The Delta Function 20.5

Introduction
In this Block we introduce the delta function and obtain its Laplace transform. We also examine
the use of the Laplace transform approach to the solution of simultaneous dierential equations
in more than one dependent function.

Prerequisites be able to nd Laplace and inverse Laplace

transforms of simple causal functions
Before starting this Block you should . . .

Learning Outcomes Learning Style

After completing this Block you should be able To achieve what is expected of you . . .
to . . .

understand the properties of the delta allocate sucient study time

function
briey revise the prerequisite material
understand how to use the Laplace trans-
form to solve a system of dierential attempt every guided exercise and most
equations of the other exercises
1. The Delta (Impulse) Function
There is often a need for considering the eect on a system (modelled by a dierential equation)
by a forcing function which acts for a very short time interval. For example, how does the current
in a circuit behave if the voltage is switched on and then very shortly afterwards switched o?
How does a cantilevered beam vibrate if it is hit with a hammer (providing a certain force which
acts over a very short time interval)? Both of these engineering systems can be modelled by a
dierential equation. There are many ways the kick or impulse to the system can be modelled.
The function we have in mind could have the graphical representation (when a is small) shown
in the following gure.

f (t)

d d+a t

This can be represented formally using step functions; it switches on at t = d and switches o
at t = d + a and has amplitude b:

f (t) = b[u(t d) u(t {d + a})]

The eect on the system is related to the area under the curve rather than just the amplitude
b. Our aim is to reduce the time interval over which the forcing function acts (i.e. reduce a)
whilst at the same time keeping the total eect (i.e. the area under the curve) a constant. To
do this we shall take b = 1/a so that the area is always equal to 1. Reducing the value of a then
gives the sequence of inputs shown in the next gure.

f (t)

decreas

1
a

d d+a

As the value of a decreases the height of the rectangle increases (to ensure the value of the area
under the curve is xed at value 1) until, in the limit as a 0, the function becomes a spike

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20.5: The Laplace Transform
at t = d. The resulting function is called a delta function (or impulse function) and denoted by
(t d). This notation is used because, in a very obvious sense, the delta function described
here is located at t = d. Thus the delta function (t 1) is located at t = 1 whilst the delta
function (t) is located at t = 0.
If we were dening an ordinary function we would write
1
(t d) = lim [u(t d) u(t {d + a})]
a0 a

However, this limit does not exist. The important property of the delta function relates to its
integral:
 
1
(t d)dt = lim [u(t d) u(t {d + a})]dt
a0 a
 d+a
1
= lim dt
a0 d a
 
d+a d
= lim =1
a0 a a
which is what we expect since the area under each of the limiting curves is equal to 1.
A more technical discussion obtains the more general result:

Key Point

f (t)(t d)dt = f (d)

This is called the sifting property of the delta function as it sifts out the value f (d) from the
function f (t). Although the integral here ranges from t = to t = + in fact the same
result is obtained for any range if the range of the integral includes the point t = d. That is, if
d then

f (t)(t d)dt = f (d)

Thus, as long as the delta function is located within the range of the integral the sifting property
holds. For example,
 2
sin t (t 1.1)dt = sin 1.1 = 0.8112
1

et (t 1)dt = e1 = 0.3679
0

Now do this exercise

Write expressions for delta functions located at t = 1.7 and at t = 2.3
Answer

Now do this exercise

 3
Determine the integral (sin t (t + 2) cos t (t))dt
1
Answer

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20.5: The Laplace Transform
The Laplace Transform of the Delta Function
Here we consider L{(t d)}. From the denition of the Laplace transform:

L{(t d)} = est (t d)dt = esd
0

by the sifting property of the delta function. Thus

Key Point
L{(t d)} = esd and, putting d = 0, L{(t)} = e0 = 1

More exercises for you to try

1. Find the Laplace transforms of
(i) 3(t 3)

Answer

2. Systems of Differential Equations

The Laplace transform method is also well suited to solving systems of dierential equations.
A simple example will illustrate the technique.
Let x(t), y(t) be two independent functions which satisfy the coupled dierential equations

dx
+ y = et
dt
dy
x = 3et
dt
x(0) = 0 y(0) = 1

Now, using a traditional approach, we could try to eliminate one of the unknown functions from
this system: for example, from the rst:
dy d2 x
= et 2 (taking the derivative and rearranging)
dt dt
dy
This can then be substituted in the second equation: x = 3et , to give:
dt
d2 x
x = 4et
dt2
which can then be solved in the normal way (either using the complementary function/particular
integral approach or else the Laplace transform approach). However, this approach is not
workable if we have large numbers of rst order dierential equations to deal with. Let us
instead use the Laplace transform directly.
If we use the notation that

L{x(t)} = X(s) and L{y(t)} = Y (s)

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20.5: The Laplace Transform
then, by taking the Laplace transform of every term in the given dierential equations, we
obtain:
1
x(0) + sX(s) + Y (s) =
s+1
3
y(0) + sY (s) X(s) =
s+1
which, using the initial conditions and rearranging gives
1
sX(s) + Y (s) =
s+1
s+4
X(s) + sY (s) =
s+1

Key Point
Taking the Laplace transform has transformed our system of dierential equations into a system
of algebraic simultaneous equations.

We can solve these algebraic equations (in X(s) and Y (s)) using a variety of techniques (inverse
matrix; Cramers determinant method etc.) Here we will use Cramers method.
 1 
 1 
 s+1  s

s+4
 s+4
s 
X(s) = s+1  = s + 12 s + 1
 s 1 s +1
1 s
4 2(s 1) 2
= = 2
(s2 + 1)(s + 1) s +1 s+1
and
 
 s 1 
 s+1  s(s + 4) 1
1 s+4  +
Y (s) =   =
s+1 s+1 s+1
s 1 s2 + 1
 
1 s
s2 + 4s + 1 1 2(s + 1)
= = +
(s2 + 1)(s + 1) s+1 s2 + 1
The last lines in each case having been obtained using partial fractions. We can now invert
X(s), Y (s) to nd x(t), y(t):
s 1 1
x(t) = L1 {X(s)} = 2L1 { } 2L1
{ } 2L1
{ }
s2 + 1 s2 + 1 s+1
= (2 cos t 2 sin t 2et )u(t)
1 s 1
y(t) = L1 {Y (s)} = L1 { } + 2L1 { 2 } + 2L1 { 2 }
s+1 s +1 s +1
= (et + 2 cos t + 2 sin t)u(t)
(note that once the solution for x(t) is found the solution for y(t) may be easier to obtain by
dx
substituting in the dierential equation: y = et rather than using Laplace transforms).
dt
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20.5: The Laplace Transform
Try each part of this exercise
Use the Laplace transform to solve the coupled dierential equations:
dy dx
x=0 +y =1 x(0) = 1 y(0) = 1
dt dt
Part (a) Begin by obtaining a system of algebraic equations for X(s), Y (s)
Answer

Part (b) Now solve these equations for X(s) and Y (s)
Answer

Part (c) Now nd the required solution by obtaining the inverse Laplace transforms
Answer

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20.5: The Laplace Transform
Computer exercise or activity

DERIVE does not include the delta function in any of its libraries. However, try to obtain the
result
L{(t d)} = esd
by rst modelling the delta function with
1
[u(t d) u(t {d + a})]
a
then by nding the Laplace transform of this and nally taking the limit (in Calculus ) as a 0.
You will need to Declare a, d both positive real numbers to be successful.

MAPLE does include the delta function and it is referred to as Dirac(t) (you must always use
a capital D). The Laplace transform is taken in a similar way to that described in DERIVE.
We rst need to load the library inttrans. The following command lines nd the Laplace
transform of (t) and (t a).

>with(inttrans):
>Laplace(t 2, t, s);
>Laplace(Dirac(t), t, s);
1
>assume(a > 0);
>Laplace(Dirac(t a),t, s);
ea s
There are no routines in DERIVE for obtaining the alalytical solution to systems of rst-order
dierential equations (though there are routines for obtaining numerical solutions to such sys-
tems). However, DERIVE can help considerably with the intermediate calculations which occur
in the process of solving systems of ordinary dierential equations. For example we can employ
matrix methods to solve the system of equations arising on page 6. Simply dene matrices
(using Author:Matrix)    1 
s 1
A := B := s+1
1 s s+4
s+1
and then key in Author:Expression A (1)B =. DERIVE responds with
4 s2 + 4s + 1
a1 b = [ , ]
(s + 1) (s2 + 1) (s2 + 1) (s + 1)
Then, by choosing Simplify:Expand DERIVE will produce a partial fraction expansion which
you should then be able to invert easily.

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20.5: The Laplace Transform
MAPLE will solve a wide range of ordinary dierential equations including systems of dierential
equations using the command
dsolve(deqns,vars,eqns)
where:
deqns ordinary dierential equation in vars, or set of equations and/or initial conditions.
vars variable or set of variables to be solved for
eqns optional equation of the form keyword=value
For example to solve
d2 y dy
2
+ 2 + 2y = et y(0) = 0, y  (0) = 0
dt dt
we would key in

> dsolve({di(y(t),t$2)+2*di(y(t),t)+2*y(t)=exp(-t),y(0)=0, D(y)(0)=0},y(t),type=exact);

1 cos(t)
MAPLE responds with whereas to solve the system of equations introduced
et
on page 6:

dy
x = 0
dt
dx
+y = 1
dt
x(0) = 1 y(0) = 1

we would key in

> sys:=di(y(t),t)=x(t),di(x(t),t)=1-y(t): fcns:=x(t),y(t):

> dsolve({sys,x(0)=-1,y(0)=1},fcns);

and MAPLE responds with

{x(t) = cos(t). y(t) = sin(t) + 1}

If your dierential equation involves either a step function or a delta function then you must
use method=laplace optional equation as part of the eqns list. This ensures that the dier-
ential equation will be solved using Laplace transforms which is necessary as the normal dsolve
commands do not recognise step or delta functions. For example to solve

d2 y dy
+ 2 + 2y = et u(t) y(0) = 0, y  (0) = 0
dt2 dt
we would key in
> dsolve({di(y(t),t$2)+2*di(y(t),t)+2*y(t)=exp(-t)*Heaviside(t), y(0)=0,D(y)(0)=0},y(t),
method=laplace);
MAPLE responds with

y(t) = e(t) e(t) cos(t)

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20.5: The Laplace Transform
 End of Block 20.5

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20.5: The Laplace Transform
(t + 1.7) and (t 2.3)

Back to the theory

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20.5: The Laplace Transform
You should obtain the value 1 since the rst delta function, (t + 2), is located outside the
range of integration and thus
 3  3
(sin t (t + 2) cos t (t))dt = cos t (t)dt = cos 0 = 1
1 1

Back to the theory

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20.5: The Laplace Transform
1. (i) 3

Back to the theory

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20.5: The Laplace Transform
Writing L{x(t)} = X(s) and L{y(t)} = Y (s) you should obtain the set of transformed
equations
1
1 + sY (s) X(s) = 0 1 + sX(s) + Y (s) =
s
which, when re-arranged, are
1s
X(s) + sY (s) = 1 sX(s) + Y (s) =
s

Back to the theory

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20.5: The Laplace Transform
You should obtain
s 1 1
X(s) = Y (s) =
1 + s2 s 1 + s2

Back to the theory

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20.5: The Laplace Transform
You should obtain x(t) = cos t.u(t) and y(t) = (1 sin t).u(t). This follows since
s
L1 { } = cos t.u(t)
1 + s2
1
L1 { } = u(t)
s
1
L1 { } = sin t.u(t)
1 + s2

Back to the theory

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20.5: The Laplace Transform