Stable and Unstable Systems – definition | Solved Examples

In this topic, you study the Stable and Unstable Systems theory, definition & solved examples.


Let $x(t)$ and $y(t)$ be the input and output signals, respectively, of a system shown in Figure 1. Then the transformation of $x(t)$ into $y(t)$ is represented by the mathematical notation

$y(t) = {\mathbf{T}}x(t)$

where $\mathbf{T}$ is the operator which defined rule by which $x(t)$ is transformed into $y(t)$.

signal and system

Figure 1: System with a single input and output signal.

A system is bounded-input/bounded-output (BIBO) stable if for any bounded input $x(t)$ results in the bounded output $y(t)$.

Mathematically,

if

$|x(t)| \leqslant {m_x} < \infty $

then

$|y(t)| \leqslant {m_y} < \infty $

So system is said to be stable. And where $m_x$ , and $m_y$, are finite real constants. Bounded means amplitude is finite and some examples of bounded inputs as sine function, cosine function, dc signal, etc.

Example : Determine whether or not each of the following systems are stable with input $x(t)$ and output $y(t)$.

(i) \[y(t) = tx(t)\]

(ii) \[y(t) = \frac{{dx(t)}}{{dt}}\]

(iii) \[y(t) = u[x(t)]\]

(iv) \[y(t) = \cos [x(t)]\]

Solution : (i)  \[y(t) = tx(t)\]

Let

\[x(t) = 2\]

Here 2 is the dc signal which is bounded input so,

\[y(t) = 2.t\]

The output $y(t)$ is unbounded and the bounded input produces unbounded output hence system is unstable.

(ii)  \[y(t) = \frac{{dx(t)}}{{dt}}\]

Let

\[x(t) = 2\]

Here 2 is the dc signal which is bounded input so,

\[y(t) = \frac{{d2}}{{dt}} = 0\]

The output $y(t)$ is bounded. Let

\[x(t) = u(t)\]

Here unit step function is bounded input so,

\[y(t) = \frac{{du(t)}}{{dt}} = \delta (t)\]

The unit impulse function $\delta (t)$ is unbounded output and the bounded input produces unbounded output hence the system is unstable.

(iii) \[y(t) = u[x(t)]\]

Let

\[x(t) = 2\]

Here 2 is the dc signal which is bounded input so,

\[y(t) = u[2] = 1\]

The output $y(t)$ is bounded and the bounded input produces bounded output hence system is stable.

(iv)\[y(t) = \cos [x(t)]\]

Let

\[x(t) = 2\]

Here 2 is the dc signal which is bounded input so,

\[y(t) = \cos (2)\]

The output $y(t)$ is bounded and the bounded input produces bounded output hence system is stable.

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