1

CLASS 3

(Sections 1.4)

Unit impulse and unit step functions

∙ Used as building blocks to construct and represent other signals.

Discrete-time unit impulse and unit step functions:

⎧ ⎧

 

⎨ 0, 𝑛 = 0 ⎨ 0, 𝑛 < 0
𝛿[𝑛] = , and 𝑢[𝑛] = .

 

⎩ 1, 𝑛 ∕= 0 ⎩ 1, 𝑛 ≥ 0

1 u[n] 1
δ[n]

0 0
−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3 4 5 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3 4 5
n n

∙ 𝛿[𝑛] = 𝑢[𝑛] − 𝑢[𝑛 − 1].

∑𝑛 ∑∞
∙ 𝑢[𝑛] = 𝑚=−∞ 𝛿[𝑚] = 𝑘=0 𝛿[𝑛 − 𝑘].

∙ To pick the 𝑛0 −th sample of a signal 𝑥[𝑛], multiply 𝑥[𝑡] by 𝛿[𝑛 − 𝑛0 ] because

𝑥[𝑛]𝛿[𝑛 − 𝑛0 ] = 𝑥[𝑛0 ]𝛿[𝑛 − 𝑛0 ].

1 1
x[n]δ[n−2]
x[n]

0 0

−1 −1

−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3 4 5 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3 4 5
n n
 2

Continuous-time unit impulse and unit step functions:

⎧


⎨ 0, 𝑡 < 0 𝑢(𝑡) − 𝑢(𝑡 − Δ)
𝑢(𝑡) = , and 𝛿(𝑡) = lim 𝛿Δ (𝑡) where 𝛿Δ (𝑡) = .

 Δ↓0 Δ
⎩ 1, 𝑡 > 0

1/∆

δ∆(t)
u(t)

area=1

0 0
0 0∆
t t

We use the following graphical notations for 𝛿(𝑡) and 𝑘𝛿(𝑡):

k area=k
kδ(t)
δ(t)

1 area=1

0 0
0 0
t t

𝑑
∙ 𝛿(𝑡) = 𝑑𝑡
𝑢(𝑡).
∫𝑡 ∫∞
∙ 𝑢(𝑡) = −∞
𝛿(𝜏 )𝑑𝜏 = 0
𝛿(𝑡 − 𝜏 )𝑑𝜏 .

∙ To pick the value of a signal 𝑥(𝑡) at 𝑡 = 𝑡0 , multiply 𝑥(𝑡) by 𝛿(𝑡 − 𝑡0 ) because

∫ ∞
𝑥(𝑡)𝛿(𝑡 − 𝑡0 ) = 𝑥(𝑡0 )𝛿(𝑡 − 𝑡0 ) ⇒ 𝑥(𝑡)𝛿(𝑡 − 𝑡0 )𝑑𝑡 = 𝑥(𝑡0 ).
−∞
 3

Example:

Consider a unit mass with initial velocity 𝑣(0).

If we apply the force 𝑓 (𝑡) = 𝑘𝛿Δ (𝑡), 𝑣(𝑡) will be

∫ 𝑡
𝑣(𝑡) = 𝑣(0) + 𝑘 𝛿Δ (𝜏 )𝑑𝜏, for 𝑡 ≥ 0.
0

v(0)+k
v(t)

v(0)

0 ∆
t

As Δ ↓ 0, the velocity transfer from 𝑣(0) to 𝑣(0) + 𝑘 will be faster.

If we apply the idealized force 𝑓 (𝑡) = 𝑘𝛿(𝑡), 𝑣(𝑡) will be

∫ 𝑡
𝑣(𝑡) = 𝑣(0) + 𝑘 𝛿(𝜏 )𝑑𝜏 = 𝑣(0) + 𝑘𝑢(𝑡), for 𝑡 ≥ 0.
0

In other words, the velocity will jump from 𝑣(0) to 𝑣(0) + 𝑘 instantaneously.

v(0)+k
v(t)

v(0)

0
t