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Signals Basic Operations
There are two variable parameters in general:
- Amplitude
- Time
The following operation can be performed with amplitude:
Amplitude Scaling
C x(t) is a amplitude scaled version of x(t) whose amplitude is scaled by a factor C.

Addition
Addition of two signals is nothing but addition of their corresponding amplitudes. This can be best explained by using the following example:

As seen from the diagram above,
-10 < t < -3 amplitude of z(t) = x1(t) + x2(t) = 0 + 2 = 2
-3 < t < 3 amplitude of z(t) = x1(t) + x2(t) = 1 + 2 = 3
3 < t < 10 amplitude of z(t) = x1(t) + x2(t) = 0 + 2 = 2
Subtraction
subtraction of two signals is nothing but subtraction of their corresponding amplitudes. This can be best explained by the following example:

As seen from the diagram above,
-10 < t < -3 amplitude of z (t) = x1(t) - x2(t) = 0 - 2 = -2
-3 < t < 3 amplitude of z (t) = x1(t) - x2(t) = 1 - 2 = -1
3 < t < 10 amplitude of z (t) = x1(t) + x2(t) = 0 - 2 = -2
Multiplication
Multiplication of two signals is nothing but multiplication of their corresponding amplitudes. This can be best explained by the following example:

As seen from the diagram above,
-10 < t < -3 amplitude of z (t) = x1(t) ×x2(t) = 0 ×2 = 0
-3 < t < 3 amplitude of z (t) = x1(t) ×x2(t) = 1 ×2 = 2
3 < t < 10 amplitude of z (t) = x1(t) × x2(t) = 0 × 2 = 0
Time Shifting
x(t $\pm$ t0) is time shifted version of the signal x(t).
x (t + t0) $\to$ negative shift
x (t - t0) $\to$ positive shift

Time Scaling
x(At) is time scaled version of the signal x(t). where A is always positive.
|A| > 1 $\to$ Compression of the signal
|A| < 1 $\to$ Expansion of the signal

Note: u(at) = u(t) time scaling is not applicable for unit step function.
Time Reversal
x(-t) is the time reversal of the signal x(t).
