Symbolic manipulation of transfer functions and state space realizations

In this paper several applications on the use of symbolic computation to control system design are discussed. These applications are of educational value to control engineering courses. The routines developed here provide a quick way to formulate control design problems, ranging from calculating elementary transfer functions to automating the construction of state space realization. This paper also gives detailed discussion on the symbolic computational process of the programs being developed. Examples of symbolic calculation of generalized plant state space realization for use in H,/Hz optima1 control are presented.