Xu, C., & Mousavinezhad, S. (2016, June), Computer and Information Technology Tools in Signals & Systems  Paper presented at 2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana. 10.18260/p.26552

\bibitem{asee_peer_26552}
  Xu, C., \& Mousavinezhad, S. (2016, June), \emph{Computer and Information Technology Tools in Signals \& Systems}
  Paper presented at 2016 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana.
  10.18260/p.26552

Cheryl Xu and Seyed Mousavinezhad.  "Computer and Information Technology Tools in Signals & Systems".  2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2016, June.  ASEE Conferences, 2016.  https://peer.asee.org/26552 Internet.  24 Jan, 2025

\bibitem{asee_peer_26552}
  Cheryl Xu and Seyed Mousavinezhad.
  "Computer and Information Technology Tools in Signals \& Systems".
  \emph{2016 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2016, June}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2016.
  https://peer.asee.org/26552 Internet.  24 Jan, 2025

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_26552
author = "Cheryl Xu and Seyed Mousavinezhad"
title = "Computer and Information Technology Tools in Signals \& Systems"
booktitle = "2016 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition"
year = "2016"
month = "June"
address = "New Orleans, Louisiana"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/26552}
number = {10.18260/p.26552}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -          Computer and Information Technology Tools in Signals & Systems

ABSTRACT.  Signals and Systems course is a junior-level course offered in engineering programs including Electrical/Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering. There are several excellent textbooks available for the subject matter but students still have difficulty in grasping many seemingly abstract concepts like various transform methods (Fourier, Laplace and z), modeling of signals & systems in time/frequency domains, discrete power spectrum, energy spectral density, bandwidth, filter input/output relations, Parseval’s theorem, convolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and transfer (system) function. Software packages like MATLAB, MATHCAD and WFILTER are useful computer IT tools so problems, examples can be presented in the class and simulations discussed after analytical results are obtained for the given problem.
In our school we have offered a Signals & Systems course with pre-requisites of circuits I & II as well as differential equations (which is a co-requisite.) Since Matlab/Mathcad programs are available in our computer laboratory, these are used throughout the course. The textbook (third edition) by Kamen & Heck are used for the course and students can access the accompanying website at Georgia Tech. It should be noted that some class examples use Mathcad but the textbook uses Matlab. In our school we also have an elective course in analog and digital filters using the software tool called WFilter accompanying the textbook. As engineering educators teaching undergraduate courses we are all aware that these tools should be used at the right time, right place. Usually a problem is worked out using the analytical approach as much as possible, then software tools are used for presenting calculations, plots and extension of the problem using simulations. Since many advanced courses such as Control Systems, Analog and Digital Communication Systems, and Digital Signal Processing use the Signals & Systems course as pre-requisite and background information, it is very critical that students have a good understanding of the basic concepts before doing the simulations and “number crunching” on the computer and their graphics calculators. 
Authors have broad backgrounds in Mechanical Engineering as well as Electrical/Computer Engineering and use practical examples in the class to discuss the difficult concepts. Many techniques learned in the Signals & Systems course are applicable to all engineering systems such as: Electrical, Mechanical, and Chemical. The course starts by presenting many different kinds of signals including analog, digital (discrete-time), energy, power, periodic, deterministic and random. The linear, time invariant systems are presented next. Signals are analyzed in the frequency domain by using transform tools of Fourier Analysis (integral and series), discrete-time Fourier series, discrete-time Fourier transform, discrete Fourier transform (also FFT), Laplace transform and z-transform. By using the system (transfer) function the response of a given system is computed in both time & frequency domains.

AU  - Cheryl Xu
AU  - Seyed Mousavinezhad
CY  - New Orleans, Louisiana
DA  - 2016/06/26
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Computer and Information Technology Tools in Signals & Systems
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/26552
DO  - 10.18260/p.26552
ER  -