Description

Book Synopsis
Getting mixed signals in your signalsand systems course?

The concepts covered in a typical signalsand systems course are often considered by engineering students to be some of the most difficult to master. Thankfully, Signals & Systems For Dummies is your intuitive guide to this tricky course, walking you step-by-step through some of the more complex theories and mathematical formulas in a way that is easy to understand.

From Laplace Transforms to Fourier Analyses, Signals & Systems For Dummies explains in plain English the difficult concepts that can trip you up. Perfect as a study aid or to complement your classroom texts, this friendly,hands-on guide makes it easy tofigure outthe fundamentals of signal and system analysis.

  • Serves as a useful tool for electrical and computer engineering students looking to grasp signal and system analysis
  • Provideshelpful explanations of complex concepts and techniques related to signals and system

    Table of Contents

    Introduction 1

    About This Book 1

    Conventions Used in This Book 1

    What You’re Not to Read 2

    Foolish Assumptions 2

    How This Book Is Organized 2

    Part I: Getting Started with Signals and Systems 3

    Part II: Exploring the Time Domain 3

    Part III: Picking Up the Frequency Domain 3

    Part IV: Entering the s- and z-Domains 3

    Part V: The Part of Tens 4

    Icons Used in This Book 4

    Where to Go from Here 4

    Part I: Getting Started with Signals and Systems 7

    Chapter 1: Introducing Signals and Systems 9

    Applying Mathematics 10

    Getting Mixed Signals and Systems 11

    Going on and on and on 11

    Working in spurts: Discrete-time signals and systems 13

    Classifying Signals 14

    Periodic 14

    Aperiodic 15

    Random 15

    Signals and Systems in Other Domains 16

    Viewing signals in the frequency domain 16

    Traveling to the s- or z-domain and back 18

    Testing Product Concepts with Behavioral Level Modeling 18

    Staying abstract to generate ideas 19

    Working from the top down 19

    Relying on mathematics 20

    Exploring Familiar Signals and Systems 20

    MP3 music player 21

    Smartphone 22

    Automobile cruise control 22

    Using Computer Tools for Modeling and Simulation 23

    Getting the software 24

    Exploring the interfaces 25

    Seeing the Big Picture 26

    Chapter 2: Brushing Up on Math 29

    Revealing Unknowns with Algebra 29

    Solving for two variables 30

    Checking solutions with computer tools 30

    Exploring partial fraction expansion 31

    Making Nice Signal Models with Trig Functions 35

    Manipulating Numbers: Essential Complex Arithmetic 36

    Believing in imaginary numbers 37

    Operating with the basics 39

    Applying Euler’s identities 41

    Applying the phasor addition formula 42

    Catching Up with Calculus 44

    Differentiation 44

    Integration 45

    System performance 47

    Geometric series 48

    Finding Polynomial Roots 50

    Chapter 3: Continuous-Time Signals and Systems 51

    Considering Signal Types 52

    Exponential and sinusoidal signals 52

    Singularity and other special signal types 55

    Getting Hip to Signal Classifications 60

    Deterministic and random 60

    Periodic and aperiodic 62

    Considering power and energy 63

    Even and odd signals 68

    Transforming Simple Signals 69

    Time shifting 69

    Flipping the time axis 70

    Putting it together: Shift and flip 70

    Superimposing signals 71

    Checking Out System Properties 72

    Linear and nonlinear 73

    Time-invariant and time varying 73

    Causal and non-causal 74

    Memory and memoryless 74

    Bounded-input bounded-output 75

    Choosing Linear and Time-Invariant Systems 75

    Chapter 4: Discrete-Time Signals and Systems 77

    Exploring Signal Types 77

    Exponential and sinusoidal signals 78

    Special signals 80

    Surveying Signal Classifications in the Discrete-Time World 83

    Deterministic and random signals 84

    Periodic and aperiodic 85

    Recognizing energy and power signals 88

    Computer Processing: Capturing Real Signals in Discrete-Time 89

    Capturing and reading a wav file 90

    Finding the signal energy 91

    Classifying Systems in Discrete-Time 92

    Checking linearity 92

    Investigating time invariance 93

    Looking into causality 93

    Figuring out memory 94

    Testing for BIBO stability 95

    Part II: Exploring the Time Domain 97

    Chapter 5: Continuous-Time LTI Systems and the Convolution Integral 99

    Establishing a General Input/Output Relationship 100

    LTI systems and the impulse response 100

    Developing the convolution integral 101

    Looking at useful convolution integral properties 103

    Working with the Convolution Integral 105

    Seeing the general solution first 105

    Solving problems with finite extent signals 107

    Dealing with semi-infinite limits 111

    Stepping Out and More 116

    Step response from impulse response 116

    BIBO stability implications 117

    Causality and the impulse response 117

    Chapter 6: Discrete-Time LTI Systems and the Convolution Sum 119

    Specializing the Input/Output Relationship 120

    Using LTI systems and the impulse response (sequence) 120

    Getting to the convolution sum 121

    Simplifying with Convolution Sum Properties and Techniques 124

    Applying commutative, associative, and distributive properties 124

    Convolving with the impulse function 126

    Transforming a sequence 126

    Solving convolution of finite duration sequences 128

    Working with the Convolution Sum 133

    Using spreadsheets and a tabular approach 133

    Attacking the sum directly with geometric series 136

    Connecting the step response and impulse response 144

    Checking the BIBO stability 145

    Checking for system causality 146

    Chapter 7: LTI System Differential and Difference Equations in the Time Domain 149

    Getting Differential 150

    Introducing the general Nth-order system 150

    Considering sinusoidal outputs in steady state 151

    Finding the frequency response in general Nth-order LCC differential equations 153

    Checking out the Difference Equations 156

    Modeling a system using a general Nth-order LCC difference equation 156

    Using recursion to find the impulse response of a first-order system 158

    Considering sinusoidal outputs in steady state 159

    Solving for the general Nth-order LCC difference equation frequency response 161

    Part III: Picking Up the Frequency Domain 163

    Chapter 8: Line Spectra and Fourier Series of Periodic Continuous-Time Signals 165

    Sinusoids in the Frequency Domain 166

    Viewing signals from the amplitude, phase, and frequency parameters 167

    Forming magnitude and phase line spectra plots 168

    Working with symmetry properties for real signals 171

    Exploring spectral occupancy and shared resources 171

    Establishing a sum of sinusoids: Periodic and aperiodic 172

    General Periodic Signals: The Fourier Series Representation 175

    Analysis: Finding the coefficients 176

    Synthesis: Returning to a general periodic signal, almost 178

    Checking out waveform examples 179

    Working problems with coefficient formulas and properties 186

    Chapter 9: The Fourier Transform for Continuous-Time Signals and Systems 191

    Tapping into the Frequency Domain for Aperiodic Energy Signals 192

    Working with the Fourier series 192

    Using the Fourier transform and its inverse 194

    Getting amplitude and phase spectra 197

    Seeing the symmetry properties for real signals 197

    Finding energy spectral density with Parseval’s theorem 201

    Applying Fourier transform theorems 203

    Checking out transform pairs 208

    Getting Around the Rules with Fourier Transforms in the Limit 210

    Handling singularity functions 210

    Unifying the spectral view with periodic signals 211

    LTI Systems in the Frequency Domain 213

    Checking out the frequency response 214

    Evaluating properties of the frequency response 214

    Getting connected with cascade and parallel systems 216

    Ideal filters 216

    Realizable filters 218

    Chapter 10: Sampling Theory 219

    Seeing the Need for Sampling Theory 220

    Periodic Sampling of a Signal: The ADC 221

    Analyzing the Impact of Quantization Errors in the ADC 226

    Analyzing Signals in the Frequency Domain 228

    Impulse train to impulse train Fourier transform theorem 229

    Finding the spectrum of a sampled bandlimited signal 230

    Aliasing and the folded spectrum 233

    Applying the Low-Pass Sampling Theorem 233

    Reconstructing a Bandlimited Signal from Its Samples: The DAC 234

    Interpolating with an ideal low-pass filter 236

    Using a realizable low-pass filter for interpolation 239

    Chapter 11: The Discrete-Time Fourier Transform for Discrete-Time Signals 241

    Getting to Know DTFT 242

    Checking out DTFT properties 243

    Relating the continuous-time spectrum to the discrete-time spectrum 244

    Getting even (or odd) symmetry properties for real signals 245

    Studying transform theorems and pairs 249

    Working with Special Signals 252

    Getting mean-square convergence 252

    Finding Fourier transforms in the limit 255

    LTI Systems in the Frequency Domain 258

    Taking Advantage of the Convolution Theorem 260

    Chapter 12: The Discrete Fourier Transform and Fast Fourier Transform Algorithms 263

    Establishing the Discrete Fourier Transform 264

    The DFT/IDFT Pair 265

    DFT Theorems and Properties 270

    Carrying on from the DTFT 271

    Circular sequence shift 272

    Circular convolution 274

    Computing the DFT with the Fast Fourier Transform 277

    Decimation-in-time FFT algorithm 277

    Computing the inverse FFT 280

    Application Example: Transform Domain Filtering 280

    Making circular convolution perform linear convolution 281

    Using overlap and add to continuously filter sequences 281

    Part IV: Entering the s- and z-Domains 283

    Chapter 13: The Laplace Transform for Continuous-Time 285

    Seeing Double: The Two-Sided Laplace Transform 286

    Finding direction with the ROC 286

    Locating poles and zeros 288

    Checking stability for LTI systems with the ROC 289

    Checking stability of causal systems through pole positions 290

    Digging into the One-Sided Laplace Transform 290

    Checking Out LT Properties 292

    Transform theorems 292

    Transform pairs 296

    Getting Back to the Time Domain 298

    Dealing with distinct poles 299

    Working double time with twin poles 299

    Completing inversion 299

    Using tables to complete the inverse Laplace transform 300

    Working with the System Function 302

    Managing nonzero initial conditions 303

    Checking the frequency response with pole-zero location 304

    Chapter 14: The z-Transform for Discrete-Time Signals 307

    The Two-Sided z-Transform 308

    The Region of Convergence 309

    The significance of the ROC 309

    Plotting poles and zeros 311

    The ROC and stability for LTI systems 311

    Finite length sequences 313

    Returning to the Time Domain 315

    Working with distinct poles 316

    Managing twin poles 316

    Performing inversion 317

    Using the table-lookup approach 317

    Surveying z-Transform Properties 320

    Transform theorems 321

    Transform pairs 322

    Leveraging the System Function 323

    Applying the convolution theorem 324

    Finding the frequency response with pole-zero geometry 325

    Chapter 15: Putting It All Together: Analysis and Modeling Across Domains 327

    Relating Domains 328

    Using PyLab for LCC Differential and Difference Equations 329

    Continuous time 330

    Discrete time 332

    Mashing Domains in Real-World Cases 334

    Problem 1: Analog filter design with a twist 334

    Problem 2: Solving the DAC ZOH droop problem in the z-domain 340

    Part V: The Part of Tens 343

    Chapter 16: More Than Ten Common Mistakes to Avoid When Solving Problems 345

    Miscalculating the Folding Frequency 345

    Getting Confused about Causality 346

    Plotting Errors in Sinusoid Amplitude Spectra 346

    Missing Your Arctan Angle 347

    Being Unfamiliar with Calculator Functions 347

    Foregoing the Return to LCCDE 348

    Ignoring the Convolution Output Interval 348

    Forgetting to Reduce the Numerator Order before Partial Fractions 348

    Forgetting about Poles and Zeros from H(z) 349

    Missing Time Delay Theorems 349

    Disregarding the Action of the Unit Step in Convolution 349

    Chapter 17: Ten Properties You Never Want to Forget 351

    LTI System Stability 351

    Convolving Rectangles 351

    The Convolution Theorem 352

    Frequency Response Magnitude 352

    Convolution with Impulse Functions 352

    Spectrum at DC 353

    Frequency Samples of N-point DFT 353

    Integrator and Accumulator Unstable 353

    The Spectrum of a Rectangular Pulse 354

    Odd Half-Wave Symmetry and Fourier Series Harmonics 354

    Index 355

Signals and Systems For Dummies

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    Includes FREE delivery

    RRP £18.99 – you save £1.90 (10%)

    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Wed 1 Jul 2026.

    A Paperback / softback by Mark Wickert

      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of Signals and Systems For Dummies by Mark Wickert

      Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc
      Publication Date: 21/06/2013
      ISBN13: 9781118475812, 978-1118475812
      ISBN10: 111847581X

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      Getting mixed signals in your signalsand systems course?

      The concepts covered in a typical signalsand systems course are often considered by engineering students to be some of the most difficult to master. Thankfully, Signals & Systems For Dummies is your intuitive guide to this tricky course, walking you step-by-step through some of the more complex theories and mathematical formulas in a way that is easy to understand.

      From Laplace Transforms to Fourier Analyses, Signals & Systems For Dummies explains in plain English the difficult concepts that can trip you up. Perfect as a study aid or to complement your classroom texts, this friendly,hands-on guide makes it easy tofigure outthe fundamentals of signal and system analysis.

      • Serves as a useful tool for electrical and computer engineering students looking to grasp signal and system analysis
      • Provideshelpful explanations of complex concepts and techniques related to signals and system

        Table of Contents

        Introduction 1

        About This Book 1

        Conventions Used in This Book 1

        What You’re Not to Read 2

        Foolish Assumptions 2

        How This Book Is Organized 2

        Part I: Getting Started with Signals and Systems 3

        Part II: Exploring the Time Domain 3

        Part III: Picking Up the Frequency Domain 3

        Part IV: Entering the s- and z-Domains 3

        Part V: The Part of Tens 4

        Icons Used in This Book 4

        Where to Go from Here 4

        Part I: Getting Started with Signals and Systems 7

        Chapter 1: Introducing Signals and Systems 9

        Applying Mathematics 10

        Getting Mixed Signals and Systems 11

        Going on and on and on 11

        Working in spurts: Discrete-time signals and systems 13

        Classifying Signals 14

        Periodic 14

        Aperiodic 15

        Random 15

        Signals and Systems in Other Domains 16

        Viewing signals in the frequency domain 16

        Traveling to the s- or z-domain and back 18

        Testing Product Concepts with Behavioral Level Modeling 18

        Staying abstract to generate ideas 19

        Working from the top down 19

        Relying on mathematics 20

        Exploring Familiar Signals and Systems 20

        MP3 music player 21

        Smartphone 22

        Automobile cruise control 22

        Using Computer Tools for Modeling and Simulation 23

        Getting the software 24

        Exploring the interfaces 25

        Seeing the Big Picture 26

        Chapter 2: Brushing Up on Math 29

        Revealing Unknowns with Algebra 29

        Solving for two variables 30

        Checking solutions with computer tools 30

        Exploring partial fraction expansion 31

        Making Nice Signal Models with Trig Functions 35

        Manipulating Numbers: Essential Complex Arithmetic 36

        Believing in imaginary numbers 37

        Operating with the basics 39

        Applying Euler’s identities 41

        Applying the phasor addition formula 42

        Catching Up with Calculus 44

        Differentiation 44

        Integration 45

        System performance 47

        Geometric series 48

        Finding Polynomial Roots 50

        Chapter 3: Continuous-Time Signals and Systems 51

        Considering Signal Types 52

        Exponential and sinusoidal signals 52

        Singularity and other special signal types 55

        Getting Hip to Signal Classifications 60

        Deterministic and random 60

        Periodic and aperiodic 62

        Considering power and energy 63

        Even and odd signals 68

        Transforming Simple Signals 69

        Time shifting 69

        Flipping the time axis 70

        Putting it together: Shift and flip 70

        Superimposing signals 71

        Checking Out System Properties 72

        Linear and nonlinear 73

        Time-invariant and time varying 73

        Causal and non-causal 74

        Memory and memoryless 74

        Bounded-input bounded-output 75

        Choosing Linear and Time-Invariant Systems 75

        Chapter 4: Discrete-Time Signals and Systems 77

        Exploring Signal Types 77

        Exponential and sinusoidal signals 78

        Special signals 80

        Surveying Signal Classifications in the Discrete-Time World 83

        Deterministic and random signals 84

        Periodic and aperiodic 85

        Recognizing energy and power signals 88

        Computer Processing: Capturing Real Signals in Discrete-Time 89

        Capturing and reading a wav file 90

        Finding the signal energy 91

        Classifying Systems in Discrete-Time 92

        Checking linearity 92

        Investigating time invariance 93

        Looking into causality 93

        Figuring out memory 94

        Testing for BIBO stability 95

        Part II: Exploring the Time Domain 97

        Chapter 5: Continuous-Time LTI Systems and the Convolution Integral 99

        Establishing a General Input/Output Relationship 100

        LTI systems and the impulse response 100

        Developing the convolution integral 101

        Looking at useful convolution integral properties 103

        Working with the Convolution Integral 105

        Seeing the general solution first 105

        Solving problems with finite extent signals 107

        Dealing with semi-infinite limits 111

        Stepping Out and More 116

        Step response from impulse response 116

        BIBO stability implications 117

        Causality and the impulse response 117

        Chapter 6: Discrete-Time LTI Systems and the Convolution Sum 119

        Specializing the Input/Output Relationship 120

        Using LTI systems and the impulse response (sequence) 120

        Getting to the convolution sum 121

        Simplifying with Convolution Sum Properties and Techniques 124

        Applying commutative, associative, and distributive properties 124

        Convolving with the impulse function 126

        Transforming a sequence 126

        Solving convolution of finite duration sequences 128

        Working with the Convolution Sum 133

        Using spreadsheets and a tabular approach 133

        Attacking the sum directly with geometric series 136

        Connecting the step response and impulse response 144

        Checking the BIBO stability 145

        Checking for system causality 146

        Chapter 7: LTI System Differential and Difference Equations in the Time Domain 149

        Getting Differential 150

        Introducing the general Nth-order system 150

        Considering sinusoidal outputs in steady state 151

        Finding the frequency response in general Nth-order LCC differential equations 153

        Checking out the Difference Equations 156

        Modeling a system using a general Nth-order LCC difference equation 156

        Using recursion to find the impulse response of a first-order system 158

        Considering sinusoidal outputs in steady state 159

        Solving for the general Nth-order LCC difference equation frequency response 161

        Part III: Picking Up the Frequency Domain 163

        Chapter 8: Line Spectra and Fourier Series of Periodic Continuous-Time Signals 165

        Sinusoids in the Frequency Domain 166

        Viewing signals from the amplitude, phase, and frequency parameters 167

        Forming magnitude and phase line spectra plots 168

        Working with symmetry properties for real signals 171

        Exploring spectral occupancy and shared resources 171

        Establishing a sum of sinusoids: Periodic and aperiodic 172

        General Periodic Signals: The Fourier Series Representation 175

        Analysis: Finding the coefficients 176

        Synthesis: Returning to a general periodic signal, almost 178

        Checking out waveform examples 179

        Working problems with coefficient formulas and properties 186

        Chapter 9: The Fourier Transform for Continuous-Time Signals and Systems 191

        Tapping into the Frequency Domain for Aperiodic Energy Signals 192

        Working with the Fourier series 192

        Using the Fourier transform and its inverse 194

        Getting amplitude and phase spectra 197

        Seeing the symmetry properties for real signals 197

        Finding energy spectral density with Parseval’s theorem 201

        Applying Fourier transform theorems 203

        Checking out transform pairs 208

        Getting Around the Rules with Fourier Transforms in the Limit 210

        Handling singularity functions 210

        Unifying the spectral view with periodic signals 211

        LTI Systems in the Frequency Domain 213

        Checking out the frequency response 214

        Evaluating properties of the frequency response 214

        Getting connected with cascade and parallel systems 216

        Ideal filters 216

        Realizable filters 218

        Chapter 10: Sampling Theory 219

        Seeing the Need for Sampling Theory 220

        Periodic Sampling of a Signal: The ADC 221

        Analyzing the Impact of Quantization Errors in the ADC 226

        Analyzing Signals in the Frequency Domain 228

        Impulse train to impulse train Fourier transform theorem 229

        Finding the spectrum of a sampled bandlimited signal 230

        Aliasing and the folded spectrum 233

        Applying the Low-Pass Sampling Theorem 233

        Reconstructing a Bandlimited Signal from Its Samples: The DAC 234

        Interpolating with an ideal low-pass filter 236

        Using a realizable low-pass filter for interpolation 239

        Chapter 11: The Discrete-Time Fourier Transform for Discrete-Time Signals 241

        Getting to Know DTFT 242

        Checking out DTFT properties 243

        Relating the continuous-time spectrum to the discrete-time spectrum 244

        Getting even (or odd) symmetry properties for real signals 245

        Studying transform theorems and pairs 249

        Working with Special Signals 252

        Getting mean-square convergence 252

        Finding Fourier transforms in the limit 255

        LTI Systems in the Frequency Domain 258

        Taking Advantage of the Convolution Theorem 260

        Chapter 12: The Discrete Fourier Transform and Fast Fourier Transform Algorithms 263

        Establishing the Discrete Fourier Transform 264

        The DFT/IDFT Pair 265

        DFT Theorems and Properties 270

        Carrying on from the DTFT 271

        Circular sequence shift 272

        Circular convolution 274

        Computing the DFT with the Fast Fourier Transform 277

        Decimation-in-time FFT algorithm 277

        Computing the inverse FFT 280

        Application Example: Transform Domain Filtering 280

        Making circular convolution perform linear convolution 281

        Using overlap and add to continuously filter sequences 281

        Part IV: Entering the s- and z-Domains 283

        Chapter 13: The Laplace Transform for Continuous-Time 285

        Seeing Double: The Two-Sided Laplace Transform 286

        Finding direction with the ROC 286

        Locating poles and zeros 288

        Checking stability for LTI systems with the ROC 289

        Checking stability of causal systems through pole positions 290

        Digging into the One-Sided Laplace Transform 290

        Checking Out LT Properties 292

        Transform theorems 292

        Transform pairs 296

        Getting Back to the Time Domain 298

        Dealing with distinct poles 299

        Working double time with twin poles 299

        Completing inversion 299

        Using tables to complete the inverse Laplace transform 300

        Working with the System Function 302

        Managing nonzero initial conditions 303

        Checking the frequency response with pole-zero location 304

        Chapter 14: The z-Transform for Discrete-Time Signals 307

        The Two-Sided z-Transform 308

        The Region of Convergence 309

        The significance of the ROC 309

        Plotting poles and zeros 311

        The ROC and stability for LTI systems 311

        Finite length sequences 313

        Returning to the Time Domain 315

        Working with distinct poles 316

        Managing twin poles 316

        Performing inversion 317

        Using the table-lookup approach 317

        Surveying z-Transform Properties 320

        Transform theorems 321

        Transform pairs 322

        Leveraging the System Function 323

        Applying the convolution theorem 324

        Finding the frequency response with pole-zero geometry 325

        Chapter 15: Putting It All Together: Analysis and Modeling Across Domains 327

        Relating Domains 328

        Using PyLab for LCC Differential and Difference Equations 329

        Continuous time 330

        Discrete time 332

        Mashing Domains in Real-World Cases 334

        Problem 1: Analog filter design with a twist 334

        Problem 2: Solving the DAC ZOH droop problem in the z-domain 340

        Part V: The Part of Tens 343

        Chapter 16: More Than Ten Common Mistakes to Avoid When Solving Problems 345

        Miscalculating the Folding Frequency 345

        Getting Confused about Causality 346

        Plotting Errors in Sinusoid Amplitude Spectra 346

        Missing Your Arctan Angle 347

        Being Unfamiliar with Calculator Functions 347

        Foregoing the Return to LCCDE 348

        Ignoring the Convolution Output Interval 348

        Forgetting to Reduce the Numerator Order before Partial Fractions 348

        Forgetting about Poles and Zeros from H(z) 349

        Missing Time Delay Theorems 349

        Disregarding the Action of the Unit Step in Convolution 349

        Chapter 17: Ten Properties You Never Want to Forget 351

        LTI System Stability 351

        Convolving Rectangles 351

        The Convolution Theorem 352

        Frequency Response Magnitude 352

        Convolution with Impulse Functions 352

        Spectrum at DC 353

        Frequency Samples of N-point DFT 353

        Integrator and Accumulator Unstable 353

        The Spectrum of a Rectangular Pulse 354

        Odd Half-Wave Symmetry and Fourier Series Harmonics 354

        Index 355

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