In mathematics, a function on the real numbers is called a step function if it can be written as a finite linear combination of indicator functions of intervals. Informally speaking, a step function is a piecewise constant function having only finitely many pieces. A function is called a step function if it can be written as for all real numbers where , are real numbers, are intervals, and is the indicator function of : In this definition, the intervals can be assumed to have the following two properties: The intervals are pairwise disjoint: for The union of the intervals is the entire real line: Indeed, if that is not the case to start with, a different set of intervals can be picked for which these assumptions hold. For example, the step function can be written as Sometimes, the intervals are required to be right-open or allowed to be singleton. The condition that the collection of intervals must be finite is often dropped, especially in school mathematics, though it must still be locally finite, resulting in the definition of piecewise constant functions. A constant function is a trivial example of a step function. Then there is only one interval, The sign function sgn(x), which is −1 for negative numbers and +1 for positive numbers, and is the simplest non-constant step function. The Heaviside function H(x), which is 0 for negative numbers and 1 for positive numbers, is equivalent to the sign function, up to a shift and scale of range (). It is the mathematical concept behind some test signals, such as those used to determine the step response of a dynamical system. The rectangular function, the normalized boxcar function, is used to model a unit pulse. The integer part function is not a step function according to the definition of this article, since it has an infinite number of intervals. However, some authors also define step functions with an infinite number of intervals. The sum and product of two step functions is again a step function. The product of a step function with a number is also a step function.

About this result
This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.
Related courses (11)
EE-205: Signals and systems (for EL)
Ce cours pose les bases d'un concept essentiel en ingénierie : la notion de système. Plus spécifiquement, le cours présente la théorie des systèmes linéaires invariants dans le temps (SLIT), qui sont
DH-406: Machine learning for DH
This course aims to introduce the basic principles of machine learning in the context of the digital humanities. We will cover both supervised and unsupervised learning techniques, and study and imple
PHYS-441: Statistical physics of biomacromolecules
Introduction to the application of the notions and methods of theoretical physics to problems in biology.
Show more
Related lectures (46)
Fourier Series: Dirichlet Theorem and Convergence
Explores Fourier series, Dirichlet theorem, and convergence properties in periodic functions.
Laplace Transforms in Chemistry and Engineering
Covers Laplace transforms in chemistry and engineering, exploring their applications and properties.
Polymer Behavior: Force-Extension Curve
Delves into the entropic behavior of polymers through force-extension curves.
Show more
Related publications (41)

Towards Trustworthy Deep Learning for Image Reconstruction

Alexis Marie Frederic Goujon

The remarkable ability of deep learning (DL) models to approximate high-dimensional functions from samples has sparked a revolution across numerous scientific and industrial domains that cannot be overemphasized. In sensitive applications, the good perform ...
EPFL2024

Stable parameterization of continuous and piecewise-linear functions

Michaël Unser, Alexis Marie Frederic Goujon, Joaquim Gonçalves Garcia Barreto Campos

Rectified-linear-unit (ReLU) neural networks, which play a prominent role in deep learning, generate continuous and piecewise-linear (CPWL) functions. While they provide a powerful parametric representation, the mapping between the parameter and function s ...
2023

PROBING INTRACELLULAR ELASTICITY WITH MINIMAL-HESSIAN REGISTRATION

Michaël Unser

We propose an image-based elastography method to measure the heterogeneous stiffness inside a cell and its nucleus. It uses a widely accessible setup consisting of plate compression imaged with fluorescence microscopy. Our framework recovers a spatial map ...
New York2023
Show more
Related concepts (8)
Sign function
In mathematics, the sign function or signum function (from signum, Latin for "sign") is a function that returns the sign of a real number. In mathematical notation the sign function is often represented as . The signum function of a real number is a piecewise function which is defined as follows: Any real number can be expressed as the product of its absolute value and its sign function: It follows that whenever is not equal to 0 we have Similarly, for any real number , We can also ascertain that: The signum function is the derivative of the absolute value function, up to (but not including) the indeterminacy at zero.
Heaviside step function
The Heaviside step function, or the unit step function, usually denoted by H or θ (but sometimes u, 1 or ), is a step function named after Oliver Heaviside, the value of which is zero for negative arguments and one for positive arguments. It is an example of the general class of step functions, all of which can be represented as linear combinations of translations of this one. The function was originally developed in operational calculus for the solution of differential equations, where it represents a signal that switches on at a specified time and stays switched on indefinitely.
Lebesgue integration
In mathematics, the integral of a non-negative function of a single variable can be regarded, in the simplest case, as the area between the graph of that function and the X-axis. The Lebesgue integral, named after French mathematician Henri Lebesgue, extends the integral to a larger class of functions. It also extends the domains on which these functions can be defined.
Show more

Graph Chatbot

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.