The Unit step function at a ( ≥0 ) is defined as

0 : t  a
U (t  a )  
1: t  a

a t

U(t-a)
Laplace transform of unit step function

e as
L(U (t  a )) 
s
Now.

L(U (t  a ))   e  stU (t  a )dt
0
a 
  e  st U (t  a )dt   e  stU (t  a )dt
0 a

 e  st  e  as
  e st dt    
a  s  s
 a
Second shifting property:

L( f (t  a )U (t  a ))  eas ( s )
Now,
 f (t  a ) : t  a
f (t  a )U (t  a )  
 0:t  a
a
L( f (t  a )U (t  a ))   e  st f (t  a )U (t  a )dt
0

  e st f (t  a)U (t  a )dt
a
 
L( f (t  a)U (t  a ))   e st f (t  a)dt
a

  e  s (u  a ) f (u ) du (put u=t-a)
0

=e -sa e  su f (u )du

0
 eas L( f (t ))  eas ( s).
Example:

L(sin(t   )U (t   )  e   s L(sin t )
 1  e  s
e  s
   .
2
 s  1  s 1 2
Problem:
Find the Laplace transform of f(t) where

sin t : 0  t  
f (t )   .
 0: t 

Soln: Now,
f (t )  sin t (U (t  0)  U (t   ))
 sin tU (t )  sin(t )U (t   )
 sin t  sin(t   )U (t   )
t=0 t=π
U(t-0) U(t-π)

t=0 t=π
U(t-0) - U(t-π)
Now,
L( f (t )  L(sin t )  L(sin(t   )U (t   ))
1
  e s L(sin t )
s2  1
1  s 1
 e
s2  1 s2  1

1
s2  1

1  e s 
The Unit impulse function at a ( >0 ) is defined as
limit
 (t  a )   h (t  a )
h0

1
 :a t  ah
 (t  a)   h
where h
 0 : Otherwise


1/h

a a+h t

 h (t  a )
Laplace transform of the unit Impulse function
L( (t  a ))  e as
For

L( (t  a ))   e  st  (t  a )dt
0
  limit 
  e  st  h (t  a)  dt

0 h  0 
limit    st 
   e  h (t  a )dt 
h  0 0 
 
limit  a  h  st  1  
   e   dt. 
h  0 a  h 
 
 ah
limit 1  e  st 
  
h  0 h  s 
 a
limit 1  e  s ( a  h )  e  sa 
  
h 0h  s 
 

 sa limit  1  e  sh 
e  
h  0 sh 
 
 e  sa .
Therefore, L( (t-a))=e  sa .
Problems
f(t)=sin(t)(U(t-0)-U(t-π))
+sin(2t)U(t-π)
= sin(t)U(t)-sin(t)U(t-π)
+sin(2t)U(t-π)
= sin(t)+sin(t-π)U(t-π)
+sin(2(t-π))U(t-π)
L(f(t))  L(sin t )  L(sin(t   ) U(t   ))  L(sin(2(t   ) U(t   ))
1  s  s
  e L(sin t )  e L(sin(2t )
2
s 1
1  s  1   s  2 
 e    e  
s2  1  s 2  1  s 2
 4