Signals - Integration of Heavyside Step & Dirac Delta Functions

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the integration of the Heaviside step function and Dirac delta functions within the context of signal processing. Participants are examining the integral of the product of these functions over the entire real line.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are attempting to evaluate the integral by separating it into two parts corresponding to the delta functions. There is discussion about the implications of the Heaviside function on the evaluation of the integrals, with some questioning how it affects the use of the delta function properties.

Discussion Status

The conversation is ongoing, with participants providing insights and questioning each other's reasoning. Some guidance has been offered regarding the evaluation of the integrals, but there is no clear consensus on the interpretations of the results or the implications of the Heaviside function.

Contextual Notes

There are mentions of potential misunderstandings regarding the limits of integration and the behavior of the delta function outside the specified range. Participants are also reflecting on the definitions and properties of the functions involved.

SpaceDomain
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Homework Statement



[tex] \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{u(t)e^{-t}(\delta(t+1)+\delta(t-1))dt[/tex]

Homework Equations



[tex] \int_{-\infty}^{t}{u(t)dt = \left\{\begin{array}{cc}0,&\mbox{ if }<br /> t< 0\\t, & \mbox{ if } t>0\end{array}\right.[/tex][tex] \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{f(t)\delta(t-a)dt} = f(a)[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution



[tex] \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{u(t)e^{-t}(\delta(t+1)+\delta(t-1))dt[/tex]

[tex] = \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{u(t)e^{-t}{\delta(t+1)dt}<br /> + \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{u(t)e^{-t}{\delta(t-1)dt}[/tex]

I obviously could use the second relevant equation if the u(t) term was not in these integrals.

I am stuck. Could someone point me in the right direction?
 
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[tex] = \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{u(t)e^{-t}{\delta(t+1)dt}<br /> + \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{u(t)e^{-t}{\delta(t-1)dt}[/tex]

[tex] = \int_{0}^{\infty}{e^{-t}{\delta(t+1)dt}<br /> + \int_{0}^{\infty}{e^{-t}{\delta(t-1)dt}[/tex]

Is that correct?
 
SpaceDomain said:

Homework Statement



[tex] \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{u(t)e^{-t}(\delta(t+1)+\delta(t-1))dt[/tex]


Homework Equations



[tex] \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{u(t)dt = \left\{\begin{array}{cc}0,&\mbox{ if }<br /> t< 0\\t, & \mbox{ if } t>0\end{array}\right.[/tex]
The upper limit of the integral should be t, not ∞.
[tex] \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{f(t)\delta(t-a)dt} = f(a)[/tex]


The Attempt at a Solution



[tex] \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{u(t)e^{-t}(\delta(t+1)+\delta(t-1))dt[/tex]

[tex] = \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{u(t)e^{-t}{\delta(t+1)dt}<br /> + \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{u(t)e^{-t}{\delta(t-1)dt}[/tex]

I obviously could use the second relevant equation if the u(t) term was not in these integrals.

I am stuck. Could someone point me in the right direction?
Why does the presence of u(t) stop you? What's the definition of the Heaviside step function?
 
SpaceDomain said:
[tex] = \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{u(t)e^{-t}{\delta(t+1)dt}<br /> + \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{u(t)e^{-t}{\delta(t-1)dt}[/tex]

[tex] = \int_{0}^{\infty}{e^{-t}{\delta(t+1)dt}<br /> + \int_{0}^{\infty}{e^{-t}{\delta(t-1)dt}[/tex]

Is that correct?
Yes.
 
[tex] <br /> = \int_{0}^{\infty}{e^{-t}{\delta(t+1)dt}<br /> + \int_{0}^{\infty}{e^{-t}{\delta(t-1)dt}<br /> [/tex]

[tex] <br /> = [e^{-t}]_{t=-1}<br /> + [e^{-t}]_{t=1}<br /> [/tex]
[tex][e^{-t}]_{t=-1} = 0[/tex] because [tex]t=-1[/tex] is out of the limits of integration.
[tex][e^{-t}]_{t=-1} <br /> + [e^{-t}]_{t=1} <br /> = \frac{1}{e}[/tex]


Does that look right?
 
SpaceDomain said:
[tex] <br /> = \int_{0}^{\infty}{e^{-t}{\delta(t+1)dt}<br /> + \int_{0}^{\infty}{e^{-t}{\delta(t-1)dt}<br /> [/tex]

[tex] <br /> = [e^{-t}]_{t=-1}<br /> + [e^{-t}]_{t=1}<br /> [/tex]



[tex][e^{-t}]_{t=-1} = 0[/tex] because [tex]t=-1[/tex] is out of the limits of integration.



[tex][e^{-t}]_{t=-1} <br /> + [e^{-t}]_{t=1} <br /> = \frac{1}{e}[/tex]


Does that look right?
Yes and no. You figured out the answer correctly, but what you wrote isn't correct. For one thing, the first integral isn't equal to [itex][e^{-t}]_{t=-1}[/itex] since [itex][e^{-t}]_{t=-1}=e[/itex]. Second, [itex][e^{-t}]_{t=-1}[/itex] is always equal to e; it's never equal to 0. What you should have written is simply that the first integral is equal to 0 because the delta function is zero over the interval of integration.
 

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