Periodicity/ frequency concepts for

discrete-time signals
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03
/07/finding-your-roots/?hp
 x(t + T ) = x(t)"t

A (ωt+φ)
Imaginary axis

j(ωt+φ) Real axis cos(ωt+φ)

sin(ωt+φ)
 x (t ) = 5

x = 5; t

t
Is this signal periodic?

What about the fundamental frequency

 T = 0.01s

Relationship between ω and T (for CT)

Monotonic inverse relationship:
T= 2
 As ω is increased, T keeps on decreasing
w = 2Tp
x ( n + N ) = x ( n)n
has to be an integer

A (ωn+φ) j(ωn+φ)
 7 8 9 10 11
1 2 3 4 5 6 5
Ts = Sampling time

To reconstruct the original signal, we need to sample at

twice the highest frequency component of the signal
(Nyquist-Shannon sampling criterion)
 Imaginary axis

sin(ωt)

Real axis cos(ωt)

e j t = cos( t ) + j sin( t )

For Discrete-time signals:

1) ω [expressed in rad/sample] is normalized to Fs
2) For example, 2π Fs or ωs, will be normalized to 2π
 x[ n] = 5

… …
n
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

Is this signal periodic?

What about the fundamental frequency

 cos[ (n + N )] = cos(n)n
Only if ωN is an integral multiple of 2π

Relationship between ω and N (for DT)

w = 2pNm N = 2wp m
Use this formula only if N is an integer for some integer value of m

DT sinusoid is not periodic if

2πm/ω is not an integer for any integer value of m
 cos[ (n + N )] = cos(n)n
Periodic only if ωN is an integral multiple of 2π
or ω/2π is a rational number m/N
w = 2pNm
Is cos(2πn/12) periodic?
ω=π/6 ω/2π = 1/12 is a rational number

N = 2 wp m N = 2πm/ω = 2πm/(π/6) = 12m

This signal is periodic with time period N = 12

 cos[ (n + N )] = cos(n)n
Periodic only if ωN is an integral multiple of 2π
or ω/2π is a rational number m/N
w = 2pNm
Is cos(8πn/31) periodic?
ω=8π/31 ω/2π = 4/31 is a rational number

N = 2 wp m N = 2πm/ω = 2πm/(8π/31) = 31m/4

Choosing m = 4, this signal is

periodic with time period N = 31
 cos[ (n + N )] = cos(n)n
Periodic only if ωN is an integral multiple of 2π
or ω/2π is a rational number m/N
w = 2pNm
Is cos(n/6) periodic?
ω=1/6 ω/2π = 1/(12π) is an irrational number

N = 2 wp m N = 2πm/ω = 2πm/(1/6) = 12πm

This signal is aperiodic

 A cos(n +  )

A cos[( + 2k )n +  ]
k belongs to set of
positive/negative integers
Recall that for DT, ω is typically normalized by Fs and expressed in rad/sample
 Considering f = 1/4 Hz or ω=π/2, A= 1, φ=0,
A cos[( + 2k )n +  ] = cos[( / 2 + 2k )n]

Explore what happens when ω increases/decreases by 2 π

Do we get unique sequences or do we get aliases?

k =0; plotting cos[( / 2) n]

Continuous-time version
k =+1; plotting cos[(5 / 2) n]

Continuous-time version
k =-1; plotting cos[( −3 / 2) n]

Continuous-time version
k =+2; plotting cos[(9 / 2) n]

Continuous-time version
 Infinite number of waveforms whose angular
frequency ω is separated by 2πk (k = any integer)
are identical ( ) in discrete-time

To resolve inherent ambiguity in reconstructing

sampled signal, we always assume the value of
ω in the range of – π to + π
 Imaginary axis

High frequencies Low frequencies

jwn
e
Real axis

Lowest normalized
Highest normalized frequency is 0
frequency is +/- π
+ 2πk where k is any integer
+ 2πk where k is any integer
cos[n ] e jn

… …
n
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

= (−1) n
cos[2n] e j 2n
=1

… …
n
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
1) For CT signals, when ω increases, T decreases;
not necessarily the case for DT signals

2) CT sinusoids/ complex exponentials are

periodic for all ω; DT sinusoids/ exponentials
only when ω is a rational multiple of 2π
[ End of lecture ]