(Example for non linear system)
(Example for a linear system)
 
Line 33: Line 33:
 
Now,
 
Now,
  
(1).<math>{a*y_1(t)+b*y_2(t)}={a*tsin(t)+b*tcos(t)}</math>
+
(1).<math>{ay_1(t)+by_2(t)}={atsin(t)+btcos(t)}</math>
  
 
And,
 
And,
(2).<math>{H[{a*x_1(t)+b*x_2(t)}]}={t{asin(t)+bcos(t)}}={a*tsin(t)+b*tcos(t)}</math>
+
(2).<math>{H[{ax_1(t)+bx_2(t)}]}={t{asin(t)+bcos(t)}}={atsin(t)+btcos(t)}</math>
 
   
 
   
 
Thus since (1) and (2) are the same the system is linear.
 
Thus since (1) and (2) are the same the system is linear.

Latest revision as of 10:56, 12 September 2008

Linearity

What is a linear system? A linear system is a mathematical model of a system based on the use of a linear operator. A system is called "linear" if for any constants a,b$ {\in} $complex number and for any inputs x1(t) and x2(t) yielding output y1(t),y2(t) respectively the response to a.x1(t)+b.x2(t) is a.y1(t)+b.y2(t). A more mathematical description would be, given two valid inputs

$ {x_1(t)} $

$ {x_2(t)} $

and their respective outputs

$ ({y_1(t)}=h*{x_1(t)} $

$ {y_2(t)}=h*{x_2(t)} $ then a linear system must satisfy

$ {a*y_1(t)}+{b*y_2(t)}=H*[{a*x_1(t)+b*y_1(t)}] $

Example for a linear system

Consider, $ {x_1(t)=sin(t)} $


$ {x_2(t)=cos(t)} $

Let,

  $ {y_1(t)=tsin(t)} $


  $ y_2(t)=tcos(t) $

Now,

(1).$ {ay_1(t)+by_2(t)}={atsin(t)+btcos(t)} $

And, (2).$ {H[{ax_1(t)+bx_2(t)}]}={t{asin(t)+bcos(t)}}={atsin(t)+btcos(t)} $

Thus since (1) and (2) are the same the system is linear.

Example for non linear system

$ {x_1(t)=t^3} $

$ {x_2(t)=sin(t)} $

$ {y_1(t)={[x_1(t)]^2}} $

$ {y_2(t)={[x_2(t)]^2}} $

Therefore,

(1).$ {ay_1(t)+by_2(t)}={a{t}^6+b{sin}^2(t)} $


(2).$ {H[{ax_1(t)+bx_2(t)}]}={[{a{t}^3}+{bsin(t)}]^2} $

When we observe (1) and (2) we notice that they are not equal. Thus the system is not linear.

Alumni Liaison

BSEE 2004, current Ph.D. student researching signal and image processing.

Landis Huffman