520 C H A P T E R 9: The Z-Transform
n {R 2 :|z|<0.5}—the inside of a circle of radius 0.5, an anti-causal signalx 2 [n] can be associated
withX(z).
n {R 3 : 0.5<|z|< 2 }—a torus of radii 0.5 and 2, a noncausal signalx 3 [n] can be associated with
X(z).
Three different signals can be connected withX(z)by considering three different regions of
convergence. n
nExample 9.5
Find the regions of convergence of the Z-transforms of the following signals:
(a)x 1 [n]=
(
1
2
)n
u[n]
(b)x 2 [n]=−
(
1
2
)n
u[−n−1]
Determine then the Z-transform ofx 1 [n]+x 2 [n].
Solution
The signalx 1 [n] is causal, whilex 2 [n] is anti-causal. The Z-transform ofx 1 [n] is
X 1 (z)=
∑∞
n= 0
(
1
2
)n
z−n=
1
1 −0.5z−^1
=
z
z−0.5
provided that|0.5z−^1 |<1 or that its region of convergence isR 1 :|z|>0.5. The regionR 1 is the
outside of a circle of radius 0.5.
The signalx 2 [n] grows asndecreases from−1 to−∞, and the rest of its values are zero. Its Z-
transform is found as
X 2 (z)=−
∑−^1
n=−∞
(
1
2
)n
z−n=−
∑∞
m= 0
(
1
2
)−m
zm+ 1
=−
∑∞
m= 0
2 mzm+ 1 =
− 1
1 − 2 z
+ 1 =
z
z−0.5
with a region of convergence ofR 2 :|z|<0.5.
Although the signals are clearly different, their Z-transforms are identical. It is the corresponding
regions of convergence that differentiate them. The Z-transform ofx 1 [n]+x 2 [n] does not exist
given that the intersection ofR 1 andR 2 is empty. n