WEEK3 CHAPTER1: Laplace transform MAT485/565

Unit Step function ( Heaviside unit step function )

Definition

1) A unit step function is defined as

0 𝑖𝑓 𝑡 < 0
𝑈(𝑡) = {
1 𝑖𝑓 𝑡 ≥ 0

The graph of U(t):

U(t)

2) Unit step function at t = c is defined as

0 𝑖𝑓 𝑡 < 𝑐
𝑈(𝑡 − 𝑐) = {
1 𝑖𝑓 𝑡 ≥ 𝑐

The graph of U(t-c):

U(t-c)

t
c

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A piecewise continuous function can be written in terms of unit step functions.

Consider

𝑓1 (𝑡) 0≤𝑡<𝑎
f(t) = {𝑓2 (𝑡) 𝑎≤𝑡<𝑏
𝑓3 (𝑡) 𝑡≥𝑏

f(t) in unit step function,

f(t) = f1(t) [U(t – 0) – U(t – a)] + f2(t) [U(t – a) – U(t – b)]

+ f3(t) [U(t – b)]

= f1(t) U(t) + [ f2(t) - f1(t)] U(t – a) + [f3(t) - f2(t) ]U(t – b)

Example

Express the following piecewise continuous function in terms of the unit step
function

2𝑡 2 0 ≤ 𝑡 < 3
a) 𝑓(𝑡) = {𝑡 + 4 3 < 𝑡 < 5
9 𝑡≥5

0 𝑡<1
1 1≤𝑡<3
b) 𝑔(𝑡) = 3 3≤𝑡<5
2 5≤𝑡<6
{0 𝑡≥6

Solution

a) f(t) = 2t2 [U(t – 0) – U(t – 3)] + (t + 4) [U(t – 3) – U( t – 5)] + 9 U(t – 5)

= 2t2 U(t) + [t + 4 – 2t2] U(t – 3) + [9 – (t + 4)] U(t – 5)
= 2t2 U(t) + (t + 4 – 2t2) U(t – 3) + (5 – t) U(t – 5)

b) g(t) = 0 U(t – 1) + [ U(t – 1) – U(t – 3)] + 3[U(t – 3) – U(t – 5)] + 2[U(t – 5)

– U(t – 6)] + 0 U(t – 6)
= U(t – 1) + 2 U(t – 3) – U(t – 5) – 2 U(t – 6)

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Laplace transform of unit step function:

𝑒 −𝑎𝑠
ℒ { U(t – a) } = 𝑠

Proof:
∞
ℒ { U(t-a) } = ∫0 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 𝑈(𝑡 − 𝑎)𝑑𝑡
𝑎 ∞
= ∫0 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 (0)𝑑𝑡 + ∫𝑎 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 (1)𝑑𝑡

since
0 𝑖𝑓 𝑡 < 𝑎
𝑈(𝑡 − 𝑎) = {
1 𝑖𝑓 𝑡 ≥ 𝑎

𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 ∞
= lim |
𝑚→∞ −𝑠 𝑎
1
= − 𝑠 lim (𝑒 −𝑠𝑚 − 𝑒 −𝑠𝑎 )
𝑚→∞

1
= − 𝑠 lim (0 − 𝑒 −𝑠𝑎 ) , s>0
𝑚→∞

𝑒 −𝑎𝑠
= 𝑠

Example
𝑒 −𝑠
a) ℒ{ U(t – 1) } = 𝑠

𝑒 4𝑠
b) ℒ{ U(t + 4) } = 𝑠

𝑒 −6𝑠
c) ℒ{ U(t – 6) } = 𝑠

𝑒 11𝑠
d) ℒ{ U(t + 11) } = 𝑠

5. Theorem ( Second shifting)

If ℒ { f(t) } = F(s), then ℒ {f(t – a) U(t – a)} = e-as ℒ { f(t) } = e-as F(s)
(FOR ℒ {f(t) U(t – a)} = e-as ℒ { f(t + a) })

Example
1
a) ℒ {(t – 2) U(t – 2) = 𝑒 −2𝑠 ℒ{𝑡} = 𝑒 −2𝑠 (𝑠2 )

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2
b) ℒ { (t – 2)2 U(t – 2) = 𝑒 −2𝑠 ℒ{𝑡 2 } = 𝑒 −2𝑠 (𝑠3 )

1
c) ℒ {sin (t – 4) U(t – 4) = = 𝑒 −4𝑠 ℒ{sin 𝑡} = 𝑒 −4𝑠 (𝑠2 +1)

d) ℒ {cos (t – 5) U(t – 5) = 𝑒 −5𝑠 ℒ{cos 𝑡}

𝑠
= 𝑒 −5𝑠 (𝑠2 +1)

e) ℒ { t U(t – 3)} = 𝑒 −3𝑠 ℒ{𝑡 + 3)}

1 3
= 𝑒 −3𝑠 (𝑠2 + 𝑠 )

f) ℒ { t2 U(t – 1)} = 𝑒 −𝑠 ℒ{(𝑡 + 1)2 } = 𝑒 −𝑠 ℒ{𝑡 2 + 2𝑡 + 1}

2 2 1
= 𝑒 −𝑠 (𝑠3 + 𝑠2 + 𝑠 )

𝜋 𝜋
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
g) ℒ {sin t U(t - 2 )} = 𝑒 − 2 𝑠 ℒ{sin (𝑡 + 2 ) = 𝑒 − 2 𝑠 ℒ {sin 𝑡 cos 2 +
𝜋
sin 2 cos 𝑡}

𝜋 𝜋
𝑠
= 𝑒 − 2 𝑠 ℒ {cos 𝑡} = 𝑒 − 2 𝑠 (𝑠2 +1)

Example

Rewrite the following piecewise function in terms of unit step functions.

Hence, find ℒ {f(t)} using the second shifting property.

2𝑡 2 0 ≤ 𝑡 < 3
a) f(t) = {𝑡 + 4 3 ≤ 𝑡 < 5
9 𝑡≥5

𝑡 0≤𝑡<1
b) f(t) = {
0 𝑡>1

3𝑡 2 0<𝑡≤4
c) f(t) = {2𝑡 − 3 4<𝑡<6
5 𝑡>6

𝑡 0≤𝑡<1
d) f(t) = {2 − 𝑡 1<𝑡<2
0 𝑡>2

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Solution
a) f(t) = 2t2 [U(t – 0) – U(t – 3)] + (t + 4) [U(t – 3) – U(t – 5)] + 9[U(t – 5)]

= 2t2 U(t) + (t + 4 – 2t2) U(t – 3) + (5 – t) U(t – 5)

= 2t2 U(t) + t U(t – 3) + 4 U(t – 3) - 2t2 U(t – 3) – (t – 5) U(t – 5)

ℒ {f(t)} = ℒ{2t2 U(t) + t U(t – 3) + 4 U(t – 3) - 2t2 U(t – 3) – (t – 5) U(t – 5)}

2 e−3s
= 2 (𝑠3 ) + 𝑒 −3𝑠 ℒ{t + 3} + 4 ( ) − 2e−3s ℒ{ (t + 3)2 } − e−5s ℒ{t}
s

2 𝑒 −3𝑠 3𝑒 −3𝑠 e−3s e−5s

= 2 (𝑠3 ) + 𝑠2
+ 𝑠
+ 4( s
) − 2e−3s ℒ{ t 2 + 6t + 9} − s2

4 𝑒 −3𝑠 3𝑒 −3𝑠 e−3s 4𝑒 −3𝑠 12e−3s 18e−3s e−5s

= (𝑠3 ) + + + 4( )− − − −
𝑠2 𝑠 s 𝑠3 s2 s s2

4 4𝑒 −3𝑠 11e−3s 11e−3s e−5s

= (𝑠3 ) − − − −
𝑠3 s2 s s2

4 4 11 11 e−5s
= (𝑠3 ) − 𝑒 −3𝑠 (𝑠3 + s2 + )−
s s2

b) f(t) = t[U(t) – U(t – 1)] – 0 U(t – 1)]

= t U(t) – t U(t – 1)

1 1 1 1
ℒ {f(t)} = 𝑠2 − 𝑒 −𝑠 ℒ {t + 1} = 𝑠2 − 𝑒 −𝑠 (𝑠2 + 𝑠 )

c) f( t) = 3t2 [U(t) – U(t – 4)] + (2t – 3) [U(t – 4) – U(t – 6)] + 5 U(t – 6)

= 3t2 U(t) + (2t – 3 – 3t2) U(t – 4) + (5 – 2t + 3) U(t – 6)

= 3t2 U(t) + 2t U(t – 4) – 3 U(t – 4) – 3t2 U(t – 4) + 5 U(t – 6)

– 2t U(t – 6) + 3 U(t – 6)

ℒ {f(t)} = ℒ{3t2 U(t) + 2t U(t – 4) – 3 U(t – 4) – 3t2 U(t – 4) + 5 U(t – 6)

– 2t U(t – 6) + 3 U(t – 6)}

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6 e−4s e−6s
= 𝑠3 + 2𝑒 −4𝑠 ℒ{t + 4} − 3 − 3e−4s ℒ{(t + 4)2 } − 5
s s
−2e−6s ℒ{t + 6}

6 2𝑒 −4𝑠 8𝑒 −4𝑠 3𝑒 −4𝑠 5e−6s

= 𝑠3 + + − − 3𝑒 −4𝑠 ℒ{t 2 + 8t + 16} − −
𝑠2 𝑠 𝑠 s
2e−6s 12e−6s
−
s2 s

6 2𝑒 −4𝑠 5𝑒 −4𝑠 6𝑒 −4𝑠 24𝑒 −4𝑠 48𝑒 −4𝑠 17𝑒 −6𝑠 2𝑒 −6𝑠
= 𝑠3 + + − − − − −
𝑠2 𝑠 𝑠3 𝑠2 𝑠 𝑠 𝑠2

6 6 22 43𝑒 −4𝑠 17 2
= 3
− 𝑒 −4𝑠 ( 3 + + ) − 𝑒 −6𝑠 ( + 2)
𝑠 𝑠 𝑠2 𝑠 𝑠 𝑠

d) f(t) = t [U(t) – U(t – 1)] + (2 – t)[U(t – 1) – U(t – 2)]+ 0 U(t – 2)

= t U(t) + (2 – 2t) U(t – 1) – (2 – t) U(t – 2)

ℒ {f(t)} = ℒ {t U(t) + (2 – 2t) U(t – 1) + (t – 2) U(t – 2)}

1 2𝑒 −𝑠
= 𝑠2 + − 2𝑒 −𝑠 ℒ{t + 1} + e−2s ℒ{t}
𝑠

1 2𝑒 −𝑠 2𝑒 −𝑠 2𝑒 −𝑠 𝑒 −2𝑠
= 𝑠2 + − − +
𝑠 𝑠2 𝑠 𝑠2

1 2𝑒 −𝑠 𝑒 −2𝑠
= 𝑠2 − +
𝑠2 𝑠2

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6) Theorem (Laplace transform for integral function)

𝑡 ℒ {𝑓(𝑡)} 𝐹(𝑠)
If ℒ {(f(t)} = F(s) , then ℒ {∫0 𝑓(𝑢)𝑑𝑢} = =
𝑠 𝑠
Example
𝑡
Find a) ℒ {∫0 𝑢3 𝑑𝑢}
𝑡
b) ℒ {∫0 (𝑢4 + sin 2𝑢) 𝑑𝑢}

𝑡
c) ℒ {∫0 𝑒 −2𝑢 cos 𝑢 𝑑𝑢}

𝑡
d) ℒ {𝑒 3𝑡 ∫0 𝑒 4𝑢 u cos 4𝑢 𝑑𝑢}

Solution
𝑡 1 1 3! 6
a) ℒ {∫0 𝑢3 𝑑𝑢} = 𝑠 ℒ{𝑡 3 } = ( ) = 𝑠5
𝑠 𝑠4

𝑡 1 1 4! 2 24 2
b) ℒ {∫0 (𝑢4 + sin 2𝑢) 𝑑𝑢} = ℒ{t 4 + sin 2𝑡} = (𝑠5 + 𝑠2 +4) = + 𝑠(𝑠2 +4)
𝑠 𝑠 𝑠6

𝑡 1 1 s+2
c) ℒ {∫0 𝑒 −2𝑢 cos 𝑢 𝑑𝑢} = 𝑠 ℒ{e−2t cos t} = ( )
s (s+2)2 +1

𝑠
since {𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑡} = 𝑠2 +1 , 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑓𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔
𝑡
d) ℒ {𝑒 3𝑡 ∫0 𝑒 4𝑢 u cos 4𝑢 𝑑𝑢} = 𝑓(𝑠 − 3)

𝑡 1
where F(s)= ℒ ∫0 𝑒 4𝑢 u cos 4𝑢 𝑑𝑢 = ℒ{e4t t cos 4t}
𝑠

d s
Consider ℒ{t cos 4t} = (−1) ds (s2+16) by property of multiplication by t

(𝑠2 +16)−𝑠(2𝑠) 𝑠2 −16

= −[ ] = (𝑠2 +16)2
(𝑠2 +16)2

𝑡 (𝑠−4)2 −16
ℒ{∫0 𝑒 4𝑡 t cos 4𝑡 𝑑𝑡} = 𝑠[(𝑠−4)2 +16]2 by first shifting

𝑡
[(𝑠 − 3) − 4]2 − 16
∴ ℒ {𝑒 3𝑡 ∫ 𝑒 4𝑢 𝑢 𝑐𝑜𝑠 4𝑢 𝑑𝑢} =
(𝑠 − 3)[((𝑠 − 3) − 4)2 + 16]2
0
(𝑠 − 7)2 − 16
=
(𝑠 − 3)[(𝑠 − 7)2 + 16]2

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