Stability Analysis (Part – II)

1. If 𝑠3 + 3𝑠2 + 4𝑠 + 𝑠 = 0, then all the roots of this equation are in the left
half plane provided that
(a) A > 12
(b) – 3 < A < 4
(c) 0 < A < 12
(d) 5 < A < 12
[GATE 1993 : 2 Marks]
Soln. 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠 = 𝑠
Using R – H criterion
𝑠3 1 4

𝑠2 3 𝑠

12 −𝑠
𝑠 0
3

𝑠0 𝑠

For stable system, 1st column should be positive.

𝑠>𝑠
𝑠𝑠−𝑠
>𝑠
𝑠
or, 𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠 > 𝑠
𝑠𝑠 > 𝑠
𝑠 < 𝑠 < 𝑠𝑠
Option (c)

1
2. If G(s) is a stable transfer function, then 𝑠(𝑠) = is always a stable
𝑠(𝑠)
transfer function. (T/F)
[GATE 1994 : 2 Marks]
 (𝑠+𝑠𝑠)(𝑠+𝑠𝑠)
Soln. G(s) is a stable function =
(𝑠+𝑠𝑠)(𝑠+𝑠𝑠)
𝑠 (𝑠+𝑠𝑠)(𝑠+𝑠𝑠)
𝑠(𝑠) = =
𝑠(𝑠) (𝑠+𝑠𝑠)(𝑠+𝑠𝑠)

The condition for stability is that none of the poles of G(s) should be
on the right half of s-plane, but zeros become pole of F(s). Therefore
F(s) need not be stable

1
3. A system described by the transfer function 𝑠(𝑠) = is
𝑠3+𝑠𝑠2+𝑠𝑠+3
stable. The constraints on 𝑠 and k
are, (a) 𝑠 > 0, 𝑠𝑠 < 3 (c) 𝑠 < 0, 𝑠𝑠 > 3
(b) 𝑠 > 0, 𝑠𝑠 > 3 (d) 𝑠 < 0, 𝑠𝑠 < 3
[GATE 2000 : 2 Marks]
𝑠
Soln. Transfer function 𝑠(𝑠) =
𝑠𝑠+𝑠𝑠𝑠+𝑠𝑠+𝑠
Using R – H criterion

𝑠3 1 𝑠

𝑠2 𝑠 3

𝑠𝑠 − 3
𝑠 0
𝑠

𝑠0 3

For system to be stable 𝑠 > 𝑠

𝑠𝑠−𝑠
>𝑠
𝑠

𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠 > 𝑠
𝑠𝑠 > 𝑠
Option (b)
 4. The feedback control system in the figure is stable

R (s) + (𝑠 − 2)
- 𝑠≥0
(𝑠 + 2)2
C (t)

𝑠−2

(a) For all 𝑠 ≥ 0 (c) only if 0 ≤ 𝑠 < 1

(b) only is 𝑠 ≥ 0 (d) only if 0 ≤ 𝑠 ≤ 1
[GATE 2001 : 2 Marks]
Soln.
𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
𝑠. 𝑠 =
𝑠 + 𝑠 𝑠𝑠 𝑠
𝑠

= 𝑠(𝑠 − 𝑠)⁄(𝑠 + 𝑠)𝑠

𝑠 (𝑠 − 𝑠) (𝑠 − 𝑠)
𝑠+ (𝑠 + 𝑠)𝑠
𝑠(𝑠 − 𝑠)
=
(𝑠 + 𝑠)𝑠 + 𝑠(𝑠 − 𝑠)𝑠
Characteristic equation = 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠
(𝑠 + 𝑠)𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + (𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠) = 𝑠
Or, 𝑠𝑠(𝑠 + 𝑠) + 𝑠(𝑠 − 𝑠𝑠) + (𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠) = 𝑠
Using R – H criterion

𝑠2 (1 + 𝑠) 4 +4𝑠

𝑠 (4 − 4𝑠) 0

𝑠0 4 +4𝑠

For the system to stable 𝑠 − 𝑠𝑠 > 𝑠

Or, 𝑠 − 𝑠 > 𝑠
 𝑠 >𝑠
Or, 𝑠 < 𝑠
𝑠+𝑠 > 𝑠
𝑠 > −𝑠
Since it is given that 𝑠 ≥ 𝑠 hence range of k for stability is
𝑠 ≤ 𝑠 <𝑠
Option (c)

5. The system shown in the figure remains stable when

R (s)
1 K 𝑠−1 1
Y (s)

1
(a) 𝑠 < −1 (c) 1 < 𝑠 < 3
(b) −1 < 𝑠 < 1 (d) 𝑠 < −3
[GATE 2002 : 2 Marks]
Soln.
𝑠
𝑠(𝑠) 𝑠 𝑠
= 𝑠
𝑠(𝑠) 𝑠 − ( + )
𝑠 𝑠

𝑠
=
𝑠 − (𝑠 + 𝑠)

For system to stable

𝑠+𝑠<𝑠
𝑠 < −𝑠
Option (d)
 6. The characteristic polynomial of system is
𝑠(𝑠) = 2𝑠5 + 𝑠4 + 4𝑠3 + 2𝑠2 + 2𝑠 + 1 . The system is
(a) stable (c) unstable
(b) marginally stable (d) oscillatory
[GATE 2002 : Marks]
Soln. 𝑠(𝑠) = 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠
Routh table is
𝑠5 2 4 2

𝑠4 1 2 1

𝑠3 0 0

𝑠2

𝑠2

𝑠1

𝑠0

The row with all zeros indicate the possibility of roots on imaginary
axis.
The auxiliary polynomial is
𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠 = 𝑠
(𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠)𝑠 = 𝑠
𝑠 = ±𝑠, 𝑠 =±𝑠
𝑠
(𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠) = 𝑠
𝑠𝑠

𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 = 𝑠
𝑠(𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠) = 𝑠
𝑠 = 𝑠, 𝑠 = ±𝑠
The roots are 𝑠 = 𝑠, 𝑠 = ±𝑠, 𝑠 = ±𝑠
 The system is unstable, because of repeated roots on imaginary
axis
Option (c)

1
7. The system with the open loop transfer function 𝑠(𝑠)𝑠(𝑠) =
𝑠(𝑠2+𝑠+1)
has a gain margin of
(a) – 6 dB (c) 3.5 dB
(b) 0 dB (d) 6 dB
[GATE 2002 : Marks]
Soln. Open loop transfer function
𝑠
𝑠(𝑠)𝑠(𝑠) =
𝑠(𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠 + 𝑠)

−𝑠
∠ 𝑠(𝑠𝑠) 𝑠(𝑠𝑠) = −𝑠𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠𝑠𝑠
𝑠 − 𝑠𝑠
𝑠𝑠 𝑠 = 𝑠𝑠𝑠 , 𝑠 = −𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
−𝑠𝑠𝑠
𝑠𝑠, − 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 = −𝑠𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠𝑠𝑠
𝑠−𝑠𝑠
𝑠
𝑠
−𝑠
𝑠𝑠𝑠 = 𝑠𝑠𝑠
𝑠−𝑠𝑠
𝑠
𝑠
𝑠
𝑠 − 𝑠𝑠 = 𝑠
𝑠
𝑠𝑠𝑠 = 𝑠
Value of gain at 𝑠𝑠𝑠 = 𝑠

𝑠
|𝑠(𝑠)𝑠(𝑠)|= 𝑠= 𝑠
|𝑠 |√(𝑠 − 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠
𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑠) 𝑠𝑠

=1
𝑠
𝑠. 𝑠 = =𝑠
𝑠

𝑠. 𝑠𝑠𝑠 = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 =𝑠
𝑠
Option (b)
 8. The open-loop transfer function of a unity feedback system is
𝑠
𝑠(𝑠) = . The range of K for which the system is stable
𝑠(𝑠2+𝑠+2)(𝑠+3)
is
(a) 21 > 𝑠 > 0 (c) 21 < 𝑠 < ∞
4 4
(b) 13 > 𝑠 > 0 (d) −6 < 𝑠 < ∞
[GATE 2004 : 2 Marks]
Soln.
𝑠
𝑠(𝑠) =
𝑠(𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠 + 𝑠)(𝑠 + 𝑠)
𝑠(𝑠) = 𝑠

𝑠
𝑠 + 𝑠(𝑠)𝑠(𝑠) = 𝑠 +
𝑠(𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠 + 𝑠)(𝑠 + 𝑠)

𝑠
=𝑠+
𝑠(𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠)

𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠
= =𝑠
𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠
Or 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠 = 𝑠
𝑠4 1 5 𝑠

𝑠3 4 6 0

7
𝑠2 𝑠 0
2
21 −4𝑠
𝑠 0
7⁄2

𝑠0 𝑠
for the system to be stable 𝑠 > 𝑠
𝑠
(𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠𝑠) > 𝑠
𝑠
 𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑠
>𝑠→𝑠<
𝑠 𝑠

𝑠𝑠
> 𝑠 >𝑠
𝑠
Option (a)

9. For the polynomial

𝑠(𝑠) = 𝑠5 + 𝑠4 + 2𝑠3 + 2𝑠2 + 3𝑠 + 15, the number of roots which lie in the
right half of the s-plane is
(a) 4 (c) 3
(b) 2 (d) 1
[GATE 2004 : 2 Marks]
Soln. 𝑠(𝑠) = 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠
𝑠5 1 2 3

𝑠4 1 2 15

𝑠3 0 − 12 0

2 ∈ +12
𝑠2 15
∈
2 ∈ +12
−12 ( ) − 15 ∈
𝑠 ∈
2 ∈ +12
( ∈ )

𝑠0 15

∈ be a small positive number

𝑠 ∈ +𝑠𝑠
=±
∈
 𝑠𝑠
𝑠 = −𝑠𝑠 − ∈
𝑠𝑠 = 𝑠𝑠 𝑠

The number of sing changes in first column from 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑠 and from
𝑠 𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑠 are two. Two roots on right half of s – plane
Option (b)

10.The positive values of “K” and “a” so that the system shown in the figure
below oscillates at a frequency of 2 rad/sec respectively are

𝑠(𝑠 +1)
R (s) C (s)
(𝑠3 +𝑠𝑠2 +2𝑠+1)

(a) 1, 0.75 (c) 1, 1

(b) 2, 0.75 (d) 2, 2
[GATE 2006 : 2 Marks]
Soln.
𝑠(𝑠 + 𝑠)
𝑠 + 𝑠(𝑠)𝑠(𝑠) = 𝑠 + =𝑠
𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠

𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠
=𝑠
𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠
𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + (𝑠 + 𝑠)𝑠 + 𝑠 + 𝑠 = 𝑠
 𝑠3 1 (2 + 𝑠)

𝑠2 𝑠 (𝑠 + 1)

𝑠(2 + 𝑠) − (𝑠 + 1)
𝑠 0
𝑠
For oscillations,
𝑠(𝑠 + 𝑠) − (𝑠 + 𝑠)
=𝑠
𝑠

𝑠+𝑠
𝑠=
𝑠+𝑠
The auxiliary polynomial is
𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠 + 𝑠 = 𝑠
𝑠 = 𝑠𝑠, 𝑠𝑠 = −𝑠𝑠 = −𝑠 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑠 = 𝑠 𝑠𝑠𝑠/𝑠𝑠𝑠
So, −𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠 + 𝑠 = 𝑠

𝑠+𝑠 𝑠 +𝑠
𝑠= =
𝑠 𝑠 +𝑠
𝑠 = 𝑠, 𝑠 = 𝑠.𝑠𝑠
Option (b)

11.Consider a unity gain feedback control system whose open loop transfer
𝑠𝑠+1
function is 𝑠(𝑠) = . The value of “a” so that the system has a
𝑠2
phase-margin equal to 𝑠⁄4 is approximately equal to
(a) 2.40 (c) 0.84
(b) 1.40 (d) 0.74
[GATE 2006 : 2 Marks]
Soln.
𝑠𝑠 +
𝑠(𝑠) = 𝑠
𝑠𝑠
∠ 𝑠(𝑠𝑠) = 𝑠𝑠𝑠−𝑠 𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
 𝑠
Phase margin =
𝑠
𝑠
𝑠𝑠 = 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠− 𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 =
𝑠
𝑠
𝑠𝑠𝑠−𝑠𝑠 =
𝑠
𝑠
𝑠𝑠𝑠 = 𝑠𝑠
𝑠

𝑠𝑠 = 𝑠
Then gain crossover frequency 𝑠 = 𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 |𝑠(𝑠)| =𝑠
𝑠+𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
√ =𝑠 𝑠𝑠 = 𝑠
𝑠𝑠

𝑠+𝑠
√ 𝑠𝑠
= 𝑠

𝑠𝑠 = √𝑠
𝑠
𝑠 =𝑠 𝑠

𝑠
𝑠= 𝑠 = 𝑠. 𝑠𝑠
𝑠 ⁄𝑠
Option (c)

𝑠+8
12. A certain system has transfer function 𝑠(𝑠) = , where α is
𝑠2+𝑠𝑠−4
parameter. Consider the standard negative unity feedback configuration
as shown below
+ 𝑠(𝑠)
-

Which of the following statements is true?

(a) The closed loop system is never stable for any value of α
(b) For some positive value of α, the closed loop system is stable, but not
for all positive values
(c) For all positive value of α, the closed loop system is stable
 (d) The closed loop system is stable for all value of α, both positive and
negative
[GATE 2008 : 2 Marks]
Soln.
𝑠 +𝑠
𝑠(𝑠) =
𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠
𝑠(𝑠)
Closed loop gain is
𝑠+𝑠(𝑠)
𝑠(𝑠 𝑠+𝑠
)
𝑠+𝑠(𝑠)
= 𝑠𝑠+𝑠𝑠−𝑠+𝑠+𝑠
𝑠+𝑠
=
𝑠𝑠+(𝑠+𝑠)𝑠+𝑠

Characteristic equation
𝑠(𝑠) = 𝑠𝑠 + (𝑠 + 𝑠)𝑠 + 𝑠

𝑠2 1 4

𝑠 𝑠+1 0

𝑠0 4

The closed loop system is stable for 𝑠 + 𝑠 > 𝑠

𝑠 > −𝑠
For all positive value of 𝑠, the closed loop system is
stable Option (c)

13. The number of open right half plane poles of

10
𝑠(𝑠) = 5 𝑠𝑠
𝑠 + 2𝑠4 + 3𝑠3 + 6𝑠2 + 5𝑠 + 3
(a) 0 (c) 2
(b) 1 (d) 3
[GATE 2008 : 2 Marks]
Soln.
𝑠
𝑠
𝑠(𝑠) =
𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠
Using R – H criteria
𝑠5 1 3 5

𝑠4 2 6 3

7
𝑠3 0(∈ )
2

6 ∈ −7 7
𝑠2 = 3
∈ ∈

7 7
− ∈ (2) − 3 ∈
𝑠1 + 𝑠𝑠
−7/∈

𝑠0 3

In the first column, there are two sign changes occurs hence two
poles lie in the right half of s – plane
Option (c)