The Unit Step Functions and Laplace Transforms

Department of Mathematics, Sinclair Community College, Dayton, OH 1

The Unit Step Function, U, is like a switch that turns a function on or off over a specified
interval. By definition,
U =
0 < 0
1 0



For example, consider the product U. The function is turned off when < 0 and
turned on when 0. This happens because if < 0, U = 0 = 0, and if 0,
U = 1 = .

In general, the unit step function for Laplace transforms is defined as
U =
0 0 < <
1



Example:
Suppose = U 2

. Then for < 2, U 2 = 0

and = 0

= 0. For 2, U 2 = 1 and
= 1

.


Example: Suppose we want the function =

only to exist on the interval [2, 3). Note that

U 2 =
0 0 < < 2
1 2

and U 3 =
0 0 < < 3
1 3


Now lets investigate U 2 U 3.
< 2 U 2 U 3 = 0 0 = 0
2 < 3 U 2 U 3 = 1 0 = 1
3 U 2 U 3 = 1 1 = 0

So, U 2 U 3

will equal

only on the
interval [2, 3).

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From the previous example, suppose a function is defined as follows:
=
2 0 < < 2
1 2 < 3
1 3


We wish to express in terms of the unit step functions U 2 and U 3. If < 2,
both U 2 and U 3 are equal to zero. If 2 < 3, U 2 = 1 and U 3 = 0;
so = 2 3U 2 = 1. If 3, both U 2 and U 3 are equal to one, and
since = 1 when 3, the function becomes = 2 3U 2 + 2U 3.

Example: This time, suppose =
0 < 2

2

. Express in terms of unit step functions.
If 1 < 2, U 1 = 1 and U 2 = 0, so
= U 1 U 2
If 2, U 1 = 1 and U 2 = 1, so
= U 1 U 2 +U 2

General Formulas
In general, if =
0 <


, then = U + U .
Also,
=
0 <
<


= + U + U
= 1 U + U U + U

Example: Write the function =
2 0 < 1
1 < 3

3

in terms of unit step functions.
Using the general formula from above,
= 21 U 1 +U 1 U 3 +

U 3
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Laplace Transforms
If = L and > 0, then
L U =

If we let = 1, then the Laplace transform of the unit step function is
LU =

Example: Calculate the Laplace transform of the function defined by
=
2 0 < < 2
1 2 < 3
1 3


From earlier, we know that = 2 3U 2 + 2U 3. So,
L = L2 3LU 2 + 2LU 3 =
2

+
2

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1
a b
1
1
Exercises: Write the following functions in terms of unit step functions. Then find the Laplace
transform of each function.
1. =
1 0 < < 2
1 2

2. =
2 0 < 5
0 5 < 7
2 7

3. =

0 < 1
+ 2 1


4. =
0 0 <
3
2
cos
3
2

5.
=
6.
=
7. Find L

+ 5U 3.


Answers:
1.
= 1 2U 2;
1

1 2

2.
= 2 2U 5 2U 7;
2

3.
=

U 1

+ U 1 + 2;
2

+
3

+
4

4.
= U
3
2
cos ;

+ 1

5.
= 1 U + U ;
1

6.
= U 1 + U 1 1;
1

7.
2

+
11

+
24