How to Generate Discrete-Time Signals (Impulse, Step, Ramp) in MATLAB?

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support · Jul 23, 2026 · 0 views
Question
How do I plot elementary discrete-time signals like unit impulse delta[n], unit step u[n], and unit ramp r[n] using MATLAB stem()?
Expert Answer
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John Williams PhD Expert
Answered Aug 8, 2026

Discrete-time signals are plotted using the stem() command in MATLAB. Below is a complete script generating unit impulse, step, and ramp signals:

n = -5:10; % Time index

% 1. Unit Impulse delta[n]
impulse = (n == 0);

% 2. Unit Step u[n]
step = (n >= 0);

% 3. Unit Ramp r[n]
ramp = n .* (n >= 0);

subplot(3,1,1); stem(n, impulse, 'filled'); title('Unit Impulse \delta[n]');
subplot(3,1,2); stem(n, step, 'filled'); title('Unit Step u[n]');
subplot(3,1,3); stem(n, ramp, 'filled'); title('Unit Ramp r[n]');
xlabel('n');
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