200238 Mathematics for Engineers 2

LAPLACE TRANSFORMS (Continued)

Things I MUST do before each teaching session:

• Listen to ‘Lectures on Line”
• Print off lecture/workshop questions and tutorial questions
• Switch off mobile phones during lectures and tutorials.

Things I CAN do:

• Read the relevant sections of the text(s)
• Do the extra questions from the text(s) as indicated.

Student learning outcomes:

At the end of this section I should be able to:

• Find the inverse Laplace transform of basic functions using a transform table
• Solve an initial value problem using Laplace transforms

1
Inverse Laplace transforms
If F ( s ) is defined then the original function is called the inverse Laplace transform of
F (s ) . This is written as

L−1{F ( s )} = f (t ) .

From the previous basic transforms,

1  1  1 
L−1   = 1 L−1  2  = t L−1  =e .
at

s s   s − a 

The inverse transform is also a linear operator.

Examples:

Find the corresponding function f (t ) :

3
1. F (s) = 3 .
s
3 1  1 2!  3 3
L−1  3  = 3 × L−1  3  =
3 × L−1  × 3  = t 2 =t 2 .
s  s   2! s  2! 2

3
2. F (s) =
s − 5s + 6
2

 3   3   −3 3 
L−1  2 =L−1  =L−1  + =−3e 2t + 3e3t
 s − 5 s + 6   ( s − 2)( s − 3)   s − 2 s − 3 

First Shifting Theorem

L−1{F ( s − a )} =
e at f (t )

The steps are L−1{F ( s − a )} = L−1{F ( s ) s → s − a } = e at f (t ) .

Examples:
Find the following inverse Laplace transforms:
1
1. F ( s ) = .
( s + 2)3
 1  
−1  1
 −2t  1  1 2 −2t
L−1   =
L   =×e L−1  3  = t e .
 ( s + 2)  s  2
3 3
 s s →( s + 2) 
1
2. F (s) = 2 .
s − 6 s + 10
1 1  −1  1  −1  1   1
−1 


L−=  2  L =  L=   L  
 s − 6 s + 10   ( s − 6 s + 9) + 1   ( s − 3) + 1   s + 1 s →( s −3) 
2 2 2
 
= e3t sin t.

2
Second Shifting Theorem

L−1 {e − as F ( s )} =f (t − a )U (t − a )

Examples:

Find the following inverse Laplace transforms:

 4e −4 s 
1. L−1  .
 s ( s + 2) 

 4  2 2 
L−1  =L−1  − =2 − 2e −2t
 s ( s + 2)  s s + 2
 4e −4 s 
∴ L−1  =(2 − 2e −2(t − 4) )U (t − 4).
 s ( s + 2) 

 e −5 s 
−1
2. L  4 
.
 ( s − 2) 

 1   1  1 3 2t 1 3 2t
L−1  = 4 
L−1  4 =  = t e t e
 ( s − 2)   s s →( s − 2)  3! 6
 e −5 s  1
∴ L−1  4 
= (t − 5)3 e 2(t −5)U (t − 5).
 ( s − 2)  6

Transforms of derivatives

Given that the transform of f (t ) exists and has a piecewise continuous derivative on every
finite interval for t ≥ 0 , then the transform of the derivative exists and is given by

L{ f ′(t )} = sL{ f (t )} − f (0) = sF ( s ) − f (0) .

This can be shown as follows.

∞
L{ f ′(t )} = ∫ e − st f ′(t ) dt
0
∞ ∞
= e − st f (t ) − ∫ − se − st f (t ) dt
0 0
∞
= 0 − f (0) + s ∫ e − st f (t ) dt.
0
(
((( 
= L{ f ( t )}

Hence, L{ f ′(t )} = sL{ f (t )} − f (0) or L{ f ′(t )} = sF ( s ) − f (0) as above.

3
Also,
′
L{ f ′′(t )} = L{( f ′(t ) ) }
= sL{ f ′(t )} − f ′(0)
= s[ sL{ f (t )} − f (0)] − f ′(0)

so L{ f ′′(t )} = s 2 F ( s ) − sf (0) − f ′(0) .

This can be generalized for integer n ≥ 0 to

L{ f ( n ) (t )} = s n F ( s ) − s n −1 f (0) − s n − 2 f ′(0) − ... − f ( n −1) (0) .

Example

Find the Laplace transform of f (t ) = t sin t .

f (t ) t =sin t f (0) 0
f ′(t ) =t cos t + sin t f ′(0) =
0
f ′′(t ) =−t sin t + cos t + cos t
=
−t sin t + 2 cos t
L{ f ′′(t )} = s 2 F ( s ) − sf (0) − f ′(0)
L{−t sin t + 2 cos t} =
s 2 L{t sin t}
− L {t sin t} + 2 L {cos t} =
s 2 L{t sin t}
2 L {cos t} s 2 L{t sin t} + L {t sin t}
=
2s
= ( s 2 + 1) L {t sin t}
s +1
2

2s
∴ L {t sin t} = 2
( s + 1) 2

4
Solving initial value problems
Consider the following second order linear ODE with initial conditions (an IVP).

y ′′ + ay ′ + by = r (t ), y (0) = K 1 , y ′(0) = K 2 .

Step 1: Find the transform of the differential equation. Use Y (= Y ( s ) = L{ y (t )}) .

L {r (t )}
L { y ′′} + L {ay ′} + L {by} =
 s 2Y − sy (0) − y ′(0)  + a [ sY − y (0) ] + bY =
L {r (t )}
s 2Y − sK1 − K 2 + asY − aK1 + bY = L {r (t )}
(The differential equation is now changed into an algebraic equation.)

Step 2: Solve the equation algebraically for Y.

L {r (t )}
s 2Y − sK1 − K 2 + asY − aK1 + bY =
) L {r (t )} + sK1 + aK1 + K 2
( s 2Y + asY + bY=
L {r (t )} + sK1 + aK1 + K 2
Y= .
s 2 + as + b

Step 3: Take the inverse transform of both sides of the equation to find y (t ) ( = L−1{Y } ).

Examples:

Solve the following initial value problems:

1. y ′′ + 4 y = 2, y ′(0) =
0, y (0) = −8 .

Step 1:
L {0}
L { y ′′} + L {4 y} =
s 2Y − sy (0) − y ′(0) + 4Y =
0
s 2Y − 2 s + 8 + 4Y =0

Step 2:
( s 2 + 4)Y =2 s − 8
2s − 8
Y= 2
s +4

Step 3: Take the inverse transform of both sides of the equation to find y (t )
 2s − 8 
L−1{=
Y } y=(t ) L−1  2 
s + 4
 2s 8 
= L−1  2 − 2 
s + 4 s + 4
∴ y (t=
) 2 cos 2t − 4sin 2t.

5
 4

1 2 3 4 5 6

-2

-4

2. y′′ − y′ − 6 y =−2, y (0) =1, y′(0) =0

Step 1: Find the transform of the differential equation.

L { y′′} − L { y′} − 6 L { y} =−
L { 2}
−2
( s 2Y − sy (0) − y′(0)) − ( sY − y (0)) − 6Y =
s
−2
s 2Y − s − sY + 1 − 6Y =
s

Step 2: Solve the equation algebraically for Y.

−2
( s 2 − s − 6)Y = + s −1
s
s2 − s − 2
( s 2 − s − 6)Y =
s
s −s−2
2
s2 − s − 2
= Y =
s ( s 2 − s − 6) s ( s − 3)( s + 2)

Step 3: Take the inverse transform of both sides of the equation to find y (t )
 s2 − s − 2 
L−1{=
Y } y= (t ) L−1  
 s ( s − 3)( s + 2) 
1/ 3 4 /15 2 / 5 
= L−1  + + 
 s s −3 s + 2
1 4 2
∴ y (t ) =+ e3t + e −2t .
3 15 5

10

0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4

6
Questions for Lecture/ Workshop
1 2
1. F ( s )= + .
s s2
2 3
2. F=(s) − .
s−3 s−2
1
3. F (s) = 2 .
s + s − 20

3
4. F (s) = .
s +s
2

s
5. F ( s) = .
s + 4s + 5
2

 e −π s ( s + 3) 
6. L−1  .
 s ( s + 1) 
2

7. Use Laplace transforms to solve the initial value problem:

A 16kg mass is attached to a spring having spring constant of 4 N/cm. The mass is started in
motion by stretching the spring 2cm from the equilibrium position and releasing it from rest,
i.e. the initial velocity is zero. Find the position of the mass as a function of time.

8. Solve y ′′ + =
y 4 δ (t − 2π ), y (0) = 1, y ′(0) = 0.

(NOTE: This problem could model the motion of a mass on a spring moving in a medium in
which damping is negligible, the mass being released from rest 1 unit below the equilibrium
position. At time t = 2π the mass is given a sharp blow.)

et 0 < t <1

9. Given h(t ) =  , find L {h(t )} and solve y′=
+ 2 y h(t ) ,=
y (0) 0.
0 t >1

Answers

1 4t 1 −5t
1. 1 + 2t. 2. 2e3t − 3e 2t . 3. e − e . 4. 3 − 3e − t
9 9

5. e −2t (cos t − 2sin t ). 6. [3 − 3cos(t − π ) + sin(t − π )]U (t − π ).

1
7. y (t ) = 2 cos( t )
2

(e − e ) − ( e − e )U (t − 1).
1 t −2t e t −1 −2(t −1)
8. y (t ) =cos t + 4sin(t − 2π ) U (t − 2π ). 9. y (t ) =
3 3

7
 Tutorial Questions
1. Find f (t ) given:

1 1 1 1   1 
(i) L−1  3  (ii) L−1  2 − +  (iii) L−1  
s  s s s − 2  5s + 2 
 ( s + 1)3   3   4s 
(iv) L−1   (v) L−1  2  (vi) L−1  2 
 s + 49   4s + 1
4
 s 
 2s − 6   1   1 
(vii) L−1  2  (viii) L−1  3  (ix) L−1  2 
s +9 s − s  s + s − 20 
−1   −1  se −2 s 
(xi) .L {e ( s + 1) }
s −1 −s −1
(x) L  2  (xii) L  2 
 s − 2s + 2   s + 2s + 5 
2. Use Laplace Transforms to solve the following initial value problems:

dy
(i) − 3 y = e 2t y (0) = 1
dt
(ii) y ′′ − 4 y = 1 − 2t y (0) = 0, y ′(0) = 0

(iii) y ′′ − 3 y ′ + 2 y = 2e −t y (0) = 2, y ′(0) = −1.

(iv) y ′′ + y = d (t − 1) y (0) = y ′(0) = 0

=(v) y ′ + y f (t= ) given y (0) 0
−1 0 ≤ t ≤1
and f (t ) = 
 1 t >1

Answers

t2 1 3 1 3
1. (i ) (ii ) t − 1 + e 2t (iii ) e −2/5t (iv) 1 + 3t + t 2 + t 3 (v) sin 7t
2 5 2 6 7
t 1 t 1 −t 1 4t
(vi ) cos (vii ) 2 cos 3t − 2sin 3t (viii ) − 1 + e + e (ix) (e − e −5t ) ( x) et (cos t + sin t )
2 2 2 9
 1 
( xi ) e − (t −1)U (t − 1) ( xii ) e − (t − 2) cos 2(t − 2) − e − (t − 2) sin 2(t − 2)  U (t − 2)
 2 
t 1 1 −7 1
2. (i ) y =−e 2t + 2e3t (ii ) y = − + e −2t (iii ) y = e 2t + 4et + e − t
2 4 4 3 3
−t − ( t −1)
(iv) =
y sin(t − 1)U (t − 1) (v) − 1 + e + 2(1 − e )U (t − 1)

Extra Questions
Kreyszig: page 211 Set 6.1, Q 25-32, 37-45, page 216 Set 6.2 Q1-11,
page 223 Set 6.3 Q12-17,