Skip to main content

Convolve {1, 2, 3, 4} and {1, 2, −3}

Short answer

y[n] = {1, 4, 4, 4, -1, -12} for n=0..5. Tabular method with both origins at index 0. Sum check: ∑y=0.

Find the convolution sum of x[n] = {1, 2, 3, 4} and h[n] = {1, 2, −3}. Choose your own origin.

Choose the origin at the first sample of each sequence: x[n]={1,2,3,4}x[n]=\{1,2,3,4\}, n=0..3n=0..3 and h[n]={1,2,−3}h[n]=\{1,2,-3\}, n=0..2n=0..2.

y[n]=∑kx[k]h[n−k]y[n]=\sum_k x[k]h[n-k] has 4+3−1=64+3-1=6 samples, n=0..5n=0..5.

n=0n=012345
1⋅h1\cdot h12−3
2⋅h2\cdot h24−6
3⋅h3\cdot h36−9
4⋅h4\cdot h48−12
y[n]y[n]1444−1−12
y[2]=x[0]h[2]+x[1]h[1]+x[2]h[0]=−3+4+3=4y[4]=x[2]h[2]+x[3]h[1]=−9+8=−1\begin{aligned} y[2]&=x[0]h[2]+x[1]h[1]+x[2]h[0]=-3+4+3=4\\ y[4]&=x[2]h[2]+x[3]h[1]=-9+8=-1 \end{aligned}

Sum check: ∑y=0=(∑x)(∑h)=10×0\sum y=0=(\sum x)(\sum h)=10\times0.

Answer: y[n]={1, 4, 4, 4, −1, −12}y[n]=\{1,\ 4,\ 4,\ 4,\ -1,\ -12\} for n=0,…,5n=0,\dots,5 (↑ at the first 1). With another origin the values are the same, only shifted.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

All Signals and Systems chapter 6 questions →