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
The Unit impulse function at a ( >0 ),  (t  a ) is defined as

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

1/h

a a+h t

 h (t  a )
Laplace transform of the unit Impulse function

L( (t  a ))  e  as


L ( (t  a ))   e  st  (t  a ) dt
0
  limit 
  e  st   h (t  a)  dt
0 h   
limit   st
  e  h (t  a ) dt
h0

limit a  h  st  1 
  e  h  dt.
h a  
 ah
limit 1  e st 
  
h   h  s 
 a
limit 1  e s (a  h)  e sa 
  
hh s 
 
limit  1  e  sh 
 e sa  
h    sh 
 
 e sa .
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

  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  e  as L( f (t ))  e  as ( s).
0
Example:

L(sin(t   )U (t   ))  e  s L(sin t )

 s  1  e s
e    .
2
 1 
s s 2 1
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   )
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 