Signal Flow Graph

1. In the signal flow graph shown in figure 2 = 1 where T, is equal to

0.5

5
X1

X2

(a) 2.5
(b) 5

(c) 5.5
(d) 10
[GATE 1987: 2 Marks]

Soln. 2 = 1
2 5
5
= =
= 10
1 1 0.5
Option (d)

2. For the system shown in figure the transfer function

()

()
+

R(s)

10
S(S+1)

C(s)

(a)
(b)

10
2 ++10
10
2 +11+10

(c)
(d)

10
2 +9+10
10
2 +2+10

[GATE 1987: 2 Marks]

Soln. The forward path transmittance =

The two closed loop are 1 =

10
(+1)

10
(+1)

2 =

10
( + 1)

()
10/( + 1)
=
() 1 { 10 10}
(+1) +1

10
( + 1) [1 +

10
(+1)

10
(+1)

10 ( + 1)
( + 1)[( + 1) + 10 + 10]

10
10
=
+ + 10 + 10 2 + 11 + 10

Option (b)

3. The C/R for the signal flow graph in figure is

G1

-1
(a) (1+

G2
-1

G3
-1

G4

-1

1 2 3 4

1 2 )(1+3 4 )

1 2 3 4

(b) (1+

1 +2 +1 2 )(1+3 +4 +3 4 )

(c) (1+

1 2 3 4

1 +2 )(1+3 +4 )

2 3 4

(d) (1+ 1

1 +2 +3 +4 )

[GATE 1989: 2 Marks]

Soln. The forward path transmittance = G1 G2 G3 G4

Individual loops are, -G1, -G2, -G3, -G4.
Product of non touching loops, G1G3, G1G4, G2G3, G2G4
= 1 [1 2 3 4 ] + [1 3 + 1 4 + 2 3 + 2 4 ]

1 2 3 4
=
(1 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 ) + (1 3 + 1 4 + 2 3 + 2 4 )

1 2 3 4
(1 + 1 + 2 )(1 + 3 + 4 )

Option (c)

4. In the signal flow graph of figure the gain c/r will be

-1

-1

-1

(a) 11/9
(b) 22/15
Soln. The forward path 1 = 1 2 3 4 = 24
The forward path 2 = 5

(c) 24/23
(d) 44/23
[GATE 1991: 2 Marks]

1 = 1
1 = 2, 2 = 3, 3 = 4
Non touching loops 1 3
The loop 2 = 3 does not touch the path P2
So,

2 = (1 2 )
=1+3
=4
1 1 + 2 2
=

24 1 + 5 4
1 (2 3 4 5) + (2) (4)

24 + 20
(1 + 14) + 8

=
Option (d)

44
23

5. In the signal flow graph of figure y/x equals

-2
(a) 3
(b) 5/2

(c) 2
(d) None of the above
[GATE 1997: 2 Marks]

Soln. Transfer function

=

= 5 2 1 = 10
= 1
= 1
= 1 (4) = 5
10
=

5
=2
Option (c)

6. The equivalent of the block diagram in the figure is given as

G1

G2

H
E

G1

H/G2

(a)

G1 G2

(b)
F

HG2

G1

HG2

(c)

G1 G2

(d)
F

H/G2

Soln.

G1

G2

G1

H/G2

(a)

G1 G2

(b)
F

HG2

G1

HG2

(c)

G1 G2

(d)
F

H/G2
Option (d)

7. The signal flow graph of a system is shown in the figure. The transfer
function

()
()

of the system is

1
S

R(s)

1
S

6
-2

-3

-4

1
C(s)
(a)
(b)

(c)

2 +29+6
6

(d)

2 +29+6

(+2)
2 +29+6
(+27)
2 +29+6

[GATE 2003: 2 Marks]

Soln. The transfer function
1 =

()
()

of the systems?

3
6
2
, 2 = 4 , 3 =

P1 = 1
Loops L1 and L3 are not touching the forward path
1 = 1 1 3
3 24
=1+ +

=

+ 27

()
1 1
= () =
()
1 ( ) +

+27

3 24 2

1(

)+

+27

1+

29

6
2

( + 27)
2 + 29 + 6

Option (d)

8. Consider the signal flow graph shown in the figure. The gain X5 / X1 is

x1

x2

x3

e
(a)
(b)
(c)

(d)

x4

x5

1(++)

1(++)

1(++)+
1(++)+

[GATE 2004: 2 Marks]

Soln. The forward path transmittance P1 = abcd
All the loops touch the forward path 1 = 1
1 = ,
Non touching loops are 1 , 3

2 = , 3 =

1 3 =
5

=
1 1 ( + + ) +
Option (c)

9. The transfer function Y(s) / R(s) of the system shown is

R(s)

P(s)

1
S+1

1
S+1

Y(s)

- Q(s)

Q(s)

(a) 0
(b)
(c)
(d)

1
+1
2
+1
2
+3

[GATE 2010: 1 Mark]

Soln. () = () [

1
+1

=0
() = () 0
= ()

() =

+1

()
+1

()
+1

()
1
=
() + 1
Option (b)

Common Data for Question 10 and Question 11

The input-output transfer function of a plant () =

100
(+10)2

.The plant is

placed in unity negative feedback configuration as shown in the figure

below.

plant

10. The signal flow graph that DOES NOT model the plant transfer function
H(s) is

(a) u

1/s

-10

1/s

1/s

-10

100

-100

(b) u

1/s

1/s

1/s

100

1/s

100

100

-20

-100

(c) u

1/s

1/s

-20
-100

(d) u

1/s

1/s

1/s

Soln. The transfer function of a plant () =

1 =

For the figure (a)

100
3

100
(+10)2

, 1 = 1

( )

100/ 3
=
1 (10 10) + 10 10

100

1+

2
20

100

100
( + 10)2

For figure (b) 1 =

100
3

, 1 = 1

100

100

100
3
3
=
=
=
100
20
1 (100 20)
( + 10)2
1+ 2 +
2

For Figure (c)

100
1 = 3 , 1 = 1

100

100
3
=
=
1 (100 20) ( + 10)2
2

For Figure (d),

100

100

100 2
100
3
3
=
=
=
=
100
1 (100)
3 ( 2 + 100) ( 2 + 100)
1+ 2
2

Which is not a transfer function of H(S)

Option (d)
11. The gain margin of the system under closed loop unity negative feedback is
()() =

100
(+10)2

(a) 0 dB
(b) 20 dB

(c) 26 dB
(d) 46 dB
[GATE 2011: 2 Marks]

Soln. The gain margin of the system under closed loop unity negative feedback is
()() =

100
(+10)2

= 900 21 ( )
10
Flow phase cross aver frequency = 1800


180 = 900 21 ( )
10
= 10 /

()() =

100
( + 10)2

|()()| =
=

100
( 2 + 100)

100
1
=
10(100 + 100) 20

(. ) =

1
= 20
|()()|

20
. = 2010
= 26

Option (c)

12. The signal flow graph for a system is given below. The transfer function
()

()
1

U(s)

-1
S

-1
S

-4

-2

Y(s)

(a)
(b)

+1

(c)

5 2 +6+2
+1

(d)

2 +6+2

+1
2 +4+2
1
5 2 +6+2

[GATE 2013: 2 Marks]

Soln. The forward path transmittance 1 = 1 1 =
The forward path transmittance 2 = 1 =

1
2

1 = 1, 2 = 1
= 1 (2 2 2 1 4 1 4)

=1+

=1+

2 2 4
+ + +4
2

2 2 4
+ + +4
2

= (5 2 + 6 + 2)/ 2
1

+
() 1 1 + 2 2
( + 1)
2

=
=
=
(5 2 + 6 + 2)/ 2 5 2 + 6 + 2
()

Option (a)

13.For the following system,

++-

S
S+1

+-

When 1 () = 0, the transfer function

(a)
(b)

()
2 ()

+1

1
S

is
(c)

2
1

(d)

+1

+2
(+1)
+1
(+2)

[GATE: 2014: 1 Mark]

Soln. With 1 () = 0, the block diagram is redrawn as

1
S

+-

S
S+1

() =

()
()
=
2 () 1 + ()()

1/
() = , () =
=

+1 1+1

+1

( + 1)
1( + 1)
=
( + 1 + 1) ( + 2)

Option (d)

14.Consider the following block diagram in the figure

++

the transfer function

(a)

1 2

()
()

++

is
(c) 1 2 + 2 + 1

1+1 2

(d)

(b) 1 2 + 1 + 1

1
1+1 2

[GATE 2014: 1 Mark]

Soln. Converting the block diagram into signal flow graph as:

1
1

The forward paths

1 = 1 2
2 = 2
3 = 1.1 = 1
()
= 1 2 + 2 + 1
()
Option (c)