The knowledge of the INPUT signal is required to PREDICT the response of the system. In most of the systems input signals are not known AHEAD of the time and it is also difficult to express the input signals mathematically by simple equations. In such cases determining the performance of the system is not possible.Test signals helps in predicting the performance of the system as the input signals which we give are known hence we can see the output response of the system for a given input and can UNDERSTAND the behavior of the control system. The commonly used test signals are IMPULSE, ramp, step signals and sinusoidal signals.

The knowledge of the input signal is required to predict the response of the system. In most of the systems input signals are not known ahead of the time and it is also difficult to express the input signals mathematically by simple equations. In such cases determining the performance of the system is not possible.Test signals helps in predicting the performance of the system as the input signals which we give are known hence we can see the output response of the system for a given input and can understand the behavior of the control system. The commonly used test signals are impulse, ramp, step signals and sinusoidal signals.