Applications of Z-Transforms to difference equations:

Z-transform is quite useful in solving difference equations. The

performance of discrete systems is expressed by suitable difference
equations. Also Z-transform plays an important role in the analysis and
representation of discrete-time systems. To determine the frequency
response of such systems, the solution of difference equations in required
for which Z-transform method proves useful.
Working procedure:
The working procedure to solve a linear difference equation with
constant coefficient by Z-transforms is as follow:
1. Take the Z-transform of both sides of the difference equations using
the formulae of Z-transforms and given conditions.
2. Transpose all terms without U(z) to the right.
3. Divide by the coefficient of U(z), getting U (z) as a function of z.
4. Express this function in terms of the Z-transforms of known
functions and take the inverse Z-transform of both sides. This gives
u
n
as a function of n, which is the desired solution.


3 33 3
rd rd rd rd
Topic Topic Topic Topic
Z ZZ Z- -- -Transforms
Applications of Z-Transforms to difference equations

Prepared by:
Dr. Sunil
NIT Hamirpur (HP)
(Last updated on 13-11-2007)
Z-Transforms: Applications of Z-transform to difference equations
Prepared by: Dr. Sunil, NIT Hamirpur (HP)
2
Theorem: To prove that { }
)
`

+
1 k
1 k 1
0
k
k n
z
u
.........
z
u
u u z u Z ,where { } u u Z
k
= .
Proof: Since { }
( ) k k n
k n
0 n
n
k n
0 n
k n
z . z u z u u Z
+
+

=
+
= =
( ) k n
k n
0 n
k
z u z
+
+

= .
Setting m = n + k, we get
{ }
(
(

= =

=
+
m
m
1 k
0 m
m
m
0 m
k m
m
k m
k
k n
z u z u z z u z u Z

)
`

1 k
1 k
2
2 1
0
k
z
u
.........
z
u
z
u
u u z .
Note: For n =1, 2, 3, we have
{ } { }
0 1 k
u u z u Z =
+

{ }
)
`

=
+
z
u
u u z u Z
1
0
2
2 k

{ }
)
`

=
+
2
2 1
0
3
3 k
z
u
z
u
u u z u Z and so on.
We can also write above as
( ) { } ( ) { } 0 u u z 1 k u Z = +
( ) { } ( )
( )
)
`

= +
z
1 u
0 u u z 2 k u Z
2

( ) { } ( )
( ) ( )
)
`

= +
2
3
z
2 u
z
1 u
0 u u z 3 k u Z and so on.

Now let us solve some difference equations using Z-transforms:

Q.No.1.: Solve the difference equation using Z-transforms, 1 u u
k 1 k
= +
+
if 0 u
0
= .
Sol.: Given difference equation 1 u u
k 1 k
= +
+
.
Taking Z-transforms on both sides, we get
{ } { } { } 1 Z u Z u Z
k 1 k
= +
+

( )
1 z
z
u u u z
0

= + , where { }
k
z Z u =
Z-Transforms: Applications of Z-transform to difference equations
Prepared by: Dr. Sunil, NIT Hamirpur (HP)
3
( )
( ) 1 z
z
1 z u

= + ( ) 0 u
0
= Q
( )( ) 1 z 1 z
z
u
+
=
(

=
1 z
z
1 z
z
2
1
u .
Taking inverse Z-transforms on both sides, we get
( ) . 1
2
1
2
1
1 z
z
Z
2
1
1 z
z
Z
2
1
u
k 1 1
k
=
)
`

)
`

=

Ans.
Q.No.2.: Solve the difference equation using Z-transforms,
0 ) n ( f 2 ) 1 n ( f 3 ) 2 n ( f = + + +
Sol.: Given difference equation 0 ) n ( f 2 ) 1 n ( f 3 ) 2 n ( f = + + + .
Taking Z-transforms on both sides, we get
{ } { } { } 0 ) n ( f Z 2 ) 1 n ( f Z 3 ) 2 n ( f Z = + + +
( )
( )
( ) { } 0 f 2 0 f f z 3
z
1 f
0 f f z
2
= +
)
`

; ( ) { } n f Z f =
( ) z f 2 z 3 z
2
= +
2 z 3 z
z
f
2
+
=
( )( ) 1 z
1
2 z
1
2 z 1 z
1
z
f

=

=
1 z
z
2 z
z
f

=
Taking inverse Z-transforms on both sides, we get
)
`

=

1 z
z
2 z
z
Z ) n ( f
1
.
( ) 1 2 n f
n
= , where n 0, 1, 2, Ans.
Q.No.3.: Solve the difference equation using Z-transforms,
n
n 1 n 2 n
2 y 9 y 6 y = + +
+ +
,
given 0 y y
1 0
= = .
Sol.: Given difference equation
n
n 1 n 2 n
2 y 9 y 6 y = + +
+ +
.
Taking Z-transforms on both sides, we get
{ } ( ) ( ) ( )
n
n 1 n 2 n
2 Z y Z 9 y Z 6 y Z = + +
+ +

{ }
2 z
z
y 9 y y z 6
z
y
y y z
0
1
0
2

= + +
)
`

Z-Transforms: Applications of Z-transform to difference equations
Prepared by: Dr. Sunil, NIT Hamirpur (HP)
4
( )
2 z
z
9 z 6 z y
2

= + +
( ) ( ) 2 z 3 z
z
y
2
+
=
( )( ) ( )
2 2
3 z
C
3 z
B
2 z
A
3 z 2 z
1
z
y
+
+
+
+

=
+
= (i)
Equation (i) gives
25
1
A = ,
25
1
B = ,
5
1
C =
( )
2
3 z
z
5
1
3 z
z
25
1
2 z
z
25
1
y
+

= .
Taking inverse Z-transforms on both sides, we get
{ }
( )
)

)
`

)
`

= =

2
1 1 1 1
n
3 z
z
Z
5
1
3 z
z
Z
25
1
2 z
z
Z
25
1
y Z y .
( ) { } ( )
1 n n n
3 n
5
1
3
25
1
2
25
1

= . Ans.
Q.No.4.: Solve the difference equation using Z-transforms, 5 n 3 u u 2 u
n 1 n 2 n
+ = +
+ +
.
Sol.: Given difference equation 5 n 3 u u 2 u
n 1 n 2 n
+ = +
+ +
.
Taking Z-transforms on both sides, we get
{ } ( ) { } { } 5 n 3 Z u Z u Z 2 u Z
n 1 n 2 n
+ = +
+ +
.
{ }
( )
1 z
z 5
1 z
z 3
u u u z 2
z
u
u u z
2
0
1
0
2

= +
)
`

( ) ( ) ( )
2
1
2
2
0
4
2
1 z
z
u
1 z
z 2 z
u
1 z
z 2 z 5
u

= .
Taking inverse Z-transforms on both sides, we get
{ }
( ) ( ) ( )
)

= =

2
1
1
2
2
1
0
4
2
1 1
n
1 z
z
Z u
1 z
z 2 z
Z u
1 z
z 2 z 5
Z u Z u (i)
Writing
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2 3
2
4
2 3
4
2
1 z
z
2
3
1 z
z z
1 z
z z 4 z
2
1
1 z
z 2 z 5

+ +
=

( ) ( )
2 2
2
1 z
z
1 z
z
1 z
z 2 z

,
and noting that ( )
( ) 1 z
z
1 Z

= , ( )
( )
2
1 z
z
n Z

= , ( )
( )
3
2
2
1 z
z z
n Z

+
=
Z-Transforms: Applications of Z-transform to difference equations
Prepared by: Dr. Sunil, NIT Hamirpur (HP)
5
and ( )
( )
4
2 3
3
1 z
z z 4 z
n Z

+ +
= .
From (i), we get
( ) ( ) n u n 1 u n
2
3
n n
2
1
u
1 0
2 3
n
+ + |

\
|
+ =
( )( ) n C C 3 n 1 n n
2
1
1 0
+ + + = , where
0 1 1 0 0
u u C , u C = = . Ans.
Q.No.5.: Solve the difference equation using Z-transforms,
n n 1 n
y 10 x 7 x + =
+
;

n n 1 n
y 4 x y + =
+
, where x
0
= 3, y
0
= 2.
Sol.: Given difference equation
n n 1 n
y 10 x 7 x + =
+
, x
0
= 3.
Taking Z-transforms on both sides, we get
{ } { } { }
n n 1 n
y Z 10 x Z 7 x Z + =
+

( ) y 10 x 7 x x z
0
+ = ( ) z 3 y 10 x z 7 = + . (i)
Again taking Z-transforms on both sides to
n n 1 n
y 4 x y + =
+
, y
0
= 2.
{ } ( ) ( )
n n 1 n
y Z 4 x Z y Z + =
+

( ) y 4 x y y z
0
+ = ( ) z 2 y 4 z x = . (ii)
By eliminating x from (i) and (ii), we get
( ) z 11 z 2 y 18 z 11 z
2 2
= +
( )( ) 2 z
z
9 z
z
2 z 9 z
z 11 z 2
y
2

=
Taking inverse Z-transforms on both sides, we get
{ }
n n 1 1 1
n
2 9
2 z
z
Z
9 z
z
Z y Z y + =
)
`

+
)
`

= =

.
From the equation (ii), we get
( )
n n 1 n
n 1 n n
2 9 4 9 y 4 y x + = =
+
+

( )
n n n n n n
2 . 2 9 . 5 2 9 4 2 . 2 9 . 9 = + +
n n
n
2 . 2 9 . 5 x = and
n n
n
2 9 y = . Ans.
Q.No.6.: Solve the difference equation using Z-transforms, 0 y y cos 2 y
x 1 x 2 x
= +
+ +
,
y
0
= 0, y
i
= 1.
Sol.: Given difference equation 0 y y cos 2 y
x 1 x 2 x
= +
+ +
.
Z-Transforms: Applications of Z-transform to difference equations
Prepared by: Dr. Sunil, NIT Hamirpur (HP)
6
Taking Z-transforms on both sides, we get
{ } 0 y y y z . cos 2
z
y
y y z
0
1
0
2
= +
)
`

; ( )
x
y z y
0 y y z cos 2
z
1
y z
2
= + |

\
|

1 z cos 2 z
z
y
2
+
=
( )( )

=

=
i i i i
e z
Bz
e z
Az
e z e z
z
y

=
i i
e z
z
sin 2
i
e z
z
sin 2
i
.
Taking inverse Z-transforms on both sides, we get
(

+
(

i
1
i
1
x
e z
z
Z
sin 2
i
e z
z
Z
sin 2
i
y ( ) ( )
(

=

x
i
x
i
e e
sin 2
i

( ) ( ) [ ]

= +

=
sin
x sin
x sin i x cos x sin i x cos
sin 2
i
. Ans.
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Home Assignments

Q.No.1.: Solve the following difference equations using Z-transforms:
(i) ( ) ( ) k 6 ) k ( u 6 1 k u 5 2 k u = + + + if u(0) = u(1) = 0
(ii) ( ) ( ) 0 ) 2 n ( y 4 1 n y n y = + , 2 n , y = 0, 2 ) 1 ( y =
(iii) 0 u , 1 u , 2 . 5 u u
1 0
x
x 2 x
= = = +
+

(iv) , 0 y 2 y 3 y
n 1 n 3 n
= +
+ +
0 y
1
= , 8 y
2
= , 8 y
3
=
(v) 0 u u cos 2 u
n 1 n 2 n
= +
+ +
, 1 y
0
= , = cos y
1

(vi) 0 y 4 y
n 2 n
=
+

(vii) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) 1 n u n u 1 n y n y + = .
Z-Transforms: Applications of Z-transform to difference equations
Prepared by: Dr. Sunil, NIT Hamirpur (HP)
7
(viii) 0 u 4 u 4 u
n 1 n 2 n
= +
+ +
given u
0
= 1, u = 0
(ix) 0 y 12 y 8 y y
n 1 n 2 n 3 n
= +
+ + +
, y
0
= 1, y
1
= y
2
= 0
(x) 1 y x
n 1 n
=
+
; 0 x y
n 1 n
=
+
; x
0
= 0, 1 y
0
= .
Ans.: (i) ( )
k k k
2
4
1
3 .
3
1
6
12
1
k u + = , (ii) ( ) ( )
n n
1
5
14
4
5
1
n y + = ,
(iii)
2
x
sin 2 2 u
x
x

= , (iv) ( )
n
n
2
3
4
3
8
y + = , (v) = n cos y
n
,
(vi) ( )
n n
n
2 B 2 A y + = , (vii) ( ) n 2 1 n y + = , (viii) ( ) ( ) n 1 2 n u
n
= ,
(ix) ( )( )
n
n
2 n 15 21
25
1
3 .
25
4
y + = ,
(x)
(

=
2
n
sin
2
n
cos 1
2
1
x
n
;
(

= 1
2
n
cos
2
n
sin
2
1
y
n
.
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