Signals and Systems 520.214
Prerequisite Knowledge

The mathematical prerequisites for 520.214 are a thorough understanding of the arithmetic of complex numbers and a good grasp of elementary calculus. The "Self Test" on the Signals home page provides a way to test your readiness to use these topics. The questions reflect the kinds of calculations that routinely appear in Signals. They might be regarded as tricky, but they are very simple to work out by hand if you have a good grasp of the concepts. Since calculators are not permitted in Signals and Systems exams, you will  be required to do arithmetic only on integers, simple fractions, and simple radicals. In addition, you need to be able to rapidly compute sine, cosine, and tangent of angles that are integer multiples of 45 degrees. Also, you need to be able to compute the inverse tangent corresponding to such angles.

The techniques of calculus used in Signals and Systems mainly involve simple integrals and derivatives, changes of integration variables, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Again, the calculus questions on the self test provide a preview of standard calculations in the course.

You should be able to do well in the self-test. If not, carefully consider whether you are ready for this course, and if you do register for the course, be prepared to spend extra time improving in your facility with the requisite math.

The electrical engineering prerequisite is 520.213, Circuits. We will make use of electrical circuits as examples, and the last few weeks of the course is devoted to new material on circuits. We will use Kirchoff's laws and notions such as voltage and current dividers and source transformations. In addition, the use of complex arithmetic in Circuits is valuable math background.