impulse
response, h(t) and the input x(t), that is
Z ∞
y(t) = x(t) ∗ h(t) = x(τ )h(t − τ ) dτ
−∞

Convolution in the time domain is equivalent to multiplication in the frequency

domain (Fourier transform convolution property). Thus, the output frequency
response function is

Y (ω) = F {x(t) ∗ h(t)} = H(ω)X(ω)

where
Z ∞ Z ∞  
−jωt 1 − 1 t
H(ω) = F {h(t)} = h(t)e dt = e RC u(t) e−jωt dt
−∞ RC
Z−∞ ∞
1 h − 1 t i  −jωt 
= e RC e dt
0 RC
Z ∞
1 −( RC 1
+jω )t
= e dt
0 RC
" #∞
1
1
= 1
RC
e ( RC )
− +jω t
− RC + jω
0
   ∞
1 RC 1+jωRC
−( RC )t
= − e
RC 1 + jωRC 0
1 h 1+jωRC i∞
=− e−( RC )t
1 + jωRC 0
1
e−∞ − e0
 
=−
1 + jωRC
1
=− [0 − 1]
1 + jωRC
1
=
1 + jωRC
and from the Fourier transform pair tables
Z ∞ Z ∞
−jωt
X(ω) = F {x(t)} = x(t)e dt = u(t)e−jωt dt
−∞ −∞
1
= πδ(ω) +
jω

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University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

Hence
  
1 1
Y (ω) = H(ω)X(ω) = πδ(ω) +
1 + jωRC jω
πδ(ω) 1
= +
1 + jωRC jω(1 + jωRC)

Since δ(ω) is only non-zero at ω = 0 we find the first term in Y (ω) to be

πδ(ω) 1
= πδ(ω)
1 + jωRC 1 + jωRC ω=0
1
= πδ(ω)
1
= πδ(ω)

By partial fraction expansion we find the second term in Y (ω) to be

1 A1 A2
= +
jω(1 + jωRC) 1 + jωRC jω
A1 (jω) + A2 (1 + jωRC)
=
jω(1 + jωRC)
In order for

1 = A1 (jω) + A2 (1 + jωRC)

A1 and A2 must be chosen as

A1 = −RC and A2 = 1

Therefore
1 RC
Y (ω) = πδ(ω) + −
jω 1 + jωRC

(iii) Taking the inverse Fourier transform of Y (ω) we obtain the output response in
the time domain
 
−1 −1 1 RC
y(t) = F {Y (ω)} = F πδ(ω) + −
jω 1 + jωRC
 
−1 1 1
=F πδ(ω) + − 1
jω RC
+ jω

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 School of Electrical and Information Engineering
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ELEN3026A – Signals and Systems IIA (PT)

Using the Fourier transform pairs tables,

1 1
u(t) ⇐⇒ πδ(ω) + and e−t/(RC) u(t) ⇐⇒ 1
jω RC
+ jω

therefore the output response in the time domain is

y(t) = F −1 {Y (ω)} = u(t) − e−t/(RC) u(t)

= (1 − e−t/(RC) )u(t)

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