Differential Equations 1 – Handout Sheet 23

Laplace Transforms of Step Functions

Definition 20 Example 3
The unit step function, denoted by ub, is defined by  1 when 0  t<3
0 when 0  t  b 
ub (t )   . Determine L( f ) for the function f (t )  et when 3  t<6
1 when t  b  2 when t  6.

Solution:
Theorem R Using Definition 20, it follows that
When s  0, the Laplace Transform of the function ub is
f (t)  1  [et  1]u3 (t)  [2  et ]u6 (t)
1
L[ub (t )]  e  bs .  1  et u3 (t)  u3 (t)  2u6 (t)  et u6 (t).
s
It then follows from Theorems K, L, and R that
In Class Exercise L( f )  L[1]  L[et u3 (t)]  L[u3 (t)]  2 L[u6 (t)] L[et u6 (t)]
Prove Theorem R. 1 1 1 1 1
 ( ) e3( s 1)  e3s  2( )e6 s  ( )e6( s 1) .
s s 1 s s s 1
Example 1
0 when 0  t  6 In Class Exercise
Determine L( f ) for the function f (t )  
4 when t  6.   1 when 0  t<2

Solution: Determine L( f ) for the function f (t )   e2t when 2  t<5
Using Definition 20, it follows that  3 when t  5.

0 when 0  t  6 Answer:
f (t )    0  [4  0] u6 (t ).
4 when t  6 1 1 1 3 1
L( f )   ( ) e2( s 2)  e2 s  e5s  ( )e5( s 2) .
It then follows from Theorems K and R that s s 2 s s s 2
1 4
L( f )  L[0]+4L[u6 (t)]  0  4( e 6 s )  e 6 s .
s s Theorem S
If L( f )  F (s) when s  b, then
Example 2 L[ub (t) f (t  b)]  ebs L[f(t)].
 5 when 0  t  2
3 when 2  t  4 In Class Exercise

Determine L( f ) for the function f (t )  
Prove Theorem S.
0 when 4  t  6
2 when t  6.
Solution: Example 4
Using Definition 20, it follows that  1 when 0  t  6
Determine L(g) for the function g(t )  
f (t )  5  [3  5]u2 (t )  [0  3]u4 (t)  [2  0] u6 (t). t  3 when t  6.
It then follows from Theorems K and R that Solution:
L( f )  5 L[1]  2 L[u2 (t )]  3 L[u4 (t)]  2 L[u6 (t)] Using Definition 20, it follows that
1 1 1 1 g(t )  1  [(t  3)  1]u6 (t )
 5( )  2( e2 s )  3( e4 s )  2 ( e6 s ) .
s s s s  1  [(t  6)  2]u6 (t ) .
It then follows from Theorems K and S that
L(g) L[1]  e6 sL(t  2)
1 1 2 1 1  2s
  e6 s ( 2  )   e6 s ( 2 ).
s s s s s
Example 5 Homework Problems for Handout Sheet 23
 t when 0  t  3 1. Prove Theorem R.
Determine L(g) for the function g(t )   2
 2t when t  3. In Problems 2-3, express the given function in terms of step
Solution: functions, and then use Theorems K, L, and R to determine L( f )
Using Definition 20, it follows that
for each given function f:
g(t)  t  [2t 2  t ]u3 (t)
 1 when 0  t  4  et when 0  t  3
 t [2(t  3)  11(t  3)  15]u3 (t).
2
 
2. f (t )  e t when 4  t  8 3. f (t )  e2t when 3  t  5
Thus, it follows from Theorems K and S that  2 when t  8.  0 when t  5.
 
L(g) L[t ]  e3sL(2t 2  11t  15)
4. Prove Theorem S.
1 2! 1! 1
  e3s [2( 3 )  11( 2 )  15( )].
s 2
s s s In Problem 5-7, express the given function in terms of step
functions, and then use Theorem S and any other necessary
In Class Exercise results to determine L( f ) for each given function f.
 4t  3 when 0  t  2  t when 0  t  4
Find L(g) for the function g(t )   5. f (t )  
3t  t when t  2. 6 when t  4.
2

Answer: 3t  4 when 0  t  5

4 3 6  7 s  5s 2 6. f (t)  
 t  t when t  5.
2
L(g)  2   e 2 s ( ).
s s s3
14t when 0  t  2
7. f (t)  
Example 6 2t
2
when t  2.
10 4
When G (s)  e 3 s (  ), determine L 1[G(s)]. In Problems 8-11, use Theorem S and any other necessary
s3 s
results to determine L1 (G) for each given function G.
Solution:
3s  8 4
Since
10 4
G (s)  e 3s (  )  e 3sL[5t2  4], 8. G (s)  e6 s ( ). 9. G (s)  e5s ( ).
s 3
s s2  4 s  2s
2

it follows from Theorem S that e 2 s e 5 s 1 e 4 s e 4 s

10. G (s)   3 . 11. G (s)    2 .
L 1[G(s)]  u3 (t)[5(t  3)2  4] s2 s s2 s s

 0 when 0  t  3 Answers:
 2
5t  30t  49 when t  3. 1 e 4( s 1) e 4 s 2e 8 s e 8( s 1)
2.     .
s s 1 s s s 1
Example 7 1 e 3( s 2) e 3( s 1) e 5( s 1)
s 3.    .
When G (s)  e 2 s [ ], determine L 1[G(s)]. s 1 s 2 s 1 s 2
(s  2)(s  1)
1 4 s 2s  1 3  4 s 5 s 2  6 s  s2
Solution: 5. 2  e ( 2 ). 6. e ( ).
s s s2 s3
s
Since G (s)  e 2 s [ ]
(s  2)(s  1) 14 2 s 4  6 s  20 s2
7. e ( ).
2 1 s2 s3
 e2 s [  ]  e2 sL[2e2t  et ],
s 2 s 1 8. u6 (t ) [3cos(2t  12)  4sin(2t  12)].
it follows from Theorem S that
9. u5 (t) [2  2e2t 10 ].
L 1[G(s)]  u2 (t)[2e2(t 2)  et 2 ]
1
 0 when 0  t  2 10. u2 (t) [t  2]  u5 (t) [ (t  5)2 ].
  2 t  4 t 2 2
2e  e when t  2.
11. t  u4 (t )[t  3].