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z-transform of k²aᵏ

Short answer

Apply Z[k x(k)] = -z d/dz X(z) twice, starting from Z[a^k]=z/(z-a). Result: Z[k^2 a^k] = a z (z+a)/(z-a)^3, |z|>|a|.

Find the z-transform of k² aᵏ for k ≥ 0.

Method. Use the property Z[k·x(k)] = −z d/dz X(z), applied twice, starting from Z[aᵏ] = z/(z − a).

Step 1. X₀(z) = Z[aᵏ] = z/(z − a)

Step 2. Z[k aᵏ] = −z d/dz [z/(z − a)]

d/dz [z/(z − a)] = −a/(z − a)²

so Z[k aᵏ] = az/(z − a)²

Step 3. Z[k² aᵏ] = −z d/dz [az/(z − a)²]

d/dz [ a z (z − a)⁻² ] = a (z − a)⁻² − 2a z (z − a)⁻³
                       = a [ (z − a) − 2z ] / (z − a)³
                       = −a (z + a) / (z − a)³

Z[k² aᵏ] = −z · ( −a (z + a)/(z − a)³ )

Answer: Z[k² aᵏ] = a z (z + a) / (z − a)³, |z| > |a|.

Check: a = 1 gives z(z + 1)/(z − 1)³ = Z[k²] ✓. (Numerical check a = 0.5, z = 3: 0.336 both ways.)

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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